Concrete in Road Construction - Summarised Report of the Yorkshire Branch Meeting Held at Leeds on M

Under this title are published five lectures, delivered by Dr. Rudolph Steiner to the builders, during the building of the First Goetheanum at Dornach, Basle, in Switzerland in 1914. The first Goetheanum, destroyed by fire, was built largely of wood. The second Goetheanurn, the subject of the illustration, is in reinforced concrete, and was still being built when Dr. Steiner died. On this account he never saw the completed work, nor has it been given surface treatment.

I should like to say a few words at the outset with regard to your position as structural engineers. You are in the habit of taking a metal which is produced to the extent of millions of tons in many civilised countries, and using it as an engineering material. It is produced, from the economic point of view, at the very minimum cost. One reason why we cannot as a nation adopt a really respectable fiscal policy is the fact that we still persist in importing huge quantities of structural steel at slightly above £6 a ton. I mention this because the economic side is apt to appeal to you so strongly as to restrict your mental outlook from a truly engineering point of view. Do, please, regard that as being said in the kindest way. If you go into the big works which are producing the kind of steel which you use you will see evidence of mass production, large casts of steel being made and paased through the rolling mill, and you will have to realise that those steel works from the economic point of view are dependent for their success upon the turning out of a huge quantity of this material always in competition with the Continent and in face of an attrition effect, bringing down the price to the lowest economic point. Dr. W.H. Hatfield

Dear Sir, That there should be a permanent and lasting Memorial of affection and esteem for the late Sir Alexander Kennedy is a feeling common to all who knew him or his work.