Blackburn Technical Schools (Architectural Competition)

This design, of which we give the perspective view and plan, was the one sent in under the motto “Progress,” and referred to by us in our review of the designs as one possessed of very high merits, and which to us seemed to have been unduly overlooked. The authors are Messrs. Spalding & Auld. They claim that the plan is one that would utilise the site to the best advantage; “the position is such that nothing could be gained by setting back the building; on the contrary, a good corner affords opportunity for picturesque treatment.” The method of placing the corridor on the south of each wing, instead of running it symmetrically round, shows a consideration of the best conditions of lighting for rooms in which continuous work is to be done, which is, we regret to say, by no means usual in competition designs, as observed in our notice of another competition in the present number.

The authors make a comment on the recent not infrequent practice of issuing an assessor’s “sketch plan” with instructions to competitors, which seems not uncalled for. They say: - “In this, as in many recent competitions under an assessor, an assessor’s sketch plan has been issued with the ‘Instructions and Conditions of Competition.’ Naturally, a large proportion of the competitors in such cases at once adopt the plan suggested. It ‘flatters’ the assessor and saves them the trouble of working out a plan of their own. The system, however, places at a great disadvantage any independent effort to bring out all the possibilities of the site when the results have to be submitted to one having preconceived ideas on the subject.” It is a fact that in this case the assessor, in his report, remarked that he was “flattered” that so many of the competitors had adopted his idea as to the plan, and he gave the first premium to a design based on his general idea of the plan. This is quite natural: the assessor’s sketch plan is sent forth as the principle of arrangement which he thinks the best, and it is not unlikely that he should continue to retain this opinion. But it is, as Messrs. Spalding & Auld say, rather unfairly handicapping the competitors who have an original idea of their own, and it is a question whether the “assessor’s sketch plan” is altogether a wise institution.  [Builder 11 August 11, 1888 page 104]

Reference           Builder 11 August 11, 1888 page 104 with plan and perspective