International studio (51.1913/1914)

A Rebel in the Architects Camp

COLUMN-ARCH DESIGNS

Patented. May, 1913
All rights reserved by
Alexander A. Cantin

an entablature, why should not the con-
nection differ? The new style adds to
the design of a building, creates new
motifs, is more flexible, makes a finished
connection to the column, and with well-
designed sculpture decoration fills all re-
quirements for beauty, utility and sta-
bility.
What use are heavy, overhanging cor-
nices? On the other hand, beautiful
shadow-play may be expected from these
perforated cornices in the new style, be-
cause they are perforated in the farthest
overhanging part; open-work portions
may be filled with tracery or with colored
glass, the sunlight projecting the colors
among the shadows upon the frieze. This
is a point of considerable importance if
we are to construct with an eye to fine
effects.
In old-style architraves the height is
too shallow to carry.proportionately the
superimposed load, while in new-style this
difficulty is obviated by extending the
capital right up to the underside of the
frieze, which member must be planned
in proper relation to the load it carries.
The sculpture work on the panels of the
capital has a low relief at the base and
center of the panel, heavier at the top,
so as to cast proper shadows at the
abacus line. In illustration of this pre-
cept, the reader’s attention is called to
Goujon’s figures in the Fountain of the
Innocents, in Paris. To revert for a mo-
ment to the Renaissance period, it is
interesting to reflect what use architects
and sculptors would have made of this
new-style architecture in their column
capitals and perforated cornices. As the
column capital bears the shape of a Latin
cross, it is safe to say that all their ecclesi-
astical architecture would have been car-
ried out in this style and enriched with
madonnas, Christ on the Cross, saints
and angels, etc.
Men like Michelangelo, Donatello,
Goujon and Thornwaldsen would have
left us a rich heritage of beautiful motifs

and very little imagination must
show the immense possibilities of
Mr. Cantin’s design, which lends it-
self equally to Spartan simplicity or
lavish elaboration. Transplant your-
self for a moment to the new post-
office in New York City, opposite
the Pennsylvania Railroad Station.
What a splendid field presents itself
here for architect and sculptor to
unite in placing upon the column
capital allegorical figures in keeping
with the historical legend carved in
the frieze!
The human figure is the most ap-
propriate decoration for capitals and
must surely supersede the present
designs, with their monotonous cast-
iron appearance. In capitals where
the figure or bust is used in a leaf-
work design, a jumbled effect is pro-
duced and the main motif is lost. A
glance at the old-style capitals in
elevated positions shows “spotti-
ness” and fails to give a clean-cut
appearance when observed from the
ground.
To create a new architecture it is a
sine qua non to possess a fundamen-
tal basis. This might ordinarily
sound like a platitude, but the many
efforts to butt against tradition and
evolve a new style in this country
have failed utterly, for the very sim-
ple reason that the modes employed
have lacked this essential quality.
In Mr. Cantin’s design, the column
architrave, with frieze and perforated
cornice, form a new Order of archi-
tecture to add to the Doric, Ionic,
Corinthian, Composite and Tuscan
Orders. A new factor is introduced
in architectural standards by the col-
umn and arch combinations. It has
been the custom to place a column of
any Order under an entablature or
arch, without any change in the for-
mation of the capita). As an arch is
an entirely different structure from
c