1S4I.J 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



347 



COMPETITIONS. 



Sir— While I regret to find that »o very little good, if any at all, 

 should hitherto have been produced by all that has been said on the 

 subject of Architectural Competitions, I am glad to perceive that you 

 are not backward in aiding to correct the abuses now attending the 

 present mode of conducting them. 



The case stated in your last number is perfectly scandalous and 

 flagitious, that vpere not the circumstances given upon Mr. Godwin's 

 own authority, I should conceive it to be unfairly reported. And yet 

 when I consider what sort of a design it was to which the highest pre- 

 mium was awarded in the first competition for the Royal Exchange, — 

 a design tliat would be now utterly forgotten— had not that circum- 

 stance' rendered it so memorable ; when, again, I consider the result of 

 the two competitions for the Nelson Monument, and that nothing more 

 tasteful and original than the stale absurdity of an overgrown column 

 could be picked out of all the designs anil ideas submitted to the 

 Committee, I am less astonished than I else should be at the measures 

 which, it appears, have been taken by the " Tailors." 



After especially inviting seven architects to make selection of the 

 poorest design of all, certainly does look most awkwardly suspicious. 

 Still, in this instance, I should say that the "honourable" Committee 

 have perhaps done no more than act up to the very letter of their en- 

 gagement, bestowing the prize on him who displayed Siipciwri/ij — 

 though it happened to be that of demerit. 



It is some little consolation to reflect that such very flagrant instances 

 may in time have the good effect of stiring up the profession to unite 

 cordially and vigourously in devising such measures as should in 

 future protect them from such swindling, — and to give it, would be 

 almost to countenance it. Any sort of delicacy towards persons who 

 scruple not to lend themielves to such dirty doings, would be sheer 

 weakness. Better would it be were the names of all the parties — all 

 the "highly respectable" individuals, concerned in such transactions, 

 shown up to the public. A little pillorying of that kind would do a 

 vast deal of good, and serve to render such respectable gentlemen 

 either a little more ca'itious or a little more adroit. If they must be 

 rogues there is no occasion for them to show themselves such arrant 

 bunglers also, as they now generally do. 

 I remain, Sec. 



ViXDEX. 



Sir— Eventually the evils arising from the present system of public 

 and limited competitions will work their own cure, as architects who 

 love tlieir profession and desire to uphold its respectability will pause 

 ere they lend themselves to the gross jobbing, and party interest which 

 so generally occurs on such occasions. It seems to me that as a body 

 we are heaping insult upon our own heads by the submission of designs 

 (generally— if not always — the result of mature deliberation), to men 

 seldom possessing an atom of architectural taste, or any other qualifi- 

 cation requisite to render them efficient as judges of the works placed 

 at their disposal for acceptance or rejection. I would advise my friend 

 Mr. Godwin to keep an eye upon the Tailors he alludes to in your last 

 number, (page 310), as no doubt they have been at their usual dirty 

 work, and have "cabbaged" portions from each of the designs en- 

 trusted to their care ; with regard to the Paddington Church job I 

 happen to know very little about it, but should think, if all we hear is 

 true, that for the credit of the Committee, " the least said is the soonest 

 mended." 



Having myself done with public competition, I may be permitted to 

 add my opinion that architects competing should do so only upon the 

 understanding that members of their own body should be their judges, 

 as regards the comparative architectural merit and fitness of the several 

 designs, and the more fairly to do so I would sviggest that each candi- 

 date in turn should examine and compare the designs, and omitting 

 his own, should give in a written opinion upon their several degrees of 

 excellence; the decision thus come to could hardly fail in being a just 

 one, while by this means the first, second and so forth would be pointed 

 out without any chance of favouritism, and each of the judges having 

 in his own case been compelled to study the whole work minutely, he 

 would thus be the better qualified to give an opinion upon the pro- 

 .ductions of others; this proposal no body of persons advertising for 

 designs could reasonably object to, if they wish to have erections 

 throughout the land, which are to remain monuments of the talents of 

 their respective architects, and of their own taste in expending the 

 means committed to their disposal. 



The success of some of the profession, who (like itinerant vendors 

 of tea, millinery, &c.) scour the country in the various directions 

 pointed out by the public advertisements, and earwig the Committees, 

 may induce them for a time to follow up competition as a tliriving 

 trade; but I feel assured such a system cannot last, it only requires 



those architects who honour their profession, to unite in upholding its 

 respectability, by refusing to enter into any competition unless it is 

 regulated in some equitable and consistent manner, and in the long run 

 they must succeed. The two last competitions that I had any thing 

 to do with were the Infant Orphan Asylum and the Tower of Wands- 

 worth church, at the first the architects were limited to 20,000/. as about 

 the sum to be expended, and in order that this stipulation should be at- 

 tended to, all the parties competing were required to furnish detailed 

 quantities of their several designs, in defiance of this stringent clause, 

 which of course sate like an incubus upon the ideas of the greater 

 number who sent in — a design was chosen, the lowest tender for the 

 execution of which was about 33,000/. ; in this case two premiums 

 were offered, one of 100 guineas and one of 50 guineas, the second of 

 which only was awarded, thus : those who conformed to the printed 

 regulations were excluded from participating in the first premium, 

 while those who did not reaped the whole benefit ; and I maintain that 

 the Committee were bound in justice to those who obeyed the instruc- 

 tions, to have awarded both premiums, if to please themselves they 

 chose to execute a more expensive design. 



In the second case, namely, that at Wandsworth, the present Tower 

 of the Church being in a very dilapidated state, the parish deemed it 

 necessary that something should be done, and the result of their de- 

 liberations was that architects should be invited to send in plans, &c. 

 for a new Tower, to cost 1,000/., which sum they were willing to ex- 

 pend : but lo 1 when the designs came before them, they, contrary to 

 the above case, considered economy to be the order of the day, and 

 they in consequence awarded their premium to a design to cost 500/. 

 only, and thus again those who conformed were laid on their backs, 

 but it did not rest here, for after their economical decision in came 

 the (xtnme economists of various denominations unconnected with the 

 church, and at a subsequent meeting decided on curtailing the edifice 

 of its intended fiir proportions, by actually carrying a resolution to 

 repair the already condenuied and ruinous old Tower, at a still less 

 expense ; but the tables are turned, the work (I am given to under- 

 stand) is stopped, the builder is afraid to proceed, and the architect 

 refuses or rather suspends any other opinion but that he is to complete 

 his contract; thus the parish are literally in a pretty situation between 

 two stools, and have no one to thank but themselves. While from the 

 want of rule in competitions as shown in the above cases, the profes- 

 sion never have any guarantee that their productions will be judged 

 by any uniform and equitable rule, but find themselves put out of court 

 sometimes because they are not sufficiently gorgeous, and sometimes 

 because they are too expensive, while in both cases they have strictly 

 conformed to the instructions given. 



I am, Sir, your obedient servant, 



JOHX BUR&ES WaTSOX. 



39, iMancliesler Street, JManchcster Square, 

 September 7, 1S41. 



Sir — Reading in your valuable Journal for this month, some curious 

 statements respecting "Competition Designs." I beg to state a case 

 which happened to me some time since at Shrewsbury, which I think 

 will surpass, in richness of facts, any I have yet read about. 



A premium of 10/. was offered, publicly, for the best plan of a chapel 

 to be erected near the town of Shrewsbury. The vestry were to be 

 the judges. 



They met at the publicly advertised time, and selected my design, 

 and their officer informed me of the fact. 



Not hearing any thing more about the matter for some time, I called 

 at the vestry-room, and inquired how things were going forward. 



And, Sir, what do you think was the answer I received, from the 

 same functionary who had previously charmed my heart by giving the 

 information previously stated i A cheque for the 10/. was — not handed 

 over; nor was any order from the vestry given for me to proceed with 

 the work. But still — "something" was given me which astounded 

 me equally with either, and that was a grave address from the afore- 

 said officer, in the following words: — They have now given the pre- 

 mium to .* JMv feelings were of course those of surprise 



and astonishment, and almost disbttkf; but the latter was soon expelled 

 on receiving from my informant the reasons which actuated the "ves- 

 try." "The fact is this, Mr. assured some of our vestry that if 



thev thought proper to give the premium to him, he would hand it 

 over *o one of the town charities, and they thought as how they could 

 not commit a a nobler liact." This you will say iras a noble act. 



Your's, truly, 



Veritas. 



' An architect who lived in the town and parish. 



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