Section H. 



ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE. 



ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT : 



W. L. YERIS^ON, F.R.B.LA. 



A REVIEW OF THE EXISTING CONDITIONS OF THE TVVIJ^ 

 PROFESSIONS IN AUSTRALASIA. 

 In addressing my brother practitioners in the twin professions 

 of civil engineering and architecture, necessarily including those 

 of the land and building surveyor, I purpose to generalize briefly, 

 more upon matters of every day interest and every day practice 

 than upon the technicalities of the professions. These latter may 

 well be lef* in the able hands of those good enough to prepare 

 special papers, and to the opportunities that will present them- 

 selves in the discussion upon the interesting subjects thus to be 

 dealt with. 



The Joint Pbactice of the Professions. 



The very fact that this association brackets our professions in 

 its programme, is indicative of the importance of utilising conjoint 

 skill and experience in the designing of the more important con- 

 structional work, and of emphasising the obvious necessity of call- 

 ing in the engineer to take up that part which, from his special 

 training he is best fitted to undertake, and, on the other hand, the 

 architect, for those parts which, from his artistic training, he is 

 enabled to clothe with all the graces of architecture. 



The age of specialism has set in, and it must be recognised 

 by our professions, as well as it is in those of law, medicine, and 

 other kindred ones. 



The erection of lofty city buildings, involving concrete and 

 steel construction, required to minimize undue encroachment by 

 walls on limited site areas, to provide a scientifically designed 

 foundation for carrying great superincumbent weight, to provide 

 * against lateral and other stresses and strains, as well as to provide 

 the mechanical means of communication from floor to floor, clearly 

 bring the modern construction engineer into full play; and, on 

 the other hand, the planning of the accommodation in the build- 

 ing, the arrangement of its lighting and conveniences, and its 

 architectural treatment, both externally and internally, must of 

 necessity remain with the architect, if the buildings are to take 

 permanent rank in our cities for both utility and appearance 

 combined, and as a justification on all grounds for the money 

 expended thereon. 



