The Archi MAGAZINE of ALPHA RHO CHI FRATERNITY
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IKTINOS CHAPTER HOUSE, ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN SEE RELATED STORIES ON PAGES 2 AND 3 OF THIS ISSUE the archi MAGAZINE OF ALPHA RHO CHI FRATERNITY. ARCHITECTURE AND THE ALLIED PROFESSIONS. SUMMER 1958 MEN FOR THE AGES Sketches of the ancient architects whose names designate our chapters. In this issue we publish the few facts known about Mnesicles, Kallikrates and Andronicus. Next in order comes Mnesicles, whose name the Minnesota men chose for their chapter. According to Plutarch, and other writers, he was the principal architect of the great Propylrea, or entrances, of the Acropolis at Athens. This famous structure was begun under Pericles about 440 B. C. and was completed in about five years. Minerva Favored Mnesicles Plutarch, in his Life of Pericles, relates an incident which occurred during the course of building which showed, he naively states, that the goddess Minerva was favorable to the work of Mnesicles. One of the workmen, the best and quickest of them all, slipped and fell from a great height and lay in a miserable condition, These sketches, written by Jos. J. Pat the physician holding out no hope for his life. Minerva appeared to Pericles in terson, past Grand Lecturer, appeared in a dream and outlined a course of treatment which was applied and resulted in the The Archi in 1925 and 1926. They are recovery of the craftsman. Because of this a brass statue of the goddess was or reprinted here with only minor editing dered set up in the citadel near the altar. for continuity. At the time of original publication, The evidence of these earlv writers as to the connection of Mnesicles with Bro. Patterson said, "This work has en the work mentioned above is co~roborated by the discovery of an inscription bear tailed considerable research which has al ing his name which has been found near the Propylrea. ways been most interesting, but often un productive of results desired. Associate of Iktinos "Our architectural ancestors were as modest as many of their modern descend Kallikrates, or Callicrates as it is sometimes spelled. for \vhom our Virginia ants and consquently little can be ob brothers named their chapter, was an Athenian architect of the sixth century be tained as to their lives, beyond the men tion of their work." fore Christ. The series was printed before the in Little is known of him except that he \vas the associate of Iktinos in the stallation of Theron and Vitruvius chap planning of the Parthenon. Just what portion of the v.or" \- - his and w hat was ters, and therefore includes no history of that of Iktinos is not known. However. the mere t connection \vith that sublime these men. Any brother having informa tion about these architects is invited to work is sufficient glory for a mere mortal. submit it for publication. Tower of the Winds Andronicus, a Greek architect of the fourth century chosen by our chapter in Southern California as its pa· r . I . reason why this choice was made, but it is possible that the f was architect of the Tower of the Winds may have had selection. Large quantities of air in motion have always been apparen in 'California, especially in real estate boom centers, and the significance of the gre t ollection of winds on the aforementioned monument is particularly pr 5. B return to Andronicus ... It is especially difficult to find out anything concerning him ey nd the fact that he designed the one structure just spoken of. It was one of the fe\\- examples of the Corinthian style in Greece and was not particularly successful in itself. I think, however, that the famous column cap, of probable E~ ptian deriva tion, which he introduced, is enough to secure him the commendation of all succeeding generations. TO BE CONTINUED IN AUTUMN ISSUE On our cover: The Iktinos House, at 640 Oxford Road, the archi Ann Arbor, Michigan, home of the APX Chapter at the University of Michigan. Official exoteric publication of Alpha Rho Chi Fraternity The chapter has occupied this house, lo cated on 2~ acres of wooded land in the Vol. XXXVI, No.2, Summer 1958 de sir a bl e Hill-Washtenaw area, since 1949, when the former property was taken by the University as part of a site PHOTO CREDITS: Cover, Fred Stephenson; Page 3, Leland Welsh; Page 6, USC for a men's dormitory. Hap Byers, Hollywood. 2 IKTINOS CHAPTER TO HOST 26th CONVENTION Leland M. Welsh, Iktinos, Secretary of the Planning Committee, reveals the tentative program for the December meeting. The Planning Committee for the 26th National Convention of APX holds a summer meet ing on the porch at the Iktinos Chapter House in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Members of the com mittee present are, from left to right, Brothers Leland M. Welsh, Norman Burdick, William Waffle, and Carl Nielsen (Chairman). Iktinos, one of the founding chapters of the Fraternity, Architecture and Design; Performance of Ritual is looking forward with enthusiasm to hosting the 26th (Chapter House) National Convention of Alpha Rho Chi. Official conven Evening - Kickoff Banquet (Detroit area) tion -dates have been set for December 27-29, 1958. The Sunday, December 28 last convention held in Ann Arbor was ten years ago, in Afternoon - Business session (Chapter House) December, 1948. Much of interest has happened in the Evening - Social Event (to be arranged) Ann Arbor-Detroit area during those ten years and we are Monday, December 29 sure everyone will wish to be here to observe and to share Morning - Business session (Chapter House) convention experiences with us. Afternoon - Business session (Chapter House) In May the chapter appointed a planning committee Evening - Closing Dinner (Michigan Union) for the convention. The committee is composed of five Tuesday, December 30 active members: Carl Nielsen, Ann Arbor, chairman, and Post-Convention Tour, architectural points of interest Leland Welsh of Albion, Mich., Norman Burdick of De in the Detroit Area troit, Mich., William Waffle of Owosso, Mich., and Peter The Post-Convention Tour should be one of the high Haddix of Standish, Mich. Brother Nielsen will be re lights of the meeting. Such buildings and places as Victor membered as one of the delegates from Iktinos chapter to Gruen's Northland Shopping Center, Yamasaki's ACI and the 25th Convention held at Mnesicles chapter two years McGregor Memorial Buildings, Cranbrook Academy, the ago. Brothers Welsh and Burdick both are long-time ac Detroit Civic Center, and the Detroit City Planning Com tive members while Brothers Waffle and Haddix are two mission are under consideration for inclusion in this event. of our newest members. With this cross-section of experi It is hoped that every delegate and guest will find it pos ence and new enthusiasm the committee hopes to plan a sible to remain for the tour. convention of interest to everyone. It is planned to hang an exhibition of student work The planning committee has met twice in Ann Arbor from all the chapters of APX in the College of Architec during the summer. At these meetings a tentative pro ture and Design Building. Every chapter is urged to be gram has been arranged and plans for carrying out the gin now to collect the best of its student works - projects, program are well under way. paintings, sculpture - to help make this a significant and The program, in brief, is as follows: outstanding event. Further details concerning the exhibi Friday, December 26 tion will be mailed to each chapter during the autumn Delegates and guests arrive in Ann Arbor. months. Saturday, December 27 It looks like we have a great Alpha Rho Chi Conven Morning - Business session (Chapter House) tion coming up. Iktinos Chapter hopes to see each and Afternoon - Tour of exhibition and the College of everyone of you there. 3 CHAPTER ROUND-UP The highlights of the past year at each Chapter House. Demetrios Chapter observed Founders' Day on April tive fraternity house during the conference to make a more 12 with a meeting of the alumni association at the chap accurate appraisal of fraternity life and program at SC. ter house followed by a banquet at Grandview Inn. The The week-long schedule of discussion sessions was cli speaker at the banquet was Richard M. Larimer, '33, new maxed on Friday afternoon by a tour of Warner Brothers ly appointed Director of Public Works for the State of Studios. The results of the conference are being pub Ohio. lished in booklet form for the fraternities to use as an aid A display of student architectural projects was dis in chapter improvement. played at the Columbus Gallery of Fine Arts in April. The display, sponsored by the School of Architecture and Anthemios Landscape Architecture, was assembled by the Demetrios The Anthemios chapter was commended in a calnpus Chapter. According to James Bletzacker, W.A., the dis newspaper article last year. play had two general purposes: "to show the public what Illigreek, the Illinois interfraternity publication, said, the students can accomplish and to prove that a social fra "By combining the advantages of a social fraternity with ternity can do other things besides have parties." (Ed. the skills of a professional society, Alpha Rho Chi has Note: Under Ohio State's fraternity system, Alpha F.. ho achieved a balance of talent unusual to most Illinois Greek Chi, like all other undergraduate fraternities, is classified houses. Due to the professional basis of the fraternity, the as social.) members are mainly talented with the abilities of design The subjects chosen were pictures of a nursery, an ice and construction so typical of the rooms found in the skating shelter and unusual homes, a sketch of the Beaux house.