Queer pitch
Sir: To Mr Stephen Gardiner (15 November) and his readers 1 would suggest that where new buildings are- as the Surrey University was not—the result of an open competition, we may take them to represent the skill and the taste of the architects of our generation. And in connection with his poor view of Sir Edward Maufe's Cathedral 1 wonder whether he had a chance of examining, as I did, a selection of the other competitive designs? M y word!
He calls the cathedral 'dreary', I suppose because the exterior is in brick, the only material which could possibly have been afforded ; and perhaps he regrets the absence of such accustomed features as buttresses and pinnacles, which modern constructional methods render unnecessary. But the genera- tion which has grown up to know and use Maufe's cathedral has certainly not found it to lack inspiration and aesthetic appeal. It would be nice to be able to predict as much for the University buildings after a similar term of years.
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