The South African Architectural Record 1

3 The Year in Review 5 A Letter from Mr. W. G. Lansley 7 A Roman Construction 15 Professional Notes and News 17 The Street of Patios 22 Book Reviews Honorary Editor Professor G. E. Pearse Business Manager A. S. Pearse The editor will be glad to consider any mss., photographs or sketches submitted to him, but they should be accompanied by stamped addressed envelopes for return if unsuitable. In case of loss or injury he cannot hold himself responsible for mss., photographs or sketches, and publication in the journal can alone be taken as evidence of acceptance. The name and address of the owner should be placed on the back of all pictures and mss. The Institute does not hold itself responsible for the opinions expressed by individual members. Annual subscription per post 10/6 direct from the business manager. the south african architectural record The journal of the Transvaal, Natal and Orange Free State Provincial Institutes of South African Architects and the Chapter of South African Quantity Surveyors. 67, Exploration Buildings, Commissioner Street, Johannesburg, P.O. Box 2266. Telephone 33— 1936. Volume Eighteen Number One, January Nineteen Hundred and Thirty Three, 1 patio sevillano • photo linares J C 1 6 4 0 4 6 the year in review • g. e. pearse The past year has been an unhappy one as During the year the Transvaal Provincial far as the majority of architects and builders Institute has done magnificent work in in South Africa are concerned. Building- pro generously assisting many of its members in gress which was fairly active at the com straitened circumstances. It is in times mencement of the year very rapidly declined like these that the need of a well endowed and the end of the year witnessed a period benevolent fund is absolutely essential and of stagnation and unemployment. The new we urgently appeal to all members to contri year has opened with a feeling of optimism bute to this fund whenever possible. Here and hopefulness which augurs well for the again concerted action is required. future of the building industry, but, with the It amazed me to see how well organised was prevailing uncertainty, development is sure the profession in America to cope with a to be slow. The architectural profession and similar problem, in comparison with which the building industry should make every ours pales into insignificance. I was informed effort to encourage the authorities to proceed by the President of the New York Chapter with their building programmes and cons of the Institute of Architects that every mem tantly urge them to distribute the work ber of the profession, who had suffered as a amongst individual architects thus giving result of the depression, was well provided some ray of hope to those who are in practice for. This was made possible by the concerted or who are in training for our profession. action of all members ably assisted by the ladies. To these latter the outlook is black. The In every large centre organisations existed important architectural work of this country which carried out their work in a remarkable is either government, municipal, commercial manner. Our benevolent fund should be or speculative and very little of it reaches the encouraged in every possible way and more offices of qualified practitioners. Govern particularly should every effort be made in ment work is still the prerogative of a govern boom periods to swell its coffers. There are ment department owing chiefly to the fallacy many ways in which this can be done, but in that having built a hospital, school or post the past little encouragement has been given office the department is necessarily expert in to the Trustees in their self sacrificing efforts. this class of work. The fact that the present generation of architects is trained in research in the planning of all types of building is Very little architectural work of outstand quite overlooked. ing merit or importance appears to have been carried out during the year. In Pretoria one With the majority of municipalities the or two large Government buildings have been town engineer is still looked upon as a erected. In Johannesburg the new Railway qualified architect with disastrous results in Station is perhaps the most important addi most cases, whilst the value of a qualified tion to the City, whilst in Cape Town the architect’s services has not yet been fully most notable building is the new Reserve appreciated as is the case overseas. Bank. It is hoped to illustrate these more The profession is still overcrowded with important buildings with plans and photo members who appear to have little respect graphs in the near future. Few important for professional etiquette or ethics and give commercial buildings have been erected little or no encouragement to their juniors. during the year and the construction of flats Could we not make an earnest appeal to mem in the larger centres appears to have been bers to co-operate in these matters which, if carried out by speculators, in most cases in tackled in the right spirit, must eventually the worst of bad taste. It is only after a benefit all. visit overseas that the low standard of taste in 3 architecture in South Africa is brought home Martienssen and Lefebvre for their splendid very forcibly. One cannot help feeling, how and arduous work during the year. We should ever, that the time must come when some also like to take this opportunity of urging enterprising individual or company will take members of the profession to support the the matter in hand and erect flats and hotels advertisers in the “ Record ” whenever which will be an indication of an improved possible. public appreciation of architecture. It was interesting to read recently the comments of Town Planning is at last coming into the Union High Commissioner, in London, on the subject of our hotels which must always its own and the Transvaal Town Planning be the stumbling block in the encouragement Association is to be congratulated on the of tourist traffic from overseas. passing of the Transvaal Ordinance, the result of many years of tireless effort on their part. It is encouraging to see the interest being dis Since the commencement of last year the played by many municipalities in the subject “ Record” has been published as a monthly which augurs well for the future well being journal and has proved an unqualified success. of our town and city dwellers. In a new Not only in this country but overseas appre country such as ours, if we except the Cape ciative opinions have been expressed on the Peninsula and its environs, a great deal general improvement of its form and subject depends upon the satisfactory lay out of our matter. The Transvaal Provincial Institute urban areas both from the point of view of the has now decided to send a copy each month to inhabitants and the interest and attraction every practising architect in the Union with to visitors. The conservation of water, the the hope that members of the Institute planting of trees, the avoidance of monotony throughout the country will assist the in the general lay out are all-important publication by contributing articles and factors which make for the health and well expressing their views on matters of profes being of the community. sional interest. It is hoped during the year to still further increase the attractiveness of the journal and widen its scope so as to in In conclusion we take this opportunity of clude all matters of artistic interest. Our wishing our readers and advertisers a pros thanks are due to the acting editors Messrs. perous New Year. 4 a letter from mr^ w. g. lansley • With the proposed introduction of a new advanced mind made manifest, and no stereo cover and title for the above journal offering type can hope to stem the tide of evolutional such a grand opportunity to introduce to the advancement. public the activities of the profession, an There then arises the question in the mind extraordinary effort should be made to of the public that architects’ fees are out of popularise our journal outside of the present proportion for services rendered, especially limited sphere of the profession. The fact on small contracts or part services in respect cannot be gainsaid that it is from the public thereof. A whole treatise could be written that we derive our existence in face of our on this subject and every point would go to apparent disinterest and aloofness of public prove that in every case the architect’s client opinion, nor is it fair for the profession to benefits in every respect over the ill advised keep the public unadvised of the magnitude individual who dispenses with the architect. of the essential services of the architects to In a word architecture can bring the public the public welfare. to a realisation of its true worth and the absolute essentiality of the trained minds The concensus of public opinion of the embodied in the architectural profession. We value of the architectural profession is alto want the sympathy of the public and their gether at variance with its true purpose and support in all matters pertaining to our pro value ; this is entirely the fault of our profes fession and this we can never achieve while sion in its mistaken ideas on the question of our light lies hidden under a bushel. equity and the fear that popularising the pro Admitting that some, if not all, of the pre fession may appear too much like advertising mises advanced subscribe the position of the and unprofessional conduct, yet the work of profession, the question arises, how otherwise an architect being such a necessary factor of can the public become acquainted with the the public life in its provision of shelter as a aims and objects of the profession but through secondary necessity of life, the public has its Journal wherein we can vindicate our pro every reason to be made acquainted with the fession by co-operative justified assertion.

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