Plan: Architectural Students Association Journal. 16 Issues
Cheadle, Cheshire; Liverpool; London: Architectural Students Association, 1943–1950. Softcover. Octavos, various formats, app. 30-40pp. each. Original gray wraps and red and blue lettering, 1943, glossy white two color illustrated wraps, some with b/w photographs, two color lettering, 1944–1945, and spiral-bound illustrated wraps with varying lettering, 1948–1950. Issues 1943 through 1945 from the collection of J. Rykwert, Professor Emeritus of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, one of the foremost architectural historians and critics of his generation and author of "The Idea of a Town" (1963) and "The Seduction of Place" (2000), among others. Rykwert's name penciled to front cover of first issue, with ornamental border, and original architectural drawing to back cover. Stylized penciled initials JR on issues 3 and 4 from 1943.
References for this magazine: The "Union List of Serials" with issues starting in 1941+; Hugh Pagan, Rare books on architecture, references the journal in two formats: from 1943–1947, octavo, and 1948–1951, small quarto, as do various libraries. The first being a "less interesting periodical... which was geered towards news and comment rather than to controversial feature articles." We could not locate issues published in 1941 or 1942. Frequency referenced as Quarterly, respectively "completely irregular" at National Library of Wales with Liverpool as place of publication. The British Library references the journal from 1943–1951published in Cheadle.
Our collection contains issues 1, 3, 4 (1943), 2, 3 (1944), 1, 2, 3, 4 (1945) in wraps, and issues 2, 3 (1948), 4, 5, 6 (1949), 7, 8 (1950) in the spiral-bound format. Extraordinary architectural magazine from the Greater Manchester area, vols. 3 and 4, 1945 from Liverpool, providing international architectural views and reports, practical architectural insights, commentary and announcements. Three to five illustrated advertisements per each issue. For the issues through number 2 in 1945 the editor is F. Senior Bolland, D.R. Owen for issues 3 and 4, 1945. The spiral-bound issues starting in 1948 credit an editorial board including N. Hyams, M. Ventris, A.S. Hunt, John Killick, Andrew Derbyshire, Pat Crooke, Stephen Macfarlane and others. Published in London from volume 8 in 1950, then moved to Birmingham for the last two issues in 1951. All issues are profusely illustrated with b/w photographs, architectural plans and drawings.
"Today in this climax of human conflict, the benches of Schools of Architecture are more dusty, the students concentrate on more urgent matters than Moments of Inertia, and there are no periodicals to lie about and become the esquisses of Sculptors' Retreats... –a Yacht Clubhouse–a Bedroom for a wealthy widow– all these and their like would be scoffed at by a majority of architectural students today. And rightly so, for it has been proved again that only the influence of imminent catastrophe will produce clear thinking in the minds of men." (From the Editorial of the first issue in 1943). First issue with various contributions, including on Soviet Architects, b/w photographs, comments, announcements and Centre News, the Constitution of the Architectural Students Association, including proposed amendments, and 1943 Congress Notes with schedule of the five day program in April 1943, London. All issues contain editorials relating to the development of the magazine, architectural issues and commentary concerning the ongoing war and its consequences in terms of postwar reconstruction. Issue one of 1945 contains extensive coverage of the Architectural Students Association Congress of 1944 with statements by various high-ranking architectural professionals and includes the resolution passed by the congress with scathing criticism directed towards the British Government regarding postwar reconstruction and city planning. With the adaptation of the spiral-bound format the magazine grows in volume, provides more visual support material and takes on a more experimental approach in design, particularly in issue six from 1949.
Contributions by John Summerson, Moira Lynch, Percy Thomas, Sir Peirson Frank, Ruth Pocock, Barrie Biermann, Boleslaw Szmidt, Lisbeth Ridley, Julian Huxley, F.R.S., John Millar, Herbert Thearle, Walter Gropius on teaching the arts of design (No. 2, 1948), Felix J. Samuely, Andrew Derbyshire, G.A. Jellicoe, William Holford and many others. Some wear of issues, creasing and rubbing typical for magazines, especially the larger size issue # four of 1945. All spiral bindings intact. Wraps and interior in overall very good condition. vg. Item #43229
Price: $950.00