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8 OOT1929 JOURNAL of the ROYAL VICTORIAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS IN ALLIANCE WITH THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS. CONTENTS 4 PAGE Australian Architecture 72 Garden Architecture 73 Members' Section 80 Obituary Note - 80 Visit - - - _ _ _ - - 81 The Library 81 Board of Architectural Education - - 83 Competition - - - _ - 84 Golf Tournament 84 Exhibition of Building Materials - 86 Along the Bye-Paths - - - - - 86 Proceedings of General Meeting of the Institute 87 Students' Section 91 VOLUME XXVII., No. 4 SEPTEMBER, 1929 OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES FOR 1929.30 President* W. A. M. Blackett First Vice-President T. J. Buchan Second Vice-President P. A. Oakley Hon. Secretary* M. W. Martin Hon. Treasurer H. W. Tompkins Hon. Assistant Secretary - - L. F. Irwin Secretary to the Institute J. B. Islip *Ex Officio Member of all Committees. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL F. K. Cheetham. K. A. Henderson. E. E. Smith A. S. Hall. P. B. Hudson L. R. Williams. R. B. Hamilton. J. S. Murdoch Social and Fellowship Committee Rooms Committee H. W. Bladen F. J. C. Sale W. A. M. Blackett P. A. Oakley C. L. Cummings J. F. D. Scarborough A. S. Hall A. B. Smith R. B. Hamilton Board of Architectural Education R. H. Alsop R. B. Hamilton Finance Committee F. K. Cheetham A. S. Eggleston G. L. Cockrell M. W. Martin W. A. M. Blackett H. W. Tompkins J. S. Gawler W. O. McCutcheon W. S. P. Godfrey E. E. Smith (Chairman) Building Regulations Committee E. A. Bates P. B. Hudson Federal Council Representatives M. R. Barlow P. A. Oakley K. A. Henderson H. W. Tompkins W. A. M. Blackett P. A. Oakley "Journal" Committee Board of Architectural Design G. H. Alsop Miss E. E. Harvie W. A. M. Blackett W. O. McCutcheon G. A. Beech P. A. Jenkin W. R. Butler J. S. Murdoch F. K. Cheetham J. F. D. Scarborough F. K. Cheetham S. T. Parkes R. B. Hamilton E. E. Smith A. S. Hall F. J. C. Sale J. H. Harvey (Ed.) P. B. Hudson E. E. Smith L. F. Irwin L. R. Williams Representatives on R.V.I.A. War Memorial Scholarship Board of Studies in Architecture at the University of Melbourne Trustees W. A. M. Blackett W. O. McCutcheon E. A. Bates P. B. Hudson E. F. Billson K. A. Henderson Australian Architecture By Alec. S. Hall, A.R.I.B.A., A.R.V.I.A. HE architecture of this country is constantly being world becomes more uniform, so will the arts which are Tfaced with the charge that it is not truly Australian. its reflection. Made simply as a statement of fact, this must be If, hampered by the slight and intermittent contact accepted, but used as a slur upon our work, it shows between countries in the middle ages, Gothic architecture a very poor understanding of artistic expression, and, was able to spread through the whole of south-western but for the fact that architects themselves sometimes Europe, it must surely follow that the next great archi- join in the chorus of disapproval, would not call for tectural style will be of the whole world, and not of any serious notice. As an example, when the selected design one continent. But although we may expect a universal for the State War Memorial was published, we were style, it does not follow that no difference will be dis- told by critics that, instead of giving us something Aus- cernible between the art of one country and that of tralian—whatever that may mean—the architects had another, any more than it does that, because the Scot been so unimaginative as to go to Europe for their and the American speak the same language (or what inspiration. passes for it) they cannot be distinguished one from the No one, so far as I know, has ever tried to show other. these critics that they are arguing from a false premise, Artistic expression reflects the life of the people, but inasmuch as a purely Australian style is neither possible to do that it must be instinct with their traditions. No nor desirable. I believe that never again will there be work of art can be accepted as good unless it offers us a style of architecture peculiar to one country. Even in some standard of comparison by calling to mind some the past, when travelling was difficult and contact be- previously experienced thought or accepted tradition. tween countries was of the slightest, architecture was For this reason a new school of thought or a new style never confined by frontier lines. Art is an expression of art, cannot be invented per saltum, it must be born of culture and social customs; hence peoples whose of the past and must manifest to us something of its religions and customs are similar, and who constantly paternity. trade with one another, have always fallen under the It is not feasible that our art should be Australian sway of the same architectural style, modified however, in the sense that the boomerang is: the boomerang was by national temperament. So the Mohammedans, the evolved slowly, and now typifies aboriginal life to us. southern and western Europeans, and the Russians have So also our architecture, painting, sculpture, literature, each given us their own architecture. and music, if they are to mean anything at all must The civilisation of ancient Rome slowly spread reflect our European origin. through Europe, ever changing and developing, till it Our art will grow stronger, and as our national char- became the "western civilisation," then it commenced to acteristics get more pronounced and our national tem- push its way across the globe, through America, Africa perament shows itself more clearly these will 'inevitably and Australia, and is even now changing the life of express themselves in our work ; but let us hasten slowly, India, China, Japan and the East Indies. This spread and remember that if we consciously try to do something of western customs, helped as it is by quicker transport new our art will be self-conscious, while if we have in and communication, the printing press and photography, us the power to do great things, they will be done is gathering impetus, and as the social life of the whole unwittingly. ARTICLES AND CORRESPONDENCE It is desired to point out that the opinions of writers of articles and letters which appear in the R.V.I.A. Journal must be taken as the individual opinions of their authors and not as representative expressions of the Institute. 72 :li4'Y:1r,S:Iy~a r Garden Architecture (An Address delivered by Mr. M. W. Martin, A .R.I.B.A., A.R.V.I.A., at a General Meeting of the Institute on Monday, 8th July, 1929) R. President and Gentlemen: I feel that I must, ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF GARDEN first of all, explain how it is that I happen to ARCHITECTURE M be here to give this address on "Garden Archi- Before I discuss the present-day problems, it may be tecture." A short time ago, my firm had the honour of helpful briefly to review the evolution of garden archi- receiving an invitation from the Institute to give an tecture, so far as it provides a precedent on which we address on Garden Architecture, the reputation and en- may work. The existence of gardens may be taken as thusiasm for garden work which is held by our senior being coeval with the whole period of man's growth partner, Mr. Walter Butler (F.) , being so well known. from barbaric days to the present time, and like civilisa- Unfortunately for me, that gentleman is now travelling tion, garden design extended from east to west. I abroad and the result is, that I have been persuaded to mention this because it is information for those whose give this address. I consider it a most fascinating sub- knowledge is not clear respecting where it all started. ject with an enormous amount of scope. The subject is set down as "Garden Architecture" and therefore I Among the Egyptians horticulture flourished, but their am not going to call it "Landscape Architecture," which gardens lacked variety, which was no doubt due to the is a subject that covers a still larger field; I think that flat nature of the country, but in Greece the totally I will leave it at Garden Architecture, which applies different physical character afforded greater opportuni- mainly to the gardens of our homes and so on. ties for the exploitation of ideas which were based upon 73 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL VICTORIAN. INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS inspirations from Egypt, Persia and Assyria. The Greeks Characteristics of the early English gardens were the found that gardens were necessary to set off their archi- use of gate piers and wrought iron gates, which became tecture and these they treated in strict formality so as general about the end of the 18th century. Other fea- to conform to their buildings. Flowers were cultivated tures were the use of garden figures and ornaments of upon an elaborate scale. The Greeks studied the art lead, which one still finds in England. Sun dials were of forcing and retarding flowers in order to keep up used extensively, but were rarely to be seen on the Con- a supply all the year round. The Romans, when at the tinent. Unfortunately so many gardens of the 18th height of their power, undertook gardening on a very century suffered through vandalism that few escaped grand scale—their ideas being developed from the destruction. Greeks—and the same formal type of garden flourished; It was Humphry Repton who first assumed the title this in Imperial Rome was filled with ornaments, statu- of "Landscape Gardener" in England.

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