Oculus Feb/78

Robert F. Wagner, Jr. Is Guest Speaker at Chapter

On Jan.24 Robert F.Wagner,Jr., newly appointed Chairman, City Planning Commission, was guest speaker at the Chapter. He . corrrnented on several positions taken in the past by the Chapter and outlined what he thought to be the future at CPC. What followed was an informative and very positive dialogue.

This year is the 40th anniver­ sary of the founding of the Planning Commssion. The AIA has been quite active during the last two administrations providing the CPC with a constant flow of its opinions. Mr. Wagner is very much in Robert F. Wagner, Jr. Chairman of the City Planning Commission favor of creating an even speaking at Jan.24th Chapter meeting. Seated from the left is stronger liaison between the Stephen Kliment, Chapter Secretary and Chapter President, Chapter and the CPC than has Peter Samton. Photo by George Lewis. had been experienced in the past. He plans to establish regular monthly meetings with the Chapter to maintain a see a m1n1mum solution on West government has most deliberate steady exchange of ideas with Street. Wagner feels strongly intentions to see something a resultant deeper involvement that the public should have done. The City Administration of the AIA in CPC activities. access to the waterfront with has put forward a plan for the a well designed road and park rehabilitation of the area. Highlights of the Wagner system. This plan is now being comments we re: reviewed in Washington. •Convention Center •Housing and Community Devel­ A firm decision will probably opment Mr. Wagner had met previously be made within the next two Urban design will be a most with chapter representatives months. significant factor in all CPC the day he was sworn in, and activities. Efforts will be at the outset of his tenure at •Westway made to see that federal CPC an excellent relationship The Koch Administration is not housing funds are allocated to with the Chapter has clearly in favor of Westway. If there have maximum effect. Regarding been established.D is a mass transit trade-in, the South Bronx project he however, he does not want to indicated that the federal Mary Jane Clark 1 Evelyn McGrath at Candidates for Membership Chapter for Twenty Years

Information received by the Secretary of the NYC/AIA re­ garding the qualifications of candidates for membership will be considered confidential:

AIA Member

Charles G. Brodie James A. Carr Alan Gaynor Laurence T. Goldberg Joseph A- Mi cal i Ge r a rd F . Vas i s ko Joe 1 D. Z i eden

AIA Associate

This IlKJnth .will mark Evelyn McGrath's 20th year at the Handen N. McKay Chapter. During this tirre countless members have been delighted with the way she has worked with them, exhibiting a New Members seemingly endless display of skill and patience. She has not only provided the sole continuity through many changes of leadership, but she has at the same time brought up a family of ten, now ranging in age from 16 to 29. Cathanne Piesla The NYC/AIA Welcomes the who is also on the Chapter staff is her daughter. Photo of following New Members: "Ev" is by George Lewis. AIA Member Miscellany Wi 11 iam Bobenhausen Donald L. Bostwick, I I Jack Gonchor Peder H. Knudson The Post has engaged a new New York Chapter The American Institute of Architects Sergi e Waisman reporter, Eric Fettmann, who 20 West 40th Street New York, New York 10018 will write on housing and 212/730-1221 related subjects. Peter George S. Lewi s, Executive Dire ctor Samton urged Rupert Murdoch to Executive Committee 1977178 give more coverage to housing Peter Samton, Pres ident · Charles E. Hughes, 1st Vice Pres ident and planning issues. George A. Dud ley, Vice President Joseph Wasserman , Vice President Stephen A. Kli ment, Sec retary The Chapter wl ll review a Anna M. Halpin, Treasurer Jonathan Barnett , Directo r · proposal of the ·Fisher Michael McCarthy, Director Brothers to build behind the Rosa ria Piomelli , Dire ctor John Belle, Director Racquet Club. Ro y Friedberg , Dire ctor Robert A. M. Stern, Director

The AIA convention will be in Oculus Committee Denis Glen Kuhn, Edito r/ Chairman New York in 1982, and it is A_lbert Barash none too early to develop Stephen N. Carter Mary Jane Clark plans for what should be the Bonnell Irvine Law rence Levine greatest architectural Kenneth Ricci conference ever held anywhere. Will iam C. Shopsin

Stephen A. Kl iment Secretary, NYC / A JA Cathanne Pies/a Ch apter Staff Member 2 Executive Committee Cuts Philip Johnson to Receive AIA Gold Medal Chapter Dues and Restudies Chapter to Celebrate Event in the Spring Position on Relicensing At its regular Jan. meeting the Chapter's executive committee voted to cut back first and second year ind~vidual dues for Chapter members to $25 and $50, respectively, from the current $58 and $72 (see story this page). The committee also agreed to review diverse ~pproaches to continuing edu­ cation and relicensing held by the NY State Regents, the NY State Board for Architects, NCARB and the state and local Chapters, and come up with a single, practical position to bring before the Regents.

In other actions, the committee Philip Johnson pictured recently above at his offlce will voted to-- receive the coveted AIA ·cold Medal at the May'78 AIA eho 1d a spring celebration in Convention to be held in Dallas. The Chapter plans to hold a honor of Philip Johnson, '78 spring celebration of this event. Photo by Denis Glen Kuhn. recipient of the AIA Gold Medal

•adjust the Chapter's member­ First and Second Year Dues Slashed ship admission process to In Chapter Campaign for New Members reduce current delays

euse a scheduled private In a move it hopes will they do pay their employees' meeting with Robert F.Wagner, attract new members to the individual dues as an Jr., new chairman of the City ranks, the Chapter is reduc­ incentive to join the Planning Commission, to ing first year individual Institute. exchange views on Westway, the dues from $58 to $25 and Museum of Modern Art expansion second year dues from $72 to The Chapter's lowered dues and other city-shaping issues $50. Applicants who submitted will reduce the dues load on within Mr. Wagner's power to their forms before the reduc­ cooperating firms since influence. Meetings wi 11 a 1so tion will receive partial individual members pay dues be sought with the five refunds. not only to the national AIA borough . presidents. but also to the state and The reductions are in sharp local organizations. Full text of the minutes are contrast to today's pattern available at the Chapter of constant inflation. A move is now underway to office. o bring down the state associa­ The cuts will also make more tion's dues for first and Stephen Kliment attractive the current $85 second year members from the bonus in supplementary dues present $42.50 to a lower offered by the national AIA figure. O to firms for each AIA archi­ tect in their employ. As Stephen Kliment membership committee chair­ lady Sarelle Weisberg said in her Dec.13 letter to firm principals, firms will come out ahead in their net total of supplementary dues even if 3 Chapter's'77 Brunner Scholarship is in Use to Support a Re-Evaluation of Bertram Goodhue'sWork

Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue (1869-1924), for a growing number of us, stands out as an Architect so sure of his image and his purpose, and evidently so secure as a person, that he could proceed to develop an astonishingly original archi­ tecture that at once encom­ passed modernism, tradition, and fantasy. In a time of dramatic changes, Goodhue felt no obligation to remain a com­ placent conservative, like Ralph Adams Cram, nor any desire to thunder zealously - like a born-again Christian in to the ''Modern' 1 camp, l i ke George Howe. That the prestig­ Drawing by Bertram Goodhue of his Peterson House - ious Brunner Scholarship Westchester, New York project. The drawing made in 1915 is should, at this time in par­ in black crayon and pencil and is owned by John Rivers, ticular, be used to support a Goodhue's grandson and photographed with his cooperation by re-evaluation of Goodhue's the Cooper-Hewitt Museum for their 200 years of American work seems, therefore, Architectural Drawing exhibition. altogether appropriate. original. Indeed, with the trast, suggest that originality Goodhue's prolific career Library, Goodhue intended to in fact emerges from a context included some of the most 11 g i ve· them a bu i l d i n g that of tradition and precedent. splendid commissions of the will make them sit up and day: lavish churches in New scratch their heads. 11 Yet his Consider the Los Angeles York, Chicago, and elsewhere; buildings each possess Library. The plan, shown on p.5 the influent i a 1 "Spanish" features in plan, section, has a clarity of organization buildings for the 1915 Panama­ elevation and detail which are one expects from a Beaux Arts Cal ifornia Exposition in San undeniably traditional. building, or one by Louis Kahn:· Diego; the Los Angeles Public Towers, rotundas, and eclectic five noble reading rooms sur­ Library; and the state capitol imagery were employed for the rounding a great stack of of Nebraska at Lincoln. Never­ power they hold over the eye books, the whole centered on a theless, Goodhue's work has and mind of the viewer, rather clerestory-1 it rotunda. While remained underappreciated than any desire to be the interiors are all exposed since his death, due in large "correct . 11 The re are even concrete, the richly tiled and part to the lack of a sympa­ elements, like the tiled ornately painted ceilings sug­ thetic theoretical and criti­ pyramid atop the Library, gest the aura of sumptuous cal framework to accomodate which spring from the world traditional rooms. The exterior the work. The histories and of fantasy and from Goodhue's is comprised of the sort of criticism of the past fifty fertile imagination. austere surfaces and volumes years have focused almost Therefore, one of the one would expect from an exclusively on a set of forms interesting aspects of his orthodox 11 Modernist, 11 and the that appeared to be new, and buildings now is that they exterior is even covered with which also disavowed any con­ pose a challenge to our stan­ stucco, like the Villa Savoye nections with the past, and dard notions of originality. or a thousand Southern Cali­ with architectural tradition. For most of this century, forn ia buildings. Yet the originality has been nearly massing and central tower, the But surprisingly, Goodhue's synonymous with novelty and abundant sculpture by Lee last buildings - especially with the surprisingly - even Lawrie, the inscriptions the Capitol and the Library - shockingly - unfamiliar. composed by Hartley Burr were hailed as modern and ori- Goodhue's buildings, by con- Alexander, (photo facing page), 4 Feds Contacted on Problems Ecountered in Overseas Work

the Overseas Practice Committee has begun contacting US Govern­ ment officials in ord~r to discuss with them the various problems encountered by service industries doing business over overseas, and the Government's role in these problems. The Committee would like informa­ tion and suggestions from members regarding their experiences working abroad and how the Government was either involved or could be of assist­ ance i.e. embassies, tax structure, loan policies, information, etc. Please send all information to Richard Los Angeles Library by Bertram Detail view of sculpture over Roth, Jr., Emery Roth & Sons, Goodhue. Photo by author. Los Angeles Library, c. '24, P.C., 745 Fifth Avenue, NY main entrance. The sculptures 10022, phone: 753-1733. and especially the gently are by Lee Lawrie. Photo by chamfering of corners and author. The Committee would also like subtle battering of walls to recommend the purchase of create an impression that the the "Engineers Overseas Hand­ entire building has been lov­ book, 11 pub l i shed by the US ingly sculpted. The result is Department of Commerce, to generous, dramatic, and human­ those members who are either istic, the opposite of the presently working overseas or 11 b rut a 1 images of impotence contemplating doing so. The and pretension" which Vincent Handbook can be obtained from Scully claims to see, or, for the Superintendent of Documents that matter, the opposite of US Government Printing Office, the machine imagery usually Washington, D.C. 20240, Stock associated with modernism. The Number 002-008-00178-5.D Library is a mature and assured combination of the Plan of Los Angeles Library sensible and the ceremonial, drawn from original working the austere and the decorated, drawings by author. at once romantically pictur­ esque and rigorously well­ critical framework by which we organized, original and yet view architecture abandons this familiar, serious and full of and other artificial distinc­ ineffable fantasy. tions, Goodhue's work will clearly be reinstated to its Goodhue 1 s architecture, proper pivotal position.D finally, reflects a congenial Richard B. Oliver and productive alliance of the past and the present. Because Oliver, Curator of Architecture historians and critics in this and Design at the Cooper-Hewitt century have tended to view Museum was selected for the ' 77 the past and the present as Brunner Award to pursue his discontinuous and somewhat at studies on Goodhue's work. odds, Goodhue's work has here­ Applications for this year's tofore been particularly dis­ Grant must be submitted as concerting to consider. As the indicated on page 8. 5 Jns.titute Grassroots Meeting Held: Mitchell Outlines a Way to Chapter Plans for Participation Achieve a Better Bui It Environment, Ethics of the "Free Sketch" In Solar Show on "SUN DAY,; Debated and Continuing Education Requirements Opposed Peter Samton, Charles Hughes sector. May 3'78 has been designated and George Lewis attended the risuN DAY" by a nat i ona 1 coa 1 i - annual AIA meeting for chapter "In the area ·of public infl u­ tion of environmental, profes­ officers and executives, ence. Influencing decision­ sional and civic organizations. (north-eastern one-third of makers, particularly at the 11 SUN DAY 11 in New York wi 11 the country) in Washington governmental level, AIA has a actually be a series of area Jan. 12-1 4. growing voice in matters wide events which will occur affecting our profession. We from May 3-6 with the goal of •Ehrman Mitchell, of the firm have a golden opportunity stimulating public awareness Mitchell/Giurgola, President­ before us as a new government and convincing opinion-makers Elect, made a particularly is maturing, the opportunity and consumers that solar fine impression. Here is .some to bring AIA 1 s programs, ideas energy and energy conserving of what he said: and policies to this Adminis­ design are viable options for tration with a fresh, new many purposes. "Our greatest failing is that approach, a positive, helpful we don't talk enough about one.'' Through its Energy & Environ­ architecture to the public and ment Committee, the Chapter not enough about architecture eThere was debate over the has the opportunity to parti­ to ourselves. We all know that increasing tendency of some cipate in the public exhibi­ ~~chitect~re comes before owners selecting architects to tion at the Custom House, as architects. It seems to me the ask several firms for design well as other exhibits, first thing we need to do is approaches. The AIA Code of seminars and related broaden the public's awareness Ethics prohibits free activities to be held at of architecture and the built sketches, but the prohibition various museums, galleries, environment. We must begin a against AIA members entering and schools in the New York major thrust in building a non-AIA-approved competitions City Area. greater public understanding was withdrawn under Justice of what architecture is, what Department pressure. The From a 11 indications to date, the built environment is. We present Code permits partici­ New York City is planning the must build a greater under­ pation in competitions 11 only most extensive "SUN DAY 11 standing of the public's role when sufficient information program in the nation, with in shaping the physical envi­ concerning the project and events that will attract hun­ ronment, an understanding of the client has been provided dreds of thousands of metro­ how it comes to be, the dis­ to make possible an adequate politan residents and ternment of its quality and design solution. 11 It was coverage by local and national the architects who design it. strongly felt .by some that news media. this guideline did not 11 We should begin at all levels adequately indicate fafr During February and March, the of society, in the secondary ground rules, and the Chapter Energy & Environment Committee schools, colleges and univer­ intends to bring the matter to will be actively requesting sities, the non-professional the AIA Board. from the chapter membership, degree curriculum, in adult contributions of energy­ education and, of course, •There was criticism of the conscious architectural design through the public media with AIA for offering a plan which and related work for the programs focusing on archi­ could be used in localities public exhibition in May. tecture and the built environ­ where continuing education is ment. It seems evident that a being cons i dered or is in Guidelines as to scope, greater understanding of arch­ effect; some of those present quality of the work and pre­ itecture in the public sector demanded that the AIA oppose sentation requirements wi 11 wil 1 create a public awareness this development.D soon follow. For information of those of us who lay claim in the interim please contact to giving it form, utility and George Lewis the Chapter. D de1 ight. This is a long r~nge commitment that must be sus~ Jan Kalas tained for it to produce an enlightened public and client 6 Chapter to Host Report on China-The Impact of the Book Review New Social Order on the Physica I Environment

John Milnes Baker, AIA, How to Build a House with an Archi­ tect, with a section on remad­ e l i n g , J . P . Li pp i n cot t , Co . , Price $14.95.

The architect/author wrote this book to make the whole process of working with an architect an enjoyable, pro­ ductive, and stimulating experience. The book includes a section on effective home improvement, a glossary of architectural terms, and an appendix which thoroughly covers the whole subject ~f the architect's fee.

According to C.Ray Smith, Architect/Author/Critic - "John Baker's book makes the process of architecture clear and understandable ... a guide not only for laymen but also for every architect to i n t rod u ce h i s c 1 i en ts to . 11 o

Photograph of Peking Housing. Photo by Judith Edelman

On Mar. l Judith Edelman, space programs, city planning, Annette Kwok and Jean Mah Wall health environments and will report on their recent 28 restoration of historic day professional tour of the bu i l din gs. People's Republic of China, ~ SQQnsored aod arranged by the The delegation included women Architectural - Socrety of China from New York, California, New England, Tennessee, Wash­ The 19 architects, planners ington, D. C. It was led by and historic preservationists Lynda Simmons, architect and in the delegation are members Vice-President and Development of the Women's China Study Director of Phipps Houses. Group on Environmental Issues, Other delegation members from founded in '74 by architects the New York area were Adele Marjorie Hoog and Dimon Liu. Chatfield-Taylor, Amy Beth The Chinese Society extended Cohen, Judith Paine and Val the invitation in order to Schliecher-Woods. promote exchange of informa­ tion about architectural See the calendar for iriforma­ issues and mutual under­ t ion on time and program.o standing. Opportunities were provided to see housing, open Judith Edelman 7 Arnold W. Brunner $7,500

The New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects invites Architects, or those in related fields, to submit an advance study in some special field of architectural investigation which will most effectively contribute to the practice, teaching, or knowledge of the art and science of architecture. Jury Bartholomew Voorsanger, Architect Chairman I. M. Pei & Partners

James Byron Bell, Architect

Samuel Brody, Architect Davis Brody & Associates

Peter Eisenman, Architect The Institute for Architecture & Urban Studies

Percival Goodman, Architect

Ada Karmi-Melamede, Planner Columbia University

Morris Ketchem, Jr., Architect

Nancy Miao, Architect Twitchell & Miao

Leslie E. Robertson, Structural Engineer Skilling, Helle, Christianson, Robertson

Arthur Rosenblatt, Architect Metropolitan Museum of Art

Thomas L. Schumacher, Architect Princeton University - William C. Shopsin, Architect

Carl Shulman, Electrical Engineer City University New York

Non-Jury/ Executive Committee Liaison Robert A. M. Stern, Robert A. M. Stern Architects

Appllcatlons from Chapter to March 1, 1978. Proposals may be submitted to April 3, 1978. Awards announced Summer, 1978. Ellglblllty: open to any United States citizen engaged in the profession of Architecture and its related fields who has a professional background more advanced than is implied by four or five 8 years of architecture training.