|
W A A Flo
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Architects- and- is- an- official- journal- of- the-
Association.
Limited permission to. digitize- and make this- electronic-
version available- has- been- granted- by the. Association-
to- the- University- of- Florida- on- behalf- of- the- State-
Uni versity- System* of F lorida.
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9q)1/57
* /1/il 7
F/A Panorama...
THE TILE COUNCIL DESERVES A NEW ORCHID . .
Several years ago The Tile Council of America inaugurated a scholarship
program for a number of accredited architectural schools, including our
own University of Florida at Gainesville. Recently the 25-member organiza-
tion announced an expansion of this program to include 15 additional cen-
ters of architectural education bringing to 42 the number of institutions
now in its program. . Scholarships are for three years at $750-a-year; Of
this amount, $500 is in the form of a direct grant or loan to assist in the
architectural education of a needy and worthy student. The remaining
$250 is for use of the school toward improving its courses in the use of
building materials.
THAT PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CORPORATION.
During the 1961 session of the Legislature, a measure was signed into law
that permitted professional people, including architects, to form corpora-
tions. As reported here (August, 1961) the Professional Service Coporation
Act had the basic purpose of enabling professional people to enjoy the
benefits of group insurance and pension programs permitted under a cor-
porate operating structure that were formerly unavailable to them . But,
to architects, at least, this legal permission is clouded. The "architects' law"
--Chapter 467, Florida Statutes -provides that registration must issue only
to individuals, not to a corporation. Thus there is a legal question as to
whether the new entity permitted. by the Professional Service Corporation
Act is in conflict with, or supercedes, the provisions of Chapter 467.08
Best obtainable advice at present is for architects to go slow in forming
professional corporations. The matter is still under intensive study by the
State Board of Architecture and other authoritative governinental agencies.
The Attorney General's office will undoubtedly issue .an opinion on the
matter within the near future. But even then professional people would be
well advised to avoid any corporate structure commitments until the opin-
ion has been tested in the courts.
CALIFORNIA LESSON FOR FLORIDA LEGISLATORS .
Some time ago California enlarged its governmental bureaucracy with a
State Division of Architecture. Efficiency and economy were, of course,
some of the reasons given for setting up this Division. Now, however, the
people who pay the bills are finding that bureaucracy costs. money. As
against six to eight percent fees charged by architects in private practice,
the Division is receiving fees up to three times as much. For the design
of a new agricultural building, its fee was 22 percent. And the 17 percent
charged for the design of the new arena for the Monterey Fair Grounds was
so high that permanent seating for the audience had to be cut out of the
budget . The lesson for Florida is plain: In a bureaucracy buildings
costs soar, performance values fall. The better way to get the proper bal-
ance between building cost and building value is employment of private
architects.
BUILDING UP AGAIN . .
Construction, now the nation's largest industry, set a new alltime record of
over $4-billion in May 14 percent above May last year. Residential con-
tracts were up 17 percent; and apartment building, contracts soared a whack-
ing 80 percent . In Florida, April contracts for future construction were
47 percent above the April, 1961 figure. Tbtal volume in Florida for the
first four months of this year was 33 percent above the figure for the same
period of 1961. Figures are from F. W. Dodge Corp.
17a
Mi
IT'S NOT A
MIAMI WINDOW...
UNLESS IT'S MADE
BY MIAMI WINDOW
CORPORATION.. .THE
ORIGINATORS OF
THE AWNING
WINDOW
AIA
16E
THE SYMBOL OF
EXCELLENCE
IN THE MAIL SOON:
"ME TOO" AND
"BE FIRM"...
PROVOCATIVE,
ENLIGHTENING!
]e
74
Florida Architect
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF ARCHITECTS
n 7Tis Isu ---
F/A Panorama . . . . . . . . .. 2nd Cover
Why Are Our Cities Ugly? . . . . . . . . . 7
Physical Beauty is Not Enough By Jo Mielziner
Preventing Cracks in Terrazzo Floors . . . . . . . 7
An Open Mind- But A Closed Spec ............. .11
By Frank E. Watson, AIA
In Memoriam Robert G. Ernest, 1933-1962 . . . .... 13
A Tribute by The Jacksonville Chapter, AIA
The Eli Becker House, Jacksonville
Own Home and Studio, Atlantic Beach
News and Notes .................... .. 18
Architectural Helps for Tourism . . Fallout Shelter Design
Competition . . AIA Committeemen . . Changes . .
New Officers, Miami Chapter, Producers'
Advertisers' Index .
F.A.A. OFFICERS 1962
Robert H. Levison, President, 425 S. Garden Ave., Clearwater
Robert B. Murphy, First Vice-President, 1210 Edgewater Drive, Orlando
William F. Bigoney, Jr., Second V.-President, 2520 E. Las Olas Blvd., Ft. Laud.
William T. Arnett, Third Vice-President, University of Florida, Gainesville
Verner Johnson, Secretary, 250 N. E. 18th Street, Miami
Roy M. Pooley, Jr., Treasurer, Suite 209, 233 E. Bay Street, Jacksonville
DIRECTORS
BROWARD COUNTY: Robert E. Hansen, Charles F. McAlpine, Jr.; DAYTONA
BEACH: Francis R. Walton; FLORIDA CENTRAL: A. Wynn Howell, Richard
E. Jessen, Frank R. Mudano; FLORIDA NORTH: Turpin C. Bannister, FAIA,
Lester N. May; FLORIDA NORTH CENTRAL: Forrest R. Coxen; FLORIDA
NORTHWEST: B. W. Hartman, Jr.; FLORIDA SOUTH: C. Robert Abele, H.
Samuel Kruse, Herbert R. Savage; JACKSONVILLE: A. Robert Broadfoot, Jr.,
Walter B. Schultz, John R. Graveley; MID-FLORIDA: John D. DeLeo, Donald
0. Phelps; PALM BEACH: Harold A. Obst., Hilliard T. Smith, Jr.
Verna M. Sherman, Executive Secretary, 414 Dupont Plaza Center, Miami
THE COVER...
Many architects do sketch-more than some of them would admit. Sketches
reproduced here are from the travel notebook of Robert G. Ernest whose death
at the age of 29 cut short what would undoubtedly have been a brilliant and
productive architectural career. Dominating the montage is a remarkably fine
self-portrait. The other sketches were done in Italy, Greece, France during 1957.
Council
. 21
. 26
THE FLORIDA ARCHITECT, Official Journal of
the Florida Association of Architects of the
American Institute of Architects, is owned by
the Florida Association of Architects, Inc., a
Florida Corporation not for profit, and is pub-
lished monthly, at 7225 S. W. 82nd Ct.,
Miami 43, Florida; telephone MOhawk 5-5032.
Editorial contributions, including plans and
photographs of architects' work, are welcomed
but publication cannot be guaranteed. Opinions
expressed by contributors are not necessarily
those of the Editor or the Florida Associat:on
of Architects. Editorial material may be freely
reprinted by other official AIA publications,
provided full credit is given to the author
and to The FLORIDA ARCHITECT for prior use.
S. Advertisements of products, materials and
services adaptable for use in Florida are wel-
come, but mention of names or use of illus-
trations, of such materials and products in
either editorial or advertising columns does not
constitute endorsement by the Florida Associ-
ation of Architects. Advertising material must
conform to standards of this publication; and
the right is reserved to reject such material be-
cause of arrangement, copy or illustrations.
.Controlled circulation postage paid at
Miami, Florida. Single copies, 50 cents; sub-
scription, $5.00 per year . Printed by
McMurray Printers.
PUBLICATION COMMITTEE
Dana B. Johannes, William T. Arnett,
Roy M. Pooley, Jr., Bernard W. Hartman
ROGER W. SHERMAN, AIA
Editor-Publisher
VOLUME 12
NUMBER 7 19
THE FLORIDA ARCHITECT
CHECK THESE BUILT-IN FEATURES
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LIGHT!
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TOUGH!
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DRY!
Solite's natural insulation gives
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Millions of sealed air cells are
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Millions of sealed air cells in
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transmission. Left exposed on
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BEAUTIFUL!
The distinctive beauty of Solite
masonry units has been recog-
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I I
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in top building projects along the entire Eastern Seaboard!
the lightweight aggregate produced by a
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1/"Fire resistant
1,-Holds nails
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-""Requires minimum maintenance
1-,, Solite saves time and money on the job!
CORPORATION
PLANTS:
Green Cove Springs, Fla.
Leaksville Junction. Va.
OFFICES:
Atlantic Coast Line Building, Jacksonville, Fla.
Box 9138, Richmond, Va. Box 1843, Charlotte, N. C.
Bremo Bluff, Va.
Aquadale, N. C.
I
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Zaoos4 9de
Rich-as-cream pastel colors make Merry's light-hued brick
look good enough to eat! Tahitian Buff No. 964, shown
above in Barktex texture, is only one of nine eye-catching
new colors available
54" 4 te s io in Standard, Roman
(shown), Norman, and
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don't literally expect you to try a bite, we know you'll
want to use new Merry Brick colors for their unusual
beauty. And check the economy of larger sizes. Jumbo
Utility offered in 3 of the 9 light colors for example,
makes interiors lastingly beautiful at low cost when used
in code-approved utility wall construction. Ask the Merry
Brick representative who calls on you for complete de-
tails, or call Merry Brick direct.
hLrLv &LA TiLn- LaD PC LT a
1T Ln1 OA+ ,ClvahQni'n
THE FLORIDA ARCHITECT
A.,
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Tidewater Concrete Block & Pipe Co.
P.O. Box 162. Charleston. S.C.- Area Code S03, SH 4-5376
i <^ U JULY, 1962
Good NEWS about Natural Gas...
GAS IS GO! New low rates for natural gas for climate control -- air
conditioning both summer and winter -- and for on-site generation of elec-
tricity causing owners, architects and engineers all over state to specify
gas. University of South Florida, Tampa, originally installed 1, 080 tons
gas air conditioning, adding 1, 200 tons more in new buildings. Pioneer Res-
taurant, West Palm Beach, replaced electric cooling units with gas cooling
and heating system, now has 23 tons. Over 100 tons gas air conditioning in-
stalled in Fort Walton Beach recently, 32 tons newly installed in three coin
laundries, Panama City.
MORE GAS GO! City of Valparaiso, West Florida, converted munici-
pal water pumping system from electric motors to gas-engine pumping units.
Reasons: Sharp saving in fuel costs, dependable fuel supply in all kinds of
weather, far less maintenance and replacement costs. To ensure elevator
service and lighting during emergencies that interrupt commercial electric
service, new 13-story Point View Apartments, Miami, installed stand-by
generator powered by dependable, underground natural gas service.
ANOTHER HOSPITAL GOES GAS! Good Samaritan Hospital, Tampa,
now enjoying year-round climate control with natural gas cooling and heating
system. Hospital also has all-gas kitchen, gas water heating.
GAS LIGHTS GO, TOO! Florida Gas Utilities Co. -- Miami, Lakeland,
Daytona Beach, Jacksonville, Eustis, Tavares, Umatilla -- sold over 600 gas
lights April 10. That date proclaimed "Gas Light Day" in Florida by Governor
Farris Bryant in cooperation with national gas light day. Nationwide, gas in-
dustry sold over 80, 000 gas lights.
STILL MORE GAS GO! Number of natural gas customers in Florida
increased 8% in 1962 over 1961. Natural gas now supplies more than 250, 000
residential, 21, 000 commercial and 100 industrial users.
NEW INDUSTRY GO! Florida Hydrocarbons Co. building new plant at
Brooker. It is largest liquid hydrocarbon recovery plant in United States. It
will process and re-deliver to pipeline 350-million cubic feet of natural gas
daily. Products: natural gasoline, liquid propane and butane. Annual produc-
tion of propane-butane estimated at 55, 400, 000 gallons, equal to about 25%
of these products marketed annually in Florida.
STETSON U. IS GAS GO! Five new men's dormitories under construc-
tion at Stetson University, DeLand, will use dependable natural gas for heat-
ing and water heating.
MEAL COSTS GO (DOWN)! New Biscayne Cafeteria, Miami, served
584, 000 meals prepared in its all-gas kitchen last year. Owner Harold Zeenan
reports average fuel cost per meal WELL UNDER 1%. This in an industry
where 3% fuel cost per meal considered "pretty good."
ROCKETS GO! Liquid hydrocarbon, produced from natural gas at Air
Products & Chemicals plant near West Palm Beach, is used primarily as
high energy fuel in rockets.
Reproduction of any or all items on this page prohibited without written permission
from Florida Natural Gas Association, 206 E. New York Ave., DeLand, Florida.
THE FLORIDA ARCHITECT
Wy4 tAe Owt Cera t94y...7?
Physical Beauty Is Not Enough
One of the speakers at the First Conference on
Esthetic Responsibility, held in New York during
April was a stage designer . Here is his plea
for a better public appreciation of a city's need
for spiritual as well as physical beauty. . .
By JO MIELZINER
To evaluate our esthetic values in
terms of architecture, I would like
to break down values into three gen-
eral categories:
1st Usefulness to Man
2nd Pleasure to his Eyes
3rd Uplift to his Spirit
These are not only arbitrary, but
they run into each other in the sense
that a solution to a problem that
has brilliantly solved its usefulness to
man would in itself afford both pleas-
ure to the eye and some uplift to the
spirit. Because we live and struggle for
survival in a very pragmatic world,
standards of achievement are apt to
relate far too much to the first two
categories-the useful and the pleas-
ing. Pressures of time, and meeting
economic demands are so engrossing
that they are apt to sap so much of
the architects' creative energies once
he has accomplished these-little is
left for the final and perhaps the most
creatively important category-the up-
lift to man's spirit.
Twentieth century America has
achieved wonders in efficiency, but I
fear in a very limited way. We have
reflected a lot on how man works, on
what his bodily needs are, but precious
little on what man's spiritual needs
demand. The dotting, in an over-
crowded city, of little islands of archi-
tectural gems, however heartening, is
no solution to the total need.
The understanding of man's spiri-
tual needs, and the lifting of his
capacity to face his daily life is cer-
tainly as important as meeting his
physical needs. One should go with
the other. But it seems to me we have
almost totally failed in the latter cate-
gory.
For a moment let us face certain
facts about creative people in whose
hands lie the responsibility for uphold-
ing and preserving esthetic values.
JULY, 1962
The average architect, or city planner
or landscape architect is, like every
other artist, essentially a craftsman,
perhaps a super-craftsman, with the
benefit of a very good education. But
like all other creative people, whether
he is painting or composing or design-
ing, the moments of high creativity
are relatively rare.
This does not mean that the super-
craftsman or the architect should not
have high aims at all times. There is
very little in both our training and
in our practice that could be thought
of as a drive for beauty in our lives.
Our driving forces are for mere ex-
istence! For meeting the payrolls,
meeting the calendar, meeting the
budget.
When society is willing to accept
disorder in basic planning, dirt and
noise, public buildings and means of
transportation, devoid of even a pre-
tense of pleasing the senses, liow can
we give really serious consideration to
the evaluation of esthetics?
We live in a climate of excessive
materialism. Not that our design tal-
ent isn't rich, but the seeds will not
flourish in a soil unexposed to sun-
light. That light is the potential power
in every man to a lift of his spirits.
I am not talking about highflown es-
thetics or intellectual experiences, lim-
ited to the highly educated mind. But
I am talking simple fundamental
feelings and needs and desires in a
healthy man. The first glimpse of
spring buds in a park will give the
most jaded city dweller the kind of
lift that I am talking about.
Expose enough brilliantly lit blue
cyclorama to an average audience in
a theater, and you will invariably get
a round of applause. This seems to be
a reaction of release after too much
confinement in our low-ceiling homes,
in our subway cars, in our taxi cabs
and in our working areas. It takes no
great erudition or education for the
average man to respond immediately
to basic beauty.
I doubt if the most insensitive cre-
ature living in New York has not
constantly and repeatedly found pleas-
ure in the lines of the Brooklyn Bridge
or the George Washington Bridge. If
the same form was strung along Third
or Fifth Avenue, it would be almost
meaningless because we'd look at a
part and not at the whole. It is the
setting which counts as well as the
part.
One must be grateful for crumbs in
a diet of starvation. Recently built city
office buildings, which provide a little
extra breathing space or perhaps a
fountain or some planting area are
most gratifying. But esthetic values
that have high standards must be asso-
ciated with long range city planning.
Is an hour's ride, in the beginning and
the end of the day for a worker, in
let us say a beautiful building like
Chase Manhattan, a proper way to
condition the best use of that work
er's spirit?
(Continued on Page 20)
Preventing Cracks
In Terrazzo Floors
Cracks that develop in finished
masonry construction have been a
source of annoyance and expense ever
since a sharp-eyed architect or irate
owner first noticed them. The prob-
lem of preventing them in concrete
block walls has been virtually solved
through the experiments of the Port-
land Cement Association; and if PCA
recommendations for construction of
such walls are faithfully followed, the
wall-crack bugaboo will be eliminated.
But the remedy for cracks in ter-
razzo floors has not been so widely
publicized. A great deal of investiga-
tion, however, has been done relative
to this problem. Recently the results
of many experimental and comparative
studies have been corelated by The
Florida Terrazzo Association. So final-
ly architects and builders have a guide
to construction practices that will vir-
tually guarantee the absence of cracks
in terrazzo. The following facts have
(Continued on Page 8)
Terrazzo Cracks . .
(Continued from Page 7)
been assembled from the FTA's rec-
ommendations on the subject.
First, the cause of cracks in any
well-formulated and installed terrazzo
surface is movement of the concrete
floor to which it is bonded. Cracks in
the terrazzo topping by itself is a sure
sign of poor quality materials, and in-
expert laying and curing.
Second, cracks in the concrete sub-
floor are caused by stress resulting
largely from expansion and contrac-
tion rather than from any appreciable
"settlement" of the structure.
Third, no system of controlling such
distortional stresses will prove com-
pletely effective. But in most cases
stress-cracking can be anticipated and
charted. Thus, where cracking cannot
be prevented it can be controlled so as
to minimize the damage to both the
structure and appearance of the fin-
ished terrazzo topping.
Experience has shown that slabs
tend to crack at certain specific points.
In an L-shape slab cracking usually
occurs at the internal angle. In long,
narrow slabs the cracks show up along
the longitudinal dimension. Slabs with
relatively small offset areas will tend
to crack at internal angles as in the
L-shaped surface. And in large floor
areas, the slab may develop a series
of long, irregular cracks along any
side.
The most basic prevention of such
distortional damage is heavier re-
inforcing and particularly extra re-
inforcing in areas where cracking may
be expected to start. For example,
in place of the wire mesh commonly
used to reinforce monolithic floor
slabs in residential and light commer-
cial construction, it is preferable to
specify use of 3/s" steel bars, tied or
spot-welded on 2-foot centers both
ways. Extra bars should be laid and
secured diagonally at the internal
angles of each offset area. The steel
should be chaired to center between
top and bottom surfaces of the slab.
In spite of such reinforcing, how-
ever, some shrinkage cracks may de-
velop. So, says the FTA, it is advisable
to anticipate the cracks and thus con-
trol their effect. Ideally slabs should
be laid with construction, or expan-
sion, joints into which metal strips
can be set. Since this is not always
practical, the next best procedure is
to saw-cut the slab into segments of
200 to 300 square feet and grout
metal or plastic strips into the cuts,
pouring the terrazzo level with the
top of the strips.
The saw cuts should penetrate at
least one-third of the slab thickness.
When stress causes a slab to crack,
the crack will follow the line of the
saw-cut, since this is weakest point in
the concrete. Thus the crack can be
controlled in direction; and since it
will be directly adjacent to the strip
grouted in the cut, it will be scarcely
noticeable.
The logic of these suggestions is
certainly easy to understand. But it
is largely carelessness or the human
factor-in construction that brings
into being conditions that tend to
promote floor cracking. Poor slab con-
struction inadequate reinforcing,
improper concrete formulation, slip-
shod placement and the rest is the
chief villian in the terrazzo floor
crack problem. Eliminate this through
good design, careful workmanship and
proper supervision and the plague of
terrazzo floor cracks will be largely
cured.
$, ..,.,,-
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-C*.~"CC"i~C*I-r;~~~~- T.
i ttl s:
V! o..
"~' r..~-Z,
Architect:
William H. Merriam, A.I.A.
Engineers:
Brown-Sells & Associates
Saluting -
The Architects and
Engineers of Dade County
CITY OF MIAMI
i FIRE STATION NO. 1
THE BETTER FUEL COUNCIL
of Dade County
'ATr 7400 N.W. 30th Avenue
Miami, Florida
THE FLORIDA ARCHITECT
'5 ~I'~rC;rpW;3~
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HOUDAILLE-SPAN USED ON WALLS AND ROOF RESULTS IN AN
ATTRACTIVE, STRUCTURAL "SKIN"; MEETS BUDGET REQUIREMENTS
U The Ascension Lutheran Church, Boynton Beach,
Florida, is an outstanding example of the imaginative
use of prestressed concrete planks. The design
called for a concrete bent framework sheathed with
HOUDAILLE-SPAN . one of the first uses of the
product in this area for wall construction. Simple
steel angle brackets, 19' 61/2" maximum length, sup.
port the horizontally placed slabs which range in
length from 9' 31/2" to 16' 4". The dimensional sta-
bility of the machine-produced units permitted accu- C P
rate connections at
eave and where walls
meet roof. The flat
slabs serve as both 0 _
roof and ceiling .
the finish on the roof .
being a sprayed on,
fluid neoprene-based
roofing. The under-
side of the slabs were
sprayed with acousti-
cal plaster for an at-
tractive ceiling finish.
In this instance, the architect selected HOUDAILLE-
SPAN to achieve an economical, structurally sound and
aesthetically satisfying edifice. Perhaps your next
project can be improved through the application of
HOUDAILLE-SPAN. We'd be pleased to discuss the pos-
sibilities with you.
The Ascension Lutheran Church, Boynton Beach, Florida. ARCHITECT: James
Ferguson, Coral Gables. ENGINEER: Robert L. Crain Associates, Miami.
CONTRACTOR: William Q. Hays, Boynton Beach.
I-1O T.D A I I -L E S PA NZ I T C Manufactured under SPANCRETE@
S license by R. H. WRIGHT, INC.,
1050 N.E. 5TH TERRACE FORT LAUDERDALE FLORIDA JA 4-0456 JA 5-1661 Fort Lauderdale.
JULY, 1962 9
The
Clean
Look of
Quality
...CONCRETE
DRIVEWAYS
Custom-styled driveways of ready-mixed concrete add value, distinction and
individuality to any home, traditional or contemporary.
Concrete never softens, never needs resealing; its surface stays ripple free with
edges neat and trim, regardless of the weather.
Unlimited design with widest selection of textures and colors are available
with concrete.
GENERAL PORTLAND CEMENT COMPANY
THE FLORIDA ARCHITECT
F GPC CP_
The Sage of South Florida rides again!
With verbal six-guns blazing, he's hell-
bent and slapping leather. . This time l .
his target is The Specification-and the
gentlemen of the CSI who are most in-
timately concerned with that controver-
sial document . The occasion of this
newest volley was a recent meeting of
the Greater Miami Chapter of the CSI.
Some of the members are said to be now
well on the road to recovery ....
An Open Mind... But A Closed Spec
By FRANK E. WATSON, AIA
This C.S.I. is an organization about
which I have given considerable
thought. And when I give consider-
able thought to something-look out,
man the pumps! because nothing
generally comes of all this thinking. I
was invited to speak to you by such
sundry characters as BOB LITTLE,
HOWARD DOEHLA, and BILL RUSSELL,
all erstwhile friends of mine. Do you
know what a sundry character is? Well
WEBSTER, the man with the words,
says sundry means divers; and I'll have
to admit this applies-I have met all
of them in some dive or other. I ac-
cepted because of an affinity I have
for the C.S.I. I was rather surprised
to find that they were members but
I'll go along with the gag so it gives
me great pleasure to appear before this
august gathering-in June.
I'm here to tell you what I really
think of the C.S.I. But before I get
into the heady part of my talk, I
thought you might want to straighten
me out on a few things. I don't mean
literally. But have you ever noticed,
you sidewalk superintendents, that
when an important building is under
JULY, 1962
construction the Contractor's shanty
is usually made out of the packing
crates that the plumbing fixtures came
in-and then these are set up way out
in the next county for the visiting
architect's convenience. But on the
site of a new service station, we find
the gleaming 40-foot aluminum trailer
-air conditioned, complete with all
creature comforts, including one wall
dedicated entirely to playgirls of the
month-where the executive superin-
tendent holds court. So I thought that
you big wheels of the C.S.I.A.-the
Contractors' Shanty Investigators of
America-could explain this paradox.
Pardon me, here's a note from my
secretary-you know old GABBY-she
says, and I quote, . "you have the
wrong speech. The one you want is
in your left hand coat pocket." Excuse
me a moment! Ah-a rough draft-
what other kind is there? -of the
C.S.I. speech.
CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATIONS IN-
STITUTE? IS that what C.S.I. stands
stands for?
But enough for opening remarks.
Speaking of opening remarks, I once
heard a speech devoted entirely to
opening remarks-a magnificent,
ROBERT BENCHLEY-like talk, flamboy-
ant, rambling, pointless, but magnifi-
cent. The speaker never even came
close to the topic the entire evening
-I don't think I am going to make
it either-but I was enthralled, held
speechless by his delivery. Later, when
I was able to untie myself from the
chair and remove the gag from my
mouth, I had something to say too.
But by that time the speaker was
long gone.
I was going to talk to you tonight
on the subject "An Open Mind but
A Closed Spec" and since this is the
only subject I have written on these
cards that MILLIE punched out for
me, I guess I better stick to it. I know
that the subject is close to your
heart, so here goes . .
An open mind and a closed spec.
Well, all my friends have open minds
-how else would they remain friendly
-and they can vouch for the fact I
have an open mind. My partner says
I am very open-minded; that I have
(Continued on Page 12)
An Open Mind...
(Continued from Page 11)
a mind like a sieve-everything goes
in one ear and out my mouth! And
the closed spec. . I don't think that
it will come as a surprise to you that
the closed spec is quite common in
the trade today and becoming com-
moner. Did you know that on some
jobs the specification is never opened
- remains closed during the entire
job?
I'm grateful to C.S.I. for saying
"yes" when I badgered them into
graciously inviting me here tonight.
It gave me an opportunity to read the
General Conditions of the Contract
once again. You know the phrase
" ... the General Conditions of the
Contract, AIA Document A-201, 1961
Edition, are hereby made a part of
this Specification and a copy may be
seen etc. etc. etc." By the way, have
you read the General Conditions
lately; Special Conditions; Extra
Special conditions, Errata? Well, get
with it; it's available in the new paper-
back economy kit at your nearest
wheeler and dealer. It has been a best
seller at the top of the list for years-
I'm not saying what list. But it's a
trade paper-referred to by the spec
writer but seldom referred to by the
contractor.
I read the General Conditions for
the first time over 30 years ago as
printed in the old Kidder-Parker
Handbook-and I was amazed. Every-
thing was the responsibility of the
contractor, or so it seemed at the
time. The contractor was like the bull
in a bull fight-he just didn't have
a chance. The bull is jabbed with the
lance-stuck with the banderillos-
fooled by the muleta and killed by
the sword and his carcass dragged
from the ring. As I remember the
general conditions, the contractor was
jabbed with the owner's rights, stuck
with the dinner check, fooled by the
sharp deals of his sub-contractors-
killed by the bonding company and
dragged from the building by the men
in the white coats, screaming that he
had been robbed.
I remember that this condition af-
fected me deeply; I had nothing but
compassion for the poor builder. But
gentlemen, the pendulum she has
swung-way, way over. Worry about
the contractor? Brother, you don't
have enough hours in the day for that.
Read the new General Conditions-it
12
will scare the hell out of you. If you
do not have time to read the General
Conditions in its unexpurgated form
-and who does?-try the Digest ver-
sion or short form.
"Anything that is not mentioned
by these specifications, or shown on
the drawings shall be supplied by the
contractor, set in place, cut to fit,
beaten to shape and covered with
epoxy."
Speaking of closed specs-and I
believe we were-to these I am addic-
ted. Short, terse, to the point, straight-
forward in words definite-a closed
spec. I say what I want, believe it or
not, right there in cold print. I say
what I want and I never get it. When
I expounded at great length on this
subject to a Contractor friend of mine
who shall be nameless-come to think
of it, that's who it was-I. M. NAME-
LESS, Builder-he politely yelled at
me "A closed Spec! Are you kidding?
What are you trying to do-kill us?
Take all the profit out of it? A closed
spec- how would I ever get low?"
Come to think of it, he couldn't get
lower.
Well, as I said, I'm always being
fooled. I never get what I specify. I
write down the product that I want
and somebody always sneaks around
after hours and adds the words "or
equal." For years I've been outman-
oeuvered.
One day I heard of a new flash on
the horizon who had made quite a
name for himself wherever specifica-
tion writers gather after work to let
down their articles over a few drinks.
The word was out; this genius was
getting what he wanted 98 percent
of the time. What a record-this guy
I'd have to meet.
So I went down through spec row-
where the pulp paper editions are
beaten out. Nothing! Finally, in a
posh club on Brickell Avenue where
the specs are all on slick paper-here
they gather together the executive
sales literature and bind it into
bundles to burn-I got my first lead,
to wit: "Oh, you mean old Machia-
velli. He has his own publishing com-
pany over on Elliot Key."
Four beats and a reach later, a can
of ripe olives and six cans of beer
under my belt, I was tying up the
Giggling Witch and heading up
through the saw grass to meet the
great man. He greeted me graciously
and after the usual amenities he re-
moved his specs-yes, the man goes
all out; he even wears them-and said
"What can I do for you?" I told him
he was famous because of his fine
record of getting the product he
wanted 98 percent of the time and I
was curious: how did he do it- Mod-
estly he said-
"I tape them."
"You what?"
"I put them on tape and then in-
vite the bidders in to listen very
effective-especially with the proper
mood music in the background."
This was sheer genius. A taped spec
with music! What next? But this
couldn't be the whole secret.
"But how are you so successful in
getting what you want."
"Oh! I never mention the product
I want. It never goes on tape. I men-
tion three other standards and then
the words 'or equal'; and the trade
being what it is, nobody would think
of supplying what I preferred. They
always come in with list of 'or equals.'
And 98 percent of the time that
which I wanted, but didn't mention,
is on it."
How simple-how beautiful-Ma-
chiavellean. That's what it is. Never
mention what you want and you will
always get what you want.
ED HENDERSON was one of the first
friends I made when I came to Miami.
He was a very fine manufacturer's
agent, handling a number of products
to which I was partial Roberston
deck, Bayly windows-structural
facing tile, etc., etc.-and I used to
specify them by name. One day he
came into my office with a strange
request:
"Frank, please don't mention my
products in your specs. All it does is
set me up as a target for everyone else
to shoot at. The only time I ever get
a job is when I am not specific."
True, how true!
Specification writers as a group are
pretty dry you must admit-present
company excepted of course. But one
of the driest I ever knew was one of
my former associates-DoN MOELLER.
He had an offer from Hollywood and
took it. I blame the current dry con-
dition of the Everglades entirely on
him-he also spoke very slowly and
deliberately.
We used to get our specs printed
at Sunshine Press-Jess Bernie, Prop.
It would really warm your heart to
hear Moeller getting the job out and
putting the pressure on old Jess over
(Continued on Page 22)
THE FLORIDA ARCHITECT
IN MEMORIAL
Robert Griffith Ernest, 1933-1962
On May 10, 1962, a tragic death
occurred in Jacksonville. ROBERT
GRIFFITH ERNEST, only 29 and des-
tined to be one of the great architects
of America, fell victim to melanoma,
a vicious, fast-growing form of cancer.
He was a graduate of Yale University
and had worked extensively with PAUL
RUDOLPH. The following statement is
by the Jacksonville Chapter of the
A.I.A. of which he was a Member.
In a society where the apathetic ac-
ceptance of ugliness through default
has become a tragic reality, sometimes
a bright and shining star of hope
appears on the scene, cutting through
the fragmented confusion to reveal, in
a very special way, sensible order and
sensitive beauty. Robert Ernest was
such an illumination to all who knew
him.
There are many men who are
known as architects in our society, but
a handful are architects in the highest
sense; and of this handful, Bob was
destined to be one of the true leaders.
He was totally involved in the art of
architecture and through his rare com-
bination of creative ability and con-
scious responsibility, everything he
designed was a potential work of art-
in danger of not being so only because
of other forces at work in our society
over which the artist has little control.
His completed works are few . .
he had been on his own for but two
years. But in those two years he pro-
duced works far surpassing the best of
most architects who have been in prac-
tice many years. Each project held
within it the wonderment of creation
for this man, a new chance to say
something beautiful about a world
which has forgotten what a wonderous
thing beauty is. For this alone Bob
has left an indelible imprint upon the
practice of those who care about
beauty in a vending machine culture.
The handful of buildings completed
from his studio are statements which
have been accorded the acclaim of the
best architectural critics in America.
We are fortunate that these buildings
are in our community. We are for-
tunate that Bob Ernest lived here for
the tragically short time allotted to
~~1ai -
him. The buildings speak for them-
selves and for Bob as any fine work
of art must . and to see them is
better than to read of them. On
June 3, in The Jacksonville Art Mus-
eum, a special exhibit of the work of
Bob Ernest was held so that what he
believed and what he was trying to
do may be better seen and understood
by all of us.
A truly great artist has lived here
and though he is now gone, the prin-
ciples he understood so well remain
as always. And as we grope for a fuller
meaning in our own lives through
them, Bob Ernest will be remembered.
JULY, 1962
THE FLORIDA ARCHITECT
"~S~;~a~
X-
"
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"
Eli Becker House
Jacksonville
This building, one of the few com-
pleted during Robert Ernest's indepen-
dent professional practice, embodies
more than a mere unconventional
approach to the solution of a resi-
dential design problem. It clearly indi-
cates a firm understanding of Florida
living needs and the ability to provide
unique spatial answers to them. More
importantly, however, it suggests the
depth of three-dimensional thinking,
the appreciation of orderly structure
and the sensitivity to the value of
form, texture and color that character-
ized the work of this young architect
-and gave a basic promise of bril-
liant things to come.
/~ '-
III ._I /
WEND.
RIM 7/\,MD
~~2n.
A~h~D1~ ft
III1~j ..1D-.5
_TLAN SCALE: m 'JE 5 V- NO1U'Hl
JULY, 1962
-e'
Residence For
Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Ernest
Atlantic Beach, Florida
Built on a narrow lot facing the ocean,
of simple materials and at a construc-
tion cost of about $22,000, this is
a multi-purpose as well as a multi-
story building. It combines a studio-
office at ground level with living
quarters above-and it does so simply,
efficiently and attractively. Use of
balancing service towers permits full
utilization of interior space.
FIRST LEVEL PLAN
W| Nm
SECOND LEVEL PLAN
g444f
THIRD LEVEL PLAN
THE FLORIDA ARCHITECT
Give the lady
what she wants
(An ALL-ELECTRIC KITCHEN
and the benefits that a Live Better
Electrically MEDALLION signifies)
4, 1
.4
4 s .".... .
*THE MEDALLION certifies
to an all-electric kitchen equipped
with at least 4 major electric appli-
ances, including flameless electric
range and flameless electric water
heater (and a choice of 2 others,
such as dishwasher, clothes dryer,
refrigerator, air conditioner, etc.).
Also Full Housepower wiring and
ample Light for Living.
F L O R ID A P O W
aP Potential home-buyers may differ in taste, income
and size of family, but they all want to Live Better...
Electrically! When a home is "Medallioned" you can be
sure that more prospects will become buyers... and that
you'll gain both prestige and profit.
The confidence that people have in the MEDALLION
as the hallmark of electrical excellence serves to attract
more real prospects, closes more sales. Smart builders
throughout Florida are making it their "ace in the hole."
Last year 73% more Medallion living units were certified
in the FP&L service area than in 1960. This year, fifty
million dollars is being spent nationally to promote the
Medallion Home program. You can profit by recommend-
ing the MEDALLION standards for homes in every price
range. Call any FP&L office for full details.
-t w /MaiflS CHamelessPE, TO
...IT'S CHEAPER, TOO!
E R & L I H T
HELPING BUILD FLORIDA
COMPANY
JULY, 1962 17
*** .
.*i A
News & Notes
. . at Lake Placid
Architectural Helps for Tourism ...
Two new "attractions" have recently been completed on the
Florida scene one on the East Coast, at Riviera Beach, the
other in the heart of central Florida at Lake Placid. The Trylon
Tower part of the Bazaar International at Riviera Beach -
was designed by Alfred B. Parker, FAIA, and rises more than
165 feet above the market center that contains more than 100
shops and services. The Trylon is framed with three massive
reinforced concrete columns tied together with precast concrete
grilles. Outside the tower are guide rails for a plastic-enclosed
elevator that serves the viewing platform near the top . The
Placid Tower, part of a recreation center at Lake Placid, was
designed by A. Wynn Howell, AIA, and embodies a viewing
platform 192 feet above the ground. Built of reinforced con-
crete faced with ceramic tile and capped by roof tracery of gold
anodized aluminum, the tower contains an interior elevator sur-
rounded by a steel stairway. The Placid Tower is the main fea-
ture of a tourist center that includes a picnic mall, service build-
ing and sheltered promenade . Both structures were built to
provide visitors with a means of viewing the surrounding areas.
Each is capped with an aircraft warning light; and a beacon on
the crossarm of the mast about Trylon is shown on navigation
maps and provides seagoing craft with a marker to help in locat-
ing the Port of Palm Beach.
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THE FLORIDA ARCHITECT
I
' !- !i. ..
" --
- ia, -
. . at Riviera Beach
"' "
- :----
iihi
lit -L: i-.:~5:5:-
Fallout Shelter
Design Competition
Sponsored by the Office of Civil
Defense, Department of Defense, is a
new competition for the design of
school fallout shelters. The competi-
tion has been approved by the AIA
and is open to teams of architects and
engineers, members of which are US
citizens. It carries a grand prize of
$15,000 and 23 regional awards rang-
ing from $500 to $4000 each.
Deadline for competition registra-
tion is June 15, 1962. Judging will be
completed by November 15, 1962,
and announcement of award win-
ners is scheduled for December 1st.
The specific problem is to design
an elementary school for a student
population of between 300 and 500
incorporating a community fallout
shelter with a capacity at least twice
that of the school population. Com-
petition requirements involve an un-
usual completeness of drawings and
engineering data, though the program
gives no indication of any limitation
on design creativity on the part of
competition entrants.
The jury consists of WILLIAM H.
BRYNE, engineer; WILLIAM W.
CAUDILL, architect; HAROLD D. HAUF,
architect; LINN SMITH, FAIA, archi-
tect; and PAUL S. VISHER, of the
Office of Civil Defense. Professional
advisor is A. STANLEY MCGAUGHAN,
of the Washington, D. C., archi-
tectural firm of McGaughan & John-
son. Competition program and regis-
tration forms can be obtained from
The National School Fallout Shelter
Design Competition, A. Stanley
McGaughan, Professional Advisor,
1735 New York Ave., N.W. Wash-
ington 6, D.C.
AIA Committeemen...
Thirteen of the Florida Region's
AIA membership are currently serving
on a variety of national AIA commit-
tees, according to an AIA listing issued
for 1962. Fifteen AIA committees are
represented since two Florida men are
serving on two committees each. They
are--in the order of their listing by
the AIA:
JOHN STETSON, Palm Beach Chap-
ter, Chairman, Standing Committee,
AIA-AGC National Liaison; and Tem-
porary General Committee, Pan Amer-
ican Congress, 1965. FREDERICK W.
BUCKY, JR., Jacksonville Chapter,
Standing General Committee, Archi-
tectural and Building Information
Services. FRANCIS R. WALTON, Day-
tona Beach Chapter, Vertical Com-
mittee, Chapter Affairs. ROBERT M.
LITTLE, FAIA, Florida South Chapter,
Standing Board Committee, Conven-
tion, and Standing General Commit-
tee, National Capital. T. TRIP RUS-
SELL, Florida South Chapter, Standing
General Committee (corresponding
member), Education.
ALFRED BROWING PARKER, FAIA,
Florida South Chapter, and JAMES T.
LENDRUM, Florida North Central
Chapter, are both members of the
Standing General Committee on the
Home Building Industry, Lendrum be-
ing a corresponding member. WALTER
B. SCHULTZ, Jacksonville Chapter,
Vertical Committee on Hospitals and
Health. JOHN L. SKINNER, FAIA, Flor-
ida South Chapter, a corresponding
member of the Standing General
Committee on Preservation of Historic
Buildings. CLINTON GAMBLE, FAIA,
Broward County Chapter, Temporary
General Committee on the Profession.
ROBERT H. LEVISON, Florida Central
Chapter, Vertical Committee on Pro-
fessional Practice.
EDWARD G. GRAFTON, Florida South
Chapter, is Vice Chairman of the Ver-
tical Committee on Public Relations.
C. ELLIS DUNCAN, Palm Beach Chap-
ter, is on the Vertical Committee on
Schools and Educational Facilities. A
former Floridian, PAUL M. RUDOLPH
is a corresponding member of the
Temporary General Committee on
Theatre Architecture.
Changes . .
RoY M. SIMON has moved into his
new office at 94 N.'E. 5th Avenue,
Delray Beach. His phone is CR
8-1914.
JEFFE GENE HOXIE has announced
the opening of his own office for the
general practice of architecture at 2507
North Cocoa Blvd., Cocoa, Florida.
He is an associate member of the
Mid-Florida Chapter.
An associate member of the Jack-
sonville Chapter, JERRY D. TILLINGER,
has opened his own office at 1611 San
Marco Blvd., Jacksonville. His new
phone is 359-5875.
PAUL ROBIN JOHN, AIA, has re-
located his studio at 901 N. E. 9th
(Continued on Page 20)
JULY, 1962
REVOLUTIONARY
S_ New -
Solid Core Flush Door.s
^^~' UVr'lD
No Exposed
Crossbands at
Stiles Edges
0
1 2 Inch Trim
Inbuilt
Resistance to
Moisture
Lifetime
Guarantee
"THE NAME ON
THE DOOR MEANS EVERYTHING"
I iArchite. ts of disc imitation specify te a.s na
to'r -heer beauty, pre,.tige and uinurpassed
quality. For Imore moderate installations specitv
j Timemaster or Doormaster for quality only
IPIK can provide.
S..1 IPIK Solid Core Cont rtLruction is Engineered
J tor Endurance Prov ed by Perlorlnaance.
L Fori additional inlformtion and brochure cntacl:
(Continued from Page 19)
Street, Pompano Beach. He plans to
expand his scope of profesisonal serv-
ice to include urban planning, and
interior and industrial design as well
as architecture. The new phone is
933-7487.
MURRAY BLAIR WRIGHT, AIA, has
moved his office to 4700 South Le-
Jeune Road, Miami, The new phone
is 665-3201.
GEORGE R. MCELVY and JAMES
JENNEWEIN recently announced forma-
tion of a partnership for the practice
of architecture at 310 Jackson Street,
Tampa. The firm will be known as
MCELVY AND JENNEWEIN, Architects,
AIA. Phone is 223-3050.
SEYMOUR DREXLER has moved to a
new office in the Perrine Office Arcade,
17430 South Dixie Highway, Miami.
Phone is CE 8-4611.
WILLIAM M. FRIEDMAN is now oc-
cupying a new office at 4539 Ponce
DeLeon Blvd., Coral Gables. Phone
is MO 7-3694.
RICHARD W. DODGE, AIA, has an-
nounced the opening of his new office
in the 900 Building, 900 North Fed-
eral Highway, Pompano Beach. Phone
WH 1-3055.
The Lakeland firm of JONES AND
RENFREW, Architects, have announced
the appointment of a new associate.
He is W. WADE SETLIFF.
Passage ...
As it ultimately must for all, death
claimed four Florida architects in
recent weeks. They were:
RALPH F. SPICER, AIA, Daytona
Beach, of a heart attack, suddenly, on
March 29, aged 62. A practicing arch-
itect in Daytona Beach since 1947, he
was graduated from the University of
Illinois and since 1922 had been
active in all phases of architectural
practice. Among other assignments he
served as architectural consultant and
technical supervisor for the first atomic
energy plant at Oak Ridge, Tenn. He
was a long-time member (since 1948)
of the Daytona Beach Chapter, AIA,
and was an interested and active par-
ticipant in the civic and social affairs
of his community.
ROBERT M. NEVINS, JR., AIA, 66,
at his home in West Palm Beach. A
long-time member of the Palm Beach
Chapter, AIA, his Institute member-
ship dates from 1946.
ROBERT G. ERNEST, 29, of Jackson-
ville, suddenly, from melanoma. A
tribute to him from his Jacksonville
associates appears elsewhere in this
issue.
ROBERT BITTNER, AIA, of Ocala,
partner in the Ocala firm of Bittner
and Crosland. An Institute member
since 1952, the was closely identified
with activities of the Florida North
Chapter, AIA.
Civic Beauty...
(Continued from Page 18)
In summary, I believe that our es-
thetic values have been disastrously
lowered by the standards set by public
works, and by the publicly accepted
chaos in our city planning. An hour
a day spent in our subway system is
both spiritually depressing and a de-
grading experience. Perhaps our so-
called efficiency experts could spend
less time and money on "Man the
Machine" and re-examine "Man the
Spirit"!
Ideally, esthetic standards require
a great subject, a lofty conception,
monumental execution. It looks to
find the beautiful and the spiritual in
all things-be it only allegorical or
symbolic.
Better check this
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Direct to our Sales Department.
0 THE FLORIDA ARCHITECT
I III '1 3 rl I I II I L'
The Miami Chapter, Producers' Council, Elects Officers
-1
t
A. R. BANKS TOM O'CONNEL WILFORD BURKHART
President Secretary Treasurer
Another year of the Producers' Council special brand of fellowship-and-service got off
to a good start last month when the Miami Chapter members gathered at the Key Bis-
cayne Hotel to install the 1962-63 roster of Chapter officers. Assuming their new duties
were: A. R. Banks, representing the U. S. Plywood Corp., President; Tom O'Connell,
representing the Kawneer Company, Secretary; and Wilford Burkhart, representing
American-Olean Tile, Treasurer. . The group's final meeting of the 1961-62 season
was a meeting in May-jointly with the Florida South Chapter, AIA-that featured the
annual "Table-Top Display" of members' products. The display meeting was repeated in
Ft. Lauderdale for the benefit of architects in the Broward County Chalpter, AIA. Other
officers elected: Carl Coile, First Vice President; Lee D. Johnson, Second Vice President.
NO WONDER EVERYONE'S GETTING EXCITED!
For the first time since the 1920's, Florida is see-
ing a real break-through in air conditioning. In
just the last few months, the picture has changed
dramatically. Already proved as the quality way
... with its quiet operation, low maintenance,
long life, cleanliness and dependability... natural
gas air conditioning now moves into a challenging
position as the economy way, as well.
In city after city, new special rates are cutting
costs of year-round "climate control." New, highly
efficient equipment (two proven methods . .
absorption and engine-driven compressor types)
is available in models ranging from small residen-
tial sizes to unlimited capacity for largest com-
mercial, institutional ard industrial installations.
Our natural gas air conditioning consultants can
cite case histories and examples . work with
you on engineering studies and feasibility reports.
They'll expect you to make them prove every
point ... they're ready, willing and able to do it!
LORIDA GAS TRANSMISSION COMPANY
.O. BOX 44, WINTER PARK, FLORIDA Member: Florida Natural Gas Association
JULY, 1962 21
An Open Mind...
(Continued from Page 12)
the telephone . and remember
Jess- T-- I -- M --E. Time is of the
essence." We finally got caught up on
this one with the eighth bulletin.
As you C.S.Isians know, or as I'd say
and I believe you would say, the aver-
age specification is a trifle dull-well,
at least dry and something that
usually doesn't hold your interest to
the very last page wondering how it
will come out, although I've seen
some that were a real mystery to every-
body concerned! Well, let me tell you
about a very dedicated spec writer I
knew. He was somewhat of a playboy
with all the connotations that go with
the name and he never missed a cock-
tail party if he knew about it in time
-which was about ten minutes notice.
As I said, he was dedicated. He had
an innate sense of responsibility and
a grouch for a boss. He had a spec
to get out, but he couldn't miss that
party. So, back at the office five mar-
tinis later he finishes the spec-puts
it to bed-and then himself. Three
days later the phones start ringing
with complaints from bidders. They're
having trouble meeting the concrete
specifications-no yard in town can
supply it. So our hero looked it up
and there it was under the heading
"CONCRETINI:"
"All concretini shall be firmly con-
trolled by a large mixer made with
clean, sharp, durable, iced aggregate
and fine, and shall have a minimum
of six shots of portland gin per. Mix
as dry and as gentle as possible by
stirring slowly so as not to bruise the
agrregate. Maximum slump after use
4 to 5 inches."
If I seem to ramble, I am-but
only because I am trying to stick to
the outline I was given by your com-
mittee for tonight's program based
on an outline spec format-and you
know how confused they are. You
notice how I've breezed through the
General Conditions, Unusual Condi-
tions, Instructions to the Kidders.
Now I've arrived at Section 8-they
always told me I'd make it when I
was in the Army. And what do I find?
"No Scope." This really makes me
mad. I've never been able to get used
to modern specs that have eliminated
"Scope of the Work." It means that
the drawings have to be pretty damn
complete-and you know how diffi-
fult that is to accomplish these days.
Everybody is so polite-the specifica-
tions say "as shown on the drawings"
and the boys in the back room, not to
be outdone in courtesy, come right
back with "See Specifications."
Speaking of cross references, and I
believe we were, there is inherent in
our language something which keeps
us going in circles and which I believe
points up what I am talking about. If
I keep going, maybe I'll come back to
it. I'm talking about what I call a
circular specification. You all know
what a circular file is--well this is
where this type of spec belongs. To
illustrate: did you ever try to find the
meaning of a word in a pocket dic-
tionary and never really get the mean-
ing? Let's try one-give me a word.
Did I hear someone say "dead"-not
referring to this meeting I hope. Well,
let's take "dead" meaning "dull."
Look up "dull;" it says "stupid"
(getting rather personal) meaning
"dumb"-bullseye. But let's not be
discouraged. "Dumb;" definition
"mute." Well, now, they've got off
my back. "Mute" means "silent"-
(Continued on Page 25)
I*
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~S. -
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let
CONCEALED
telephone wiring
put more sales
appeal in your homes
More and more today it's the quality
"extras" that sell homebuyers. And
concealed telephone wiring is just such a
prestige feature.
':. Lifetime concealed wiring provides plenty of
built-in outlets throughout the house ...
offers maximum flexibility in phone
placement or rearrangement as family needs
grow or change. And there's never any need to
mar walls or woodwork with additional wiring.
Find out soon how easy it is to
give your homes added sales appeal with
concealed telephone wiring.
Just call your Telephone Business Office.
SSouthern Bell
...i....... ... W&i siul f
THE FLORIDA ARCHITECT
~c
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Cork-Tex bulletin boards take a beating
and bounce right back for more
-., .' Cork-Tex thrives on punishment...stick it with pins, tacks, staples (even
- F''r' scout knives) and after they're removed, the resilient cork body pushes the -
beautiful vinyl back into place. Never a permanently visible scar...never a
rip or tear... Cork-Tex heals quickly, and as it's healing, the beautiful pattern
and texture camouflages the wound. Cork-Tex stavs looking as new as the day
The Cork-Tex secret;
Special adhesive per-
manently bonds un-
adulterated cork sheet to
handsome long-lasting
vinyl cover.
it was installed. It's the perfect combination of an infinite variety of colors
with the rapid healing properties of genuine cork. On-the-wall costs are lower
than for many "substitute" materials, and Cork-Tex bulletin boards are
practically maintenance-free. To keep them sparkling clean all you need is a
solution of mild soap and water.
Many colors in stock.
Write us and we'll have
the nearest distributor
contact you. He'll show
you color swatches and
price lists.
BOND CROWN & CORK
DIV18, N OF
CONTINENTAL CAN COMPANY
WRITE FOR FULL INFORMATION: BOND CROWN & CORK, DEPT. B, WILMINGTON 99, DELAWARE
FOR
THE MAN There are cars you buy for "finned" status
symbols. Cars you buy for economy or compactness.
ON THE But this European race and rally-winner is for men
who are accustomed to making quick decisions and
MOVE getting immediate accurate response. This is for
men who admire precise performance. This is for
U P men who like a car to "look like" a car-and have it
U P prove its roadworthiness at every turn. This is...
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DEALERS IN THESE CITIES COCOA, FLA. DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. FORT LAUDERDALE. FLA. FORT
MYERS, FLA. GAINESVILLE, FLA. MIAMI, FLA. ORLANDO, FLA. PENSACOLA, FLA. SARASOTA, FLA.
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. TALLAHASSEE, FLA. VERO BEACH, FLA. WEST PALM BEACH, FLA.
24 THE FLORIDA ARCHITECT
T I
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An Open Mind...
(Continued from Page 22)
from "silent" to "still" to "quiet" to
"calm" to "peaceful." And what does
'peaceful mean? You said it-back to
"dead!"
You go in a complete circle; and
without any definition anywhere you
end up where you started without in-
formation. Well, many specs are writ-
ten in this manner-with many cross
references. In the body of the spec
under Misc. Equipment it says for
"Control Wiring see Air Condition-
ing." Under Control Wiring, Air Con-
ditioning, it says "See Electrical."
Under Electrical, Control Wiring, it
says see Drawings; and on the draw-
ings a note on the riser diagram "for
control wiring see specs." So back we
go! Deliver me from the circular spec
-except, perhaps, if you are building
a geodesic dome or planetarium.
While on the subject of circles,
look around you and see if you can
identify some of these types of spec
writers that it has been my good for-
tune to know over the years.
The Bon Vivant The epicure of
the trade his specifications have a
flair-nothing but the best of mater-
ials are specified by this respected and
envied member of the C.S.I. He has
finally disassociated himself from the
firm where he made his reputation-
Mies Van Der Rohe-and is available
to the profession at a fee for a parti-
cular job-a percentage of the amount
that can bring the job in over the
budget.
The Gambler Always willing to
take a chance new methods and
materials fascinate him He is always
the first to include them in his speci-
fication. Why wait for tests, perfor-
mance data. His motto: "A proven pro-
duct is a dull product. Live danger-
ously-be the first. Isn't it exciting?
See you in Court."
The Plodder Tackles every job
the same way. Has everything on in-
dex cards. Has a list of materials.
Makes an outline. Pulls the cards,
starts writing. One steady pace: never
looks at the drawings, never changes
anything. And out it comes-all
bound and ready for the bidders two
weeks early and just like the one he
did last month. They say that this
(Continued on Page 26)
JULY, 1962
How many of these
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You can get them
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C CONSULTING
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Yes, all of the above services are now available to you
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ALUMINUM
FO L REFLECTAL CORPORATION
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Fl 200 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago 4, Illinois
1 *****M*
JULIAN PEYSER An Open Mind...
Uogue Kitchen Center
5400 N. E. 2nd AVE., MIAMI PHONE: 759-4461
The only complete display in Florida
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and accessories, featuring . . .
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TECHNICAL AND PLANNING
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(Continued from Page 25)
office added a wing to a hospital they
had done originally ten years before.
The specs got lost in transit-I pre-
sume Reliable Paul made a wrong
turn. But the contractor-and it was
the same contractor (you know some
offices become identified with a con-
tarctor who does all their work)-
used the specs from the original job
and no one ever noticed it! "Remem-
ber, Progress is Unimportant."
The G-Man or By The Numbers-
This typical member of the C.S.I.
used to work for the Government, the
old P.B.A. (Public Building Adminis-
tration). As you perhaps know, they
have an all-inclusive master spec and
then the specific job is covered by
writing a spec omitting or modifying
the master. Well, this character never
got over his government experience-
except now he does it by reference to
Federal Specs and ASTM standards
strictly by the numbers. Sample:
Major Heading, FELT, Fed. Spec.
Cf201c dated March 8, 1944, super-
seded by C-F-202, 31 March, 1949, is
omitted from this section and in its
place substitute CCC-I-191 Textiles
General Specs and shall include classi-
fications Type I, Type III and Type
V.
Old Windy This guy turns out
the fattest specs in town, but practical,
useful facts are conspicuously absent.
This character is not satisfied with a
simple reference to the manufacturers'
specifications, but has to copy them in
their entirety.
He loves to editorialize in his specs:
For example, under heading Concrete
Finishes: "All exposed concrete sur-
faces shall have sharp, pure, intersec-
tions of planes of uniform texture. If
the contractor exercised special care in
making the forms and setting them
accurately and placing concrete, he
will find that the finishing of the ex-
posed concrete is a minor operation."
...And after this it seems quite a
major operation to get the contractor
to grind, fill, patch, remove fins,
rough edges, etc. But you said it was
a minor operation.
Meticulous Hush Has his speci-
fication reproduced on onion skin.
He thinks that the new Kleenex Box
is the greatest-some time ago some-
THE FLORIDA ARCHITECT
RALPH KIRSCH
A. R. COGSWELL
"SINCE 1921"
THE BEST
in
Architects' Supplies
Complete Reproduction
Service
433 W. Bay St.
Jacksonville, Fla.
ADVERTISERS' INDEX
Better Fuel Council of
Dade County . . 8
Brumos Porsche Car Corp. 24
A. R. Cogswell . . 26
Continental Can Co. . 23
Dunan Brick Yards . 3rd Cover
Florida Gas Transmission Co. 20-21
Florida Home Heating Institute 28
Florida Natural Gas Assn. .. 6
Florida Portland Cement Div.. 10
Florida Power & Light Co 17
Houdialle-Span, Inc. . 9
Merry Brothers Brick & Tile Co. 4
Miami Window Corp. . I
A. H. Ramsey & Sons, Inc. 19
Reflectal Corp. . . 25
Solite . . . 3
Southern Bell Tel. & Tel. . 22
Tidewater Concrete Block
& Pipe Co .. . 5
Vogue Industries, Inc. . 26
F. Graham Williams Co. . 27
body squeezed the air out of him.
Everything he does is precise, neat. He
got his early training in a printing
shop-putting pieces of tissue paper
between calling cards. Must have per-
fect quiet while working even his
telephone has felt clappers.
Smiley All the salesmen love
Smiley. He's always available-listens
to their sales spiel intently, no matter
how many times he has heard it be-
fore, is pleasant, courteous-laughs at
their jokes. He doesn't quite under-
stand what they are talking about, but
he's always smiling. His specifications
are slightly confused-but they are the
happiest ones in town.
For years I thought that I was the
most important person in the firm-
that nothing got done without my say-
ing so. And I guess most of you archi-
tects feel the same way about it. Well,
you better look around and find out
what is going on. Who really runs the
show? Why the members of the C.S.I.
of course. I must admit that they are
a trifle sneaky about it, a little less
than straightforward in their method,
but they are responsible for the gen-
eral procedure.
Who puts the words "or equal" in
the specifications? The C.S.I. This
gives them an awful lot of power. You
know I just found out what was going
on the other day, when my partner
handed me a ticket to the Builders'
Exchange Spring Festival which has a
rather peculiar spelling on the ticket
"Stag." It is usually held in the happy
hunting grounds, in the Land of the
Tee Tee Red.
I said, "Where did you get this?"
and he said, "Oh, I got a half dozen."
Well, I wouldn't admit it to him that
I didn't have any-I might lose face
or something. But I suddenly realized
I hadn't received any for years, while
the old spec writer had half-a-dozen.
And it got me to thinking. Somebody
is always giving him tickets to some-
thing; I have to buy my own. Some
salesman takes him to lunch two or
three times a week; I buy someone
else's lunch. And at Xmas time all I
get is an appointment book, which I
never use. Who gets a best seller every
month from some steel company? The
old C.S.I'er.
It makes you stop and think. Either
the C.S.I has to be stopped, or per-
haps maybe it should be me. So more
power to you.
What am I saying?
JULY, 1962
F. GRAHAM WILLIAMS, Chairman
JOHN F. HALLMAN, JR., Pres. & Treasurer G. ED LUNSFORD, JR., Secretray
MARK P. J. WILLIAMS, Vice-Pres. FRANK D. WILLIAMS, Vice-Pres.
ESTABLISHED 1910
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m R. ARCHITECT:U, Our ad, below, re-emphasizes
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., ;, -. > . .,..
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THE FLORIDA ARCHITECT
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On Tampa Bay
* ..
It's St. Petersburg in 1962 . and the
Convention's Host will be the Florida Central
Chapter -whose red-coated hospitality in 1957
sparked a memorable meeting and established
an attractive and unique new FAA tradition .
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Headquarters of the FAA's 1962 Convention will be the Soreno
Hotel, one of the largest and finest of Florida's west coast. It's
convenient to all downtown St. Petersburg's facilities. It is also
near the yacht harbor and commands a beautiful view of Tampa
Bay. Best of all, it's roomy, comfortable and inexpensive!
UAL FAA CONVENTION
1962 SORENO HOTEL ST. PETERSBURG
|
