trace

Wilfrid Cantwell was born in 1921 and died on 26 December 2000. According to the Prestel book on Irish architecture (1997), which incorrectly calls him Wilfred, he was educated at DIT, Bolton Street, completing the the-then 3-year (Part 1) course in 1944. Not true. He received his B Arch (ie, Part 2) from UCD in 1944. He was elected to membership of the RIAI (ie, Part 3) in 1946 and was President in 1966 and 1967. Prestel says he worked with Michael Scott (1944-45) and J N Kidney (1946-47), before practising privately (1947-75). From 1976, he specialised as a consultant in church design and in the legal aspects of building.

My parent’s generation, who were a bit younger than Wilf (as they called him), seemed to be in awe of him in the 1950s and ’60s. They used to joke that he was so rational (or his thought processes were so logical) that a cross-section through his brain would look like a Miesian plan. Good, huh?

In his inaugural address as President of the Architectural Association of Ireland (delivered on 3 November 1959, it was titled “A Programme of Work”) Wilf seemed to acknowledge this perception, if a little obliquely: “Here, almost entirely,” he said, “our [architectural] art remains on an intuitive basis, for the strongly individualistic temper of the profession, its habits of quick generalisation and empirical rationalisations, its correctly conservative attitude toward clients’ funds, and its subjection to a pace of performance inimical to preliminary or fundamental experiments [of research] have all discouraged the adoption of orderly and comprehensive investigation . . . Another cause of resistance may be the fear that logical criteria might become intolerable restrictions on inspiration. Although some enthusiasts seem to desire to transform design into mathematical calculation, this is impossible. Far from seeking any curtailment of creative synthesis – that mysterious, ultimate act which must remain the province of the designer’s intuition – research is intended to clarify and order the considerations upon which this intuition acts.”

In the same address, he began by stating his impression of the position of the AAI and Irish architecture at the beginning of the Whittaker/Lemass era. It’s good:

“For many years the affairs of the Association have been organised and supported, most effectively and enthusiastically, by a generation of architects which, though still young in heart, was educated and trained, before the last World War, in an atmosphere imbued with the philosophy of ‘Functionalism’; with the teachings and examples of great men such as Le Corbusier, Gropius, Wright, Aalto and many other only slightly less well known personalities. It was a period in which the architect was a pioneer, fighting for recognition of the new aesthetic movement against the established decadence of the previous century; a battle for the survival of the art of Architecture and, in Ireland, even for the recognition of the existence of architects . . .

“But it is an acknowledged fact of human experience that even brilliant men, as they advance in years and experience, become less flexible and sensitive in their approach to new problems and to conditions which require the fresh energetic approach that only the younger generation can supply. The major battles have been won; except in the fields of Church and Bank building, where the defences of the old order are noticeably crumbling. The modern movement in Architecture is everywhere accepted . . .”

Shortly after his death, John E O’Reilly and Richard Hurley wrote an appreciation of Wilf for the RIAI:

“Wilfrid Cantwell graduated from the School of Architecture, UCD, in 1944 and, thereafter, tirelessly devoted his life to the pursuit of perfection in his own architectural work, to the advancement and promotion of architecture, to the betterment of performance within the profession generally and, not least, to helping his fellow architects and their families in cases of hardship brought about by ill-health, disability or premature death.

“In the context of helping the less fortunate, he promoted and was a founder member of the Irish Architects Benevolent Society (IABS) and, in 1958, drafted the original rules of that body. With selfless commitment and dedication, he served as a Director of IABS for 40 years, for most of which time he acted as Honorary Treasurer. He remained a Trustee of the Society up to his recent death on 26th December.

“Wilfrid’s dual concern with the promotion of architecture and the improvement of standards of performance within the profession inevitably led him to involvement and leadership in a number of organisations which espoused these objectives. He held office as President of the Architectural Association of Ireland in 1959/60, was Honorary Secretary of the RIAI in 1955 and 1956, was Vice-President of the RIAI in 1962, 1964 and 1965, becoming President for the years 1966 and 1967.

“In 1959 he joined the Institute of Arbitrators which, in 1979, became the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. In 1976 he was accepted as a member of the Panel of Arbitrators of that Institute, being one of only four Irishmen ever to have been so accepted. He was a founder member of the Irish Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, which was inaugurated in 1982, and he was elected Chairman of the Irish Branch for the year 1985/1986.

“Wilfrid’s passion for the improvement of professional performance in architecture led him to the selfless sharing of his expertise and ideas through lecturing and teaching. From 1952 to 1970 he taught in the School of Architecture in Bolton Street where, in addition to tutorial work in the studios, he also lectured in the History of Architecture.

“He was also a frequent lecturer and contributor at CPD courses on various aspects of Practice Management. About 1958, he was recommended to the Specifile Information Service (SfB) as a likely consultant for the development of the service in Ireland. He acted in this capacity until the service was taken over by the RIBA Library Service and Barbour Index in 1964. By this time he had become a partner with Ron Baden Hellard in the management consulting practice of Polycon Building Industry Consultants.

“Notwithstanding his involvement with the organisation of the profession and the promotion of architecture, he still found time to practise and to excel in his work as Architect and Designer whilst simultaneously developing his skills and talents as an Expert Witness and Arbitrator. Shortly after graduation, he joined the practice of Michael Scott and, with other architects of distinction, Kevin Roche, Kevin Fox and Robin Walker, worked with Scott on the only major Irish building of the time – what is now Busáras. His significant contribution to the work of that team has always been generously and deservedly acknowledged by his colleagues. However, it was in the area of church architecture and in his own practice that he attained the distinction for which he will long be remembered.

The eclectic state of Irish Church Architecture in the middle of the twentieth Century prompted Wilfrid to persuade the RIAI to establish a Church Exhibition Committee in 1956. The Committee immediately set to work and, spurred on by Wilfrid’s enthusiasm, undertook a heavy workload, in which he was continually engaged whilst also acting as Honorary Secretary of the Institute. The main activities can be summarised as follows:

1957: Exhibition, “Eglises de France Réconstruites”, Maynooth College
1958: Exhibition, “German Post-War Sacred Art and Architecture”
1958, 1960 and 1962: Exhibition of Ireland’s entry in Salzburg Biennale
1962: Exhibition, “Modern Churches of Germany”, Dublin, Cork, Belfast, Glenstal
1962: Liturgical Congress, “Our Churches”, Glenstal Abbey.

“The Committee was wound up in 1965 when, as part of wider Church renewal in the wake of Vatican II, the Irish Episcopal Liturgical Commission established the Advisory Committee on Sacred Art and Architecture. Wilfrid served with distinction on this Committee until his retirement in 1993. During this time, three important documents were published: “The Church Edifice and its Appointments” in 1966; “The Building and Reorganisation of Churches” in 1972; when, in 1994, the most significant publication, “The Place of Worship”, appeared, he did not allow his name to appear in the list of acknowledgements, because of the theological thrust of the Directory. All his life he set himself very high standards and nobody ever doubted his integrity. In 1985, he was co-author with Richard Hurley of the highly successful book, now out of print, “Contemporary Irish Church Architecture”.

“Amongst his many Church projects, his own favourite was his renovation of the Pugin Chapel in Ushaw College, Durham. His diverse architectural skills are aptly demonstrated in his two major religious buildings – the Jewish Synagogue in Terenure in 1960 and the Church of the Holy Spirit, Ballycullane, Co. Wexford in 1971. This church, together with numerous re-ordering and renewal projects, is a lasting testimony to the important role Wilfrid played in the renewal of Irish Church Architecture in the era of Vatican II. No history of the period would be complete without acknowledging the importance of his contribution.

“Architect, arbitrator, expert witness, teacher, jurist, liturgist, self-effacing philanthropist and indefatigable worker in the cause of architecture, Wilfrid Cantwell was a pioneer who, through the second half of the twentieth century, paved the way to the attainment of the position which Irish architecture and the RIAI now proudly occupy at the beginning of the twenty-first century.”

ar + d Award for Emerging Architecture 2003 – calling for entries. Closing date: 16 September 2003. http://www.pam.org.my/ar+d.asp

Heard a dismal report from last night – that it was waayyy too bright. Uh-oh. . .

A 48-year-old poet shows how Dublin ‘has undergone “globalization” and come out looking very much like the rest of the First World’ : http://slate.msn.com/id/2081596/

Nexus Network Journal (Architecture and Mathematics On-Line) is a peer-reviewed on-line research resource for studies in architecture and mathematics, funded by the Graham Foundation for Advanced studies in the Fine Arts.

A special issue of NNJ last Winter, the first dedicated to a particular subject, was devoted to the Golden Section: http://www.nexusjournal.com/index_v4n1.html

An informative, if dry, historical overview is provided in NNJ: Marcus Frings, “The Golden Section in Architectural Theory”, Nexus Network Journal, vol. 4, no. 1 (Winter 2002), http://www.nexusjournal.com/Frings.html

Frings, an art historian at TU Darmstadt, shows that it was not before the middle of the 19th century that the Golden Section, as distinct from other proportional systems, entered architectural theory. One of the earliest of those on the trail of the Golden Section was one Adolf Zeising (1810-1876) – a former secondary school professor, like lila, who began this thread! He it was who intoduced the Golden Section into the literature on art, after the term ‘Goldener Schnitt’ (golden cut or golden cross-section) had first appeared in German lesson books on geometry and mathematics in the 1830s. Fring is also interesting on the influential use (or misuse!) by Neufert and Le Corbusier of the Golden Section.

Seven riddles suggest a secret city beneath Tokyo

By ANGELA JEFFS

During the Gulf War in 1991, Shun Akiba was one of only two foreign journalists reporting from Baghdad, along with Peter Arnett of CNN. With such experience and expertise, it would be reasonable to imagine him in great demand right now. Wrong.

Shun is on some kind of invisible blacklist. His book “Teito Tokyo Kakusareta Chikamono Himitsu” (“Imperial City Tokyo: Secret of a Hidden Underground Network”), published by Yosensha in late 2002, is already in its fifth edition. Yet Shun has found it impossible to get the media to take serious note, write reviews or offer interviews.

This is very strange because he has a great story — evidence of a network of tunnels and possibly an underground city beneath Tokyo that the public is totally unaware of. “Why am I ignored? Can I be on to something, and there is a conspiracy to silence me? I believe so.”

Shun’s father was a journalist with the Asahi newspaper. “I hated his lifestyle. Preferring to work in entertainment, I steered myself into TV. Finding myself in the news section, I decided to go abroad.”

Working for Asahi TV, he covered the U.S. military invasion of Panama, leftwing guerrilla actions in Peru, peacekeeping activities in Cambodia, and the Gulf War as a foreign correspondent. Then in 1996, he decided to go freelance, recasting himself as a writer. “I wrote a mystery novel, called ‘Director’s Cut,’ never thinking I’d go back to journalism.”

What changed his life was finding an old map in a secondhand bookstore. Comparing it to a contemporary map, he found significant variations. “Close to the Diet in Nagata-cho, current maps show two subways crossing. In the old map, they are parallel.”

The journalist in him taking over, he sought out construction records. When responses proved defensive and noncooperative — “lips zipped tight” — he set out to prove that the two subway tunnels could not cross: “Engineering cannot lie.”

This inconsistency is just the first of seven riddles that he investigates in his book. The second reveals a secret underground complex between Kokkai-gijidomae and the prime minister’s residence. A prewar map (riddle No. 3) shows the Diet in a huge empty space surrounded by paddy fields: “What was the military covering up?” New maps (No. 4) are full of inconsistencies: “People are still trying to hide things.”

The postwar General Headquarters (No. 5) was a most mysterious place. Eidan’s records of the construction of the Hibiya Line (No. 6) are hazy to say the least. As for the “new” O-Edo Line (No. 7), “that existed already.” Which begs the question, where did all the money go allocated for the tunneling?

The bulk of Shun’s book covers the development of the subway system and questions the many inconsistencies between maps of the past and present — even those that were contemporaneous. “Even allowing for errors, there are too many oddities.”

Shun claims to have uncovered a secret code that links a complex network of tunnels unknown to the general public. “Every city with a historic subterranean transport system has secrets,” he says. “In London, for example, some lines are near the surface and others very deep, for no obvious reason.”

Sitting on the Ginza subway from Suehirocho to Kanda, he says, you can see many mysterious tunnels leading off from the main track. “No such routes are shown on maps.” Traveling from Kasumigaseki to Kokkai-gijidomae, there is a line off to the left that is not shown on any map. Nor is it indicated in subway construction records.

At Tameike-sanno on the Ginza Line, the first basement level is closed off, for official use only. “Go to the toilet on B2 and there is a door to B1, but locked.”

Also he investigates three large buildings in Hibiya that share an enormous underground car park. “This space was there before the buildings were independently constructed. What was it for?”

As for the Diet Library, this runs to eight floors underground, all closed to the public. A magazine that asks repeatedly to look around is always denied access.

“Subway officials treat me as if I’m a drunk or a madman,” Shun notes with a wry smile. “Tokyo is said to have 12 subways and 250 km of tunneling. I’d say that last figure is closer to 2,000 km. It’s clear to me that the tunnels for the Namboku, Hanzomon and O-Edo lines existed before decisions were made to turn them into public subways.”

What most concerns Shun is not the existence of this network, but why it is a carefully preserved secret. He can understand why maybe before World War II the government thought it prudent that the public remain in ignorance. “Not wanting the enemy to know, it was decided to tell no one and let the population survive as best it could.”

At the end of the war, the Cold War took root. “It seems likely that the subterranean complex was prepared for a possible nuclear attack.” What is going on right now under our feet, he wonders, with scares of war in the Middle East and within missile range of North Korea.

After “Teito Tokyo Kakusareta Chikamono no Himitsu” was published, a reader wrote to Shun saying he had worked on a new subway using a diamond cutter on old concrete — concrete that was already there. “I want to make a TV documentary. I think we have the right to know what lies beneath our feet, don’t you?”

Shun, who lives with his family in Ochanomizu, says his wife worries a lot, especially about money. But when he told his son at age 12 what he was doing, and why, the youngster’s response was immediate: “It’s OK, Dad. I think what you’re doing is right. Don’t worry about us. Go for it.”

The Japan Times: March 1, 2003
(C) All rights reserved

From http://www.pps.org:

History & Background

The prominence of the avenue gradually developed through the 17th and 18th centuries under a variety of kings and architects. It was conceived in 1610 to give King Louis XIV an impressive view from the Tuileries garden. First completed in 1774, in 1828 Napolean added footpaths, fountains, and gas lighting, and this boulevard, as well as many others, took on a monumental, processionary quality.

A 1994 restoration helped the boulevard regain some of its charm as a promenade. New street furniture was added, cars were diverted to side roads, the sidewalks were widened and improved, bollards were installed, parking problems were appeased by an underground garage, and the street’s general appearance was improved with granite paving and double rows of trees.

From http://www.champselysees.org/:

CREATION DES CHAMPS-ELYSEES

[LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, ANDRE] LE NÔTRE, SOUS LA DIRECTION DE COLBERT, SUITE A UNE DECISION PRISE EN 1667, CREA A LA SORTIE OCCIDENTALE DE PARIS, DANS LE BUT D’EMBELLIR ET D’AGREMENTER LE PALAIS DES TUILERIES DEPUIS L’ARRIERE DU PALAIS JUSQU’A LA MONTAGNE DE CHAILLOT, UN PAYSAGE ORGANISE COMPOSE D’AVENUES, DE PLANTATIONS ET D’ESPACES LIBRES QUI ALLAIENT ÊTRE LES CHAMPS-ELYSEES. ELLE FIT DONC OFFICE DE PARC CHAMPÊTRE POUR LE PALAIS DES TUILERIES. LE DUC D’ANTIN ET LE MARQUIS DE MARIGNY POURSUIVIRENT LES TRAVAUX ENTAMES PAR COLBERT. LE MARQUIS DE MARIGNY DECIDA LA REPLANTATION COMPLETE DES PROMENADES. C’EST UN PEU AVANT 1770 QUE LES CHAMPS-ELYSEES ACQUIRENT LA PHYSIONOMIE REGULIERE QU’ELLES GARDERONT JUSQU’AU MILIEU DU 19è SIECLE. A CETTE EPOQUE, LA PLACE DE L’ETOILE, ENCORE AU MILIEU DE LA CAMPAGNE, CONNUT LES ILLUMINATIONS DES FETES REVOLUTIONNAIRES, AVANT D’ÊTRE, GRACE A L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE ET AUX HOTELS D’HITTORFF, VERITABLEMENT INTEGREE DANS LA VILLE. A PARTIR DE 1794, PENDANT LA REVOLUTION, LES CHAMPS-ELYSEES ETAIT UN RECEPTACLE D’ESCROTS ET D’ASSASSINS PUIS SOUS LE CONSULAT ET L’EMPIRE, CE FUT UN LIEU DE PROMENADE ET DE LOISIR POUR LES PRIVILEGIES.

Uniform building regulations apply in all parts of the Republic of Ireland since 1991. The current regulations are dated 1997. The regulations are expressed as a series of succinct performance requirements in relation to twelve different ‘parts’ of building design – structure, fire safety, site preparation and resistance to moisture, materials and workmanship, ventilation, etc, etc.

Guidance with regard to compliance with the regulations is provided in a suite of Technical Guidance Documents – one TGD per ‘part’ of the regulations. The TGDs are periodically revised and updated, eg http://www.planningpermission.ie/pcie/regulations/pdf/Amendments.pdf

The regulations and TGDs are published by the Department of the Environment and Local Government – purchase details: http://www.environ.ie/planning/construct.html

The state agency, FAS, has prepared some training CDs which might be useful, although I do not know whether these may be used for distance learning – you can enquire: http://www.fas.ie/environmental_training_unit/building_control.html

. . . without the sunshine, topography or wealth . . .

Should start next week. Completion is highly weather dependent – if the wind gets up, work is impossible, as assembly tolerances between ‘can’ sections are so tight.