Pencil Points Reader: Selected Readings from a Journal for the Drafting Room, 1920-1943

Rating:
Summary: pencil points eschatogy
Review: pencil points maped and nurtured the branch of traditional architecture that stretched across the atlantic to this country.
By 1936 it began to show signs of weakening and after WWII it was over. Between 1920 and 1936 Pencil Points is filled with travel sketches, working drawings, biographies and drafting room tricks of the trade. It is also filled with bombastic writing about beauty, timelessness, and eternal values. Its painfull to watch advertisment creep into the pages and by 1936 it becomes apparent that these ideas are weakening. Along with Income taxes, The Depression, Architectural licensure, Architectural degrees, Building Code Law and The Women's movements addition to Architecture (modesty, economy, convienience) this movement was buried by a "perfect storm" .
Its great reading although sad....essays on ornament, softball scores of Mckim, Mead and White, taunts at the emerging German modernists (thought to be a fluke!). This book cuts a cross section into some of the enthusiastic and intense writing that fueled these devotees. They would all be thankful they did not have to witness the death of our cities and towns, bridges and public spaces on an international level. Bland, unplanned psuedo-luxuries. A gag gift of epic proportions from "modernists".
Pencil points is the bible for Plants, Stones, History, Bones, Fur, Femininity and Death. Read this and look for issues of the periodical on ebay. 1920 - 1936 are the best. Assuming a 20 year old worked in an office in 1936 they would now be 88 years old.
These few people witnessed the end of a 2000 year old tradition of Architecture...I only wish I could say to them "how could you let it all slip away!!" I doubt this duped generation would even know what I meant- still shell-shocked by that mega perfect storm. Hopefully new ones will and will read Pencil Points.