-
Articles/Ads
Article OUR ARCHITECTURAL CHAPTER. ← Page 2 of 5 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Our Architectural Chapter.
but English architects—architects dwelling in England— -shall be allowed to compete , and , as a matter of course , on such grounds Scotch and Irish architects would be excluded ; but , inasmuch as nominally many colonial Lodges , and some foreign Lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England , do contribute and have contributed for above a century , all architects residing in such
jurisdictions will have as good a claim as home architects to take part in the competition . It thus will be found very di : ffieult to draw the line between qualification and exclusion , and the matter for convenience will best be adjusted by throwing the competition open to English , Scotch , American , Canadian and foreign architects , being Masons , without distinction .
There is , however , a reason for admitting American , Canadian , and foreign architects—that some of them have had a great practice in the construction of Masonic edifices , and have valuable experience therein . If a foreign architect gains the prize it will be by decided superiority of arrangement ; and if an English or American architect , it will be after a competition in the face of the world There are buildings in France , Holland , and Prussia , which can give such useful hints to competitors .
On the designs being sent in , an exhibition should be held , admission to which it is desirable should be restricted to the Craft , as the arrangements involved are not such as are matters of proper concern to strange architects and the public , whom it is not needful to instruct in the arrangements of the Temple and Lodge rooms .
The designs should be exhibited before the award is given , and after it is decided upon ; so that the Craft may have full and mature opportunity of judging of the designs ,, and the judges may become fully responsible to the opinion of the Craft . Thus , under truthful auspices the judgment will be that of the Craft itself .
After the matter is decided in London , the designs should in our opinion be exhibited in such towns of England , Ireland , and Scotland as have suitable Masonic halls for their exhibition ; so that the Craft in the country may become as familiar with the subject as the members in the metropolis . Each competitor should be restricted from exhibiting his designs at any non-Masonic exhibition , whereby the arrangements of the temple might become known .
Ip is needful to observe that one essential preliminary will be , for the Board of General Purposes to decide what accommodation shall be provided for Temple , Lodge rooms , reading rooms and so forth—so that the conditions of the competition should thereby be regulated . We consider it desirable that premiums should be given for selected
designs ; but instead of the premiums being , one large first prize ,, one second prize , and a third small prize , we think all the premiums should be of equal amount , say fifty pounds each , but not including the first design ; and that further , two hundred pounds should be allotted , in such sums as the Lodges may decide , to be given as nremiiims for details and improvements in individual plans , which
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Our Architectural Chapter.
but English architects—architects dwelling in England— -shall be allowed to compete , and , as a matter of course , on such grounds Scotch and Irish architects would be excluded ; but , inasmuch as nominally many colonial Lodges , and some foreign Lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England , do contribute and have contributed for above a century , all architects residing in such
jurisdictions will have as good a claim as home architects to take part in the competition . It thus will be found very di : ffieult to draw the line between qualification and exclusion , and the matter for convenience will best be adjusted by throwing the competition open to English , Scotch , American , Canadian and foreign architects , being Masons , without distinction .
There is , however , a reason for admitting American , Canadian , and foreign architects—that some of them have had a great practice in the construction of Masonic edifices , and have valuable experience therein . If a foreign architect gains the prize it will be by decided superiority of arrangement ; and if an English or American architect , it will be after a competition in the face of the world There are buildings in France , Holland , and Prussia , which can give such useful hints to competitors .
On the designs being sent in , an exhibition should be held , admission to which it is desirable should be restricted to the Craft , as the arrangements involved are not such as are matters of proper concern to strange architects and the public , whom it is not needful to instruct in the arrangements of the Temple and Lodge rooms .
The designs should be exhibited before the award is given , and after it is decided upon ; so that the Craft may have full and mature opportunity of judging of the designs ,, and the judges may become fully responsible to the opinion of the Craft . Thus , under truthful auspices the judgment will be that of the Craft itself .
After the matter is decided in London , the designs should in our opinion be exhibited in such towns of England , Ireland , and Scotland as have suitable Masonic halls for their exhibition ; so that the Craft in the country may become as familiar with the subject as the members in the metropolis . Each competitor should be restricted from exhibiting his designs at any non-Masonic exhibition , whereby the arrangements of the temple might become known .
Ip is needful to observe that one essential preliminary will be , for the Board of General Purposes to decide what accommodation shall be provided for Temple , Lodge rooms , reading rooms and so forth—so that the conditions of the competition should thereby be regulated . We consider it desirable that premiums should be given for selected
designs ; but instead of the premiums being , one large first prize ,, one second prize , and a third small prize , we think all the premiums should be of equal amount , say fifty pounds each , but not including the first design ; and that further , two hundred pounds should be allotted , in such sums as the Lodges may decide , to be given as nremiiims for details and improvements in individual plans , which