University of Virginia Library

APPEARANCE OF ART COMMISSION RE: PHYSICS BUILDING

The following members of the Art Commission appeared before the Board of Visitors: Mr.
Louis W. Ballou, Mr. Floyd E. Johnson, and Mr. A. Edwin Kendrew, Chairman, together with Mr. Frank
E. Hartman, Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds of the University. President Darden stated
that he had asked these gentlemen to appear before the Board because he felt that their proposal
was of such great importance to the future plan of the University that the Board should have an
opportunity to hear it and discuss the matter with them.

Mr. Kendrew, chairman of the Commission, then stated that it was the feeling of the
Commission that the University should not build the Physics Building just east of the present
dormitory group but should go across the road from the dormitories, west of the Engineering
School, and plan a new science area with all the buildings of contemporary architectural style
Mr. Kendrew stated that the Commission felt it was particularly important in science buildings
that modern architecture be utilized because the buildings could be much more functional in design;
that the cost of construction would be less and the maintenance of such buildings would be
less. It was the feeling of the Commission that if the University were ever to change from its
classical design, now was the time to make the break, it was the sense of the Art Commission
that the University should make this fundamental change in design.

Mrs. Smith pointed out that she thought it was quite significant that Mr. Kendrew, with
his background of association with Colonial Williamsburg, should recommend a change from classical
architecture

Mr. Talbott inquired if there was any compelling reason for the change. Mr. Kendrew
said that he believed the architects could design a better Physics Building if they were not restricted
by the requirement in classical design of having windows balancing windows, wings balancing
wings, and other essential features of classical architecture.

Mr. Gay inquired of the Art Commission how they would act if they were members of the
Board of Visitors and were asked to make a change from the classical architecture which had been
followed here for more than one hundred twenty-five years. Mr. Kendrew, the chairman, replied
that he realized it was a difficult decision but he thought that in the long run the University
would benefit greatly from the change and that was why the Commission was recommending it.

The President thanked the members of the Art Commission for taking time to come here and
appear before the Board, whereupon they were excused.

The President read a letter from the Physics faculty stating that they were highly
pleased with the relocation of the site for the Physics Building. He also stated that he had a
letter from the Engineering Dean stating that he thought it would be of great advantage to the
Engineering School to have the Physics Building located adjacent to it.

The President said that he had asked the Physics faculty whether they felt modern architecture
design was desirable to make the building more usable for the teaching of physics, and
that the Physics faculty had assured him they were fully satisfied with the present classical design
of the building. The President pointed out that Dean Lewis had told him that the Brooks
Museum had won a national award for outstanding design of modern architecture at the time it was
built.

The President then read from a letter from Mr. T. J. Young, of Eggers and Higgins, in
which he states. "The site chosen for the Physics Building is a good one, and it should be
judged in relation to a far-sighted view of the whole inevitable expansion of the University.

Judging the relocation of the Physics Building from a purely architectural point of
view it is hard to see how any exception could be taken to it. Its cornice height will be at
almost the exact level of the cornices of the men's (dormitory) group, which it adjoins. Its design
and detail will be in complete harmony with the dormitories and with the engineering buildings

In summation, our views, which have been arrived at after a careful study of the master
plan, are that the selected site for the Physics Building is well chosen and that the proposed
design will be in complete harmony with the existing buildings."

Mr. Gay stated that he had just that morning walked over the site of the proposed Physics
Building and he feels that we should use the area now planned for this building for additional
dormitories. The President stated that he believed it was better to keep the dormitories on the
periphery and build classroom buildings in the central area, because if the classroom buildings
became too scattered it would be difficult for the boys to go from building to building between
classes.

Mr. Talbott inquired if there would be any problems which would arise if we postponed
the construction of the building until such time as plans for a new design could be prepared.
The President said that there would be, that the appropriation was insufficient and that he hoped
to advertise the building not later than May 1, so that the bids would be in prior to the end of
the fiscal year, that he believed the Governor would have some funds available and that he might
add to the appropriation from the conditional appropriation for this building made by the 1950
session of the Legislature.

Whereupon the following resolutions were adopted.

RESOLVED that the present design of the Physics Building, in classical style, be
approved

Mrs. Smith voted in the negative.

RESOLVED that the site recommended by the architects be accepted for the Physics Building,
that is, a site on the north side of McCormick Road directly across from the present Engineering
buildings.

The President stated that the question had come up of what distance the building should
be located from the road, in a line with the dormitories, or dropped back about twenty feet. It
was the sense of the Board that this question should be left to the architects for determination.