Background
A PHILOSOPHICAL ECHO
By
P. W. Barnes
The years between the wars have witnessed many vicissitudes in architecture and a consequential development of acrimony between the rival intellectual groups. Theories, styles and politics have been discussed ad nauseam. Both proposition and opposition have achieved the complacency of self-conviction and have departed their several ways.
Reaction, an erstwhile stimulus to the functional ideal appears to have died and the answer to the pressing question of pre-world war II has now become manifest inasmuch as we now know where leads the path of the modernist of the '20s and 30s.
To retrace our steps over twenty years of architecture; can we really assume that the road to ultimate pattern has been laid or that "stylist Exposition" is at last a factual accomplishment? Is there any real justification in believing that the term "contemporary" is the just conclusion of all architectural thought or that the struggle of moral obligation over material progress has become a victory for the latter.
To engage oneself in retrospection may be a bad mental habit when applied personally, however, on the other hand, it can be of great assistance in the understanding of both character and characteristics of a group, for the final assess- ment is the resultant of earlier circumstances, environment and essential needs of the individual in particular or society in general.
At the close of World War I, the Architectural profession together with its kindred arts and sciences became subject to many minor revolutions and these changes were not only noticeable in the revision of Architectural manner, but also in the reorientation of the professional outlook of practising architects.
Perhaps this was not entirely surprising for the early post war years of any war nearly always produce some new line of thought, sometimes for the betterment of man, occasionally vice versa. The degree of change has been principally dependent upon the magnitude of the war, the extent of its inroads on the waning society and its relative powers of recuperation. World War I affected the social organism far more than any other struggle in history and its repercussions affected every department of life. Perhaps it was felt that a new design for living was essential if the old one only ended in a complete holocaust or perhaps a new form and a new spirit added the final touch of termination to the dark war years. In any case the metamorphosis of social values found reflection in both established and new schools of Architecture and if a Renaissance were not perceptible, at least, tradition had become subject to review by the 20th century mind.
Those early post war years may justly be termed "the era of the schools" for it was in these institutions that many ideas were clarified and tested under conditions inaccessible to the old practitioners. Liverpool under the inspiration of Pro- fessor Charles Reilly rapidly achieved fame and prospered, his magnetic personality and showmanship not only made architecture a task to be fulfilled but also a joy in accomplish- ment and, as a talented student may influence a school, so did Liverpool set the pace for other schools to follow.
So far no cast iron religion had been evolved, but the nebulous stirrings of thought began to distinguish dimly between the pure Traditionalist; the Individualist; the Eclectic and the Iconoclast. The modernistic cult was in its very early infancy and the voices of Dudsk, Corbusies, Gropius, Lurcat were the merest whispers.
Tht promise of things to come had progressed little further than Edinburgh School of Art or Crystal Palace. Frank Lloyd Wright had not earned universal esteem as an individualist and the new movement was not sufficient to merit the appellation of "crankiness." Nevertheless, the schools were developing a decided tendency to reduce ornamen- tation and to give more consideration to plan expression and purposeful design.
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The seed, once sown, rapidly germinated and it not surprising to see the centuries old cannons of monumental planning and symmetry in a state of siege against all shades of architectural thought. The new appeal of greater freedom of asymmetrical plan and balanced masses was not to be gainsaid; the treatment of an architectural problem based entirely upon the demands of the case began to alter the general conception of architecture if not form itself and a steadily growing realization that plan elevation and structure were integral and inseparable parts of the one concept became a further stimulus.
There was one important factor in the new movement as it emanated from the schools, and that was the type of student hitherto unknown in any school or university. In many cases ne was a war veteran possessing the seasoned mind of a com- plete adult and possessing a maturity of thought not readily found in men of an older generation. This quality in con- junction with debate, exchange of ideas, comparison of experience and a directed training could hardly fail to lend new vitality to a subject already intimate with society. The significance of town planning in relation to Civic Art was becoming manifest and not only assisted the student to appreciate the importance and obligations of architecture to the community, but also enabled him to see the limitations imposed upon town development and his own Utopian ambitions by bridled capital and vested interests. Whether the theories of building and politics were right or wrong is
beside the issue; the principal point to be observed is the pro- cess of rationalization. At this juncture it should be noted that the term “rational" as applied to architecture was upon a sociological foundation and not a direct reference to architec- tural style and during the early days of the schools the word held the same meaning to both the Traditionalists and the more radical elements. Indeed, it may easily be seen that the unrestricted use of Town and Site development suited the respective purposes of each Camp.
This condition of agreement could not be maintained for any length of time and the Rationalist soon began to define the traditional essay as "reactionary", wasteful and not strictly representative of the true needs of society. His positive view accorded tradition а mass of misapplied labour, dubious aesthetic content and "irrational" practice. The Traditionalists were not unduly disturbed by these sentiments for rationalists were only just tolerated in the schools and any practical work was looked upon suspiciously by the rest of the profession. Perhaps the years 1919-1928 represented the hardest struggle of the English Rationalists.
In return the Traditionalist never attempted to defend his work upon the grounds of logic or rationality. His complacent vision embraced architecture as the fruit of aeons of trial and error his thoughts were strictly stylised and he reflected that mental attitude that "until the day of something better only the best is good enough."
Argument and justification for the work of the Traditiona- list could hardly be essential whilst Scott, Lutyeus, Lorimer and a host of others were producing tradition with a dynamic twist. Pope in America was adding fresh music to Tradition and the new stirrings did not even begin to compete with the then contemporary giants.
The history of the rise of modernism may be read more effectively elsewhere, but for the purpose of the present argu- ment it is sufficient to say that the close of the '20s saw the new mode firmly established and gathering more impetus and adherents every year, Rationalism was rapidly crystallising into system of thought and even the more conservative practi- tioners began to find the new spirit, to say the least, interest- ing. Bennett, Robertson, Holden, Kramen and like Architects although they had not fully acknowledged modernism were producing work more in the nature of a compromise, never- theless, their convictions, such as they were, held sufficient of the new manner to give it a most positive definition,
World War II with its consequent deficiencies in man- power, skilled labour, materials and political upheaval has somewhat strengthened the case of the Rationalist. Both the Eclectic and pure Traditionalist have been compelled to follow the standards dictated by the shortages. Industry has like- wise been forced to supply regimented parts of building which are simple of assemblage for the untrained and partly trained Building Operative. In order to satisfy a pressing need in a short time, unit construction and prefabrication has had occasion to assert itself; substitutes have now become a section of orthodox building practice and are employed by many architects who have never known the original material. An artificial style has been evolved with its basics lying in emer- gency and there is great danger of the new industrial potential overthrowing even the limited luxuries of the pre-war Rationalist, for even the most case hardened disciple of func- tion cannot delude himself that present practice contains all the essentials of ultimate ambition.
The increased tempo of modern life may have hotted up our mental processes, but a great deal more thinking must be done before we can fully justify complete mechanisation.
Rationalism
To take first the case of "Rationalism" with special emphasis upon design and plan.
Rationalism like many other systems of thought can hardly be defined in a few words for it may mean one or all of many things, to wit: the shortest or most efficient distance between two given points; the logical and simplified meaning of plan; the total external expression of function; the natural employ- ment of current building technique or the utilization of any new device, scientific development or discovery in order to facilitate a life of speed, service and personal pursuit.
With new building function, additional requirements con- sequent upon a constantly changing way of life, an alteration in structural form must be expected, Whether the change is better or worse than any previous essay is dependent upon the degree of ability of the expert. The Rationalist tells us that the greatest of all plastic arts cannot remain static whilst rapid progress is being made in every other department of life; that the only way to maintain architecture as a living art is to accept the irresistible march of progress, to permit the significant element to freely express itself in the structure, to inflect the building in complete harmony with every social and scientific advancement,
And so the watchword becomes "Progress." It is a strong word and a commanding expression on the lips of a capable propagandist. One cannot remain impervious to a redoubtable cliche its power has been known from time immemorial-it may be the battle cry of an army, the strength of martyrs and the inspiriting urge of the individua!-providing one does not think too long about it.
Nevertheless, the shibboleth "progress" is a shining word in the verbal armoury of the Rationalist and an effective means of promoting nebulous ideas in the willing mind of a
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