Modern Dutch Buildings, by F. R. Yerbury (Ernest Benn, Ltd.,
32s. 6d.) may be regarded as a- sequel to the previous book by the same author and J. P. Mieras, which traced the development of architecture in Holland throughout the first quarter of the present century, or for those who have been unfortunate enough to miss the earlier volume (and it has been out of print for several years), it will serve as a worthy introduction to its subject. Holland is perhaps alone among countries to-day in having assimilated the modern idioni and achieved a definitely twentieth-century architecture of her own. Her inducement to do so—an accumulation of bad nineteenth-century work—can hardly be regarded as more potent than that which afflicted and afflicts her neigh- bours ; but the return to sincerity, inaugurated by Berlage in the 'nineties, would appear from the evidence of the present volume to have progressed further. A short introduction precedes something more than a hundred plates, which give an excellent idea of the work achieved since 1925. Housing schemes, schools, theatres, shops, churches and a large factory are included, plans and several aspects of the more important buildings being given. Brick is, of course, the national building material of Holland, and it is interesting to see how successfully its use has been adapted to modern purposes. But the predominant impression created by this book is the way in which sheer " functionalism " has been graced by the addition of what I can only call fantasy, without in any way losing its severely utilitarian principles.
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