▲ Covered entrance way to the exhibition hall.
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Interior of the cinema.
prefabrication but resulting in an astonishing optical illusion. It ma help to appreciate this apparent contradiction if one visualises Japanese fan, comprised of identic al strips of bamboo, the only varia tion of which may be in their length. When the fan is opened it may be manipulated into curved shapes without destroying in any degree the rigidity of individual bamboo strips.
The effect of the interior is ex tremely stimulating. the unusually fascinating and contradictory curves of platform edges, roof elements, the exhibits themselves and the light- ing, all contributing to a TOP confusion. Yet suddenly and un expectedly from certain points of view, confusion resolves itself into a perfect symmetry, disclosing the w derlying sense of order which is the essence of architecture and which holds this complex interior together.
The administration block also serves as an introduction to the ex hibition. for parties and classes of children. There are also a restaur ant and cinema. lecture rooms rooms and an art gallery.
LIGHTING METHOD
The latter is an utterly simple long rectangular room. lit by a closely-spaced pattern of square ceil ing coffers. The external tops the coffers are glazed and thei depth and close arrangement dif fuses the light over the whole gal lery; blinds are fitted to exclude light or to concentrate it where needed a lighting method work ed out in close collaboration with the Building Research Station. The end wall is completely glazed. af- fording a precious view of the grass and trees of Holland Park and the turrets of old Holland House.
Here is a work of architecture in which all skills and disciplines have been closely related. The structural method is not new and has been used for many industrial buildings as a thoroughly practical provider of unencumbered space But here, this intriguing variation appears for the first time in a prominent publ