REVIEW OF ARCHITECTURE - Triangle Modernist Houses

RICHARD D. MITCHELL, a native ofGreenville, has recently returned from sixmonths of travel throughout Europe, England,and lreland, as a result of havingbeen the recipient of a William KinneFellows Travel Fellowship from ColumbiaUniversity of New York City.Traveling by car, Richard was able totake some twelve hundred slides, manyof which have been organized into a brochurewhich is presently being reviewedby the William Kinne Fellows Committeeat Columbia University. ln addition to hisbrochure, it was also a requirement of theFellowship to submit a written report oncea month to the UniversitYThe following pages contain only a fewexamples and comments of his observa'tions which concentrate on the "DesignIngredients Which Make Up the Environmentof Our Towns and Cities."Upon receiving his Bachelor of Sciencein Architecture from Clemson College in1955, Richard spent two years as a lieutenantwith the Army Engineers as AssistantChief of Projects and Plans, Post Engineeron the lsland of Okinawa. Takingadvantage of leaves, trips were made tomany parts of Japan, as well as to Manila,Macau, Hong Kong, China, Bangkok, Thailand,New Delhi and Agra, India, Alaska,and Honolulu, where other valuable architecturalslides were collected. Other tripshave taken him to Mexico and the Caribbean.Returning to Clemson College upon completionof his service tenure, Richard receivedhis Bachelor of Architecture withhonors in 1958. He was listed in Who'sWho Among Students in American Collegesand Universities in 1955 and 1958, receivedthe South Carolina Chapter of theAmerican Institute of Architect's Awardfor the Most Outstanding Graduating Seniorin Architecture, the National ChapterAIA School Medal, the Carolina SoliteAward for First Prize on the Fifth YearThesis, and a scholarship award from theClemson Architectural Foundation for MostPromising Senior in Architecture.Richard received his Master of Sciencein Architecture from Columbia Universityin 1964, having received a scholarshipfrom Columbia University and the Lyles,Bissett, Carlisle and Wolff Graduate Scholarshipadministered through the ClemsonArchitectural Foundation.Having worked three years with VincentG. Kling, FAIA in Philadelphia, Richardthen worked with A. G. Odell, Jr., FAIA inCharlotte for one year, and is now a designerfor Lyles, Bissett, Carlisle and Wolffin Columbia, South Carolina.He is the holder of an NCARB certificateand is registered in South Carolinaand Pennsylvania, as well as being a memberof the South Carolina Chapter of theAmerican Institute of Architects.0BSERVATT0]|S 0F W0RLD CIIIESINTRODUCTIONMy primary objective was to observe asclosely as possible the cities of the world,to attempt to draw from them the ingredientsthat contribute toward a desirable environmentfor the millions of us who inhabitthis world.Although lsaw many well executedspaces, atmospheres, cities, etc., I mustsay that the human race seems to clutterup its environment more than it helps it.For instance, even riding out in the plainsand mountains of Spain, I seldom couldget a view of the beautiful landscape withouttelephone poles and wires spoilingthe view.I do strongly support the idea that thecountries of the world must pull togetherto begin planning the world as a whole. ltseems to me that there are many architectsand books which show what a desirablecity should be like, but there area lot less legislation and laws to enablethese recommendations to be put into reality.There is the greatest need now forarchitects and planners to put forth effortsin areas of legal a-nd governmentalbodies, so that a catalyst for creating desirablecities can be achieved.I do think that the recent efforts bythe American Institute of Architects toinf luence the President of the UnitedStates to do something about the uglinessof our cities is the kind of thing thatmust happen. lt is most encouraging tosee that President Johnson has establisheda new Urban Department and thatthis department will be represented onhis Cabinet. lt is also heartening to realizethat there is an International PlanningOrganization which is located at TheHague in the Netherlands and has severalcountries participati ng.The following text and photographs,then, are reminders that all of us mustcontinually keep our "eyes open" and realizewhat is around us so that we all maydemand the envir9nment that we deserveas humans, and are capable of developingand maintaining.I strongly recommend that every architecturalstudent possess a camera earlyin his career, as well as a sketch pad andpencil, so that he teaches himself to "keephis eyes open," and, in turn, develops avaluable library of observations.ARCHI TECTU RE/I3