Maris, you are correct, using the 65mm lens would have been fantastic; except I didn't own one when I shot this.
I was running a standard basic kit, 90mm Angulon (Linhof branded) which was good and is still good, but coverage is just there in 4x5". I then had the Fujinon 150mm which is an excellent lens as it has massive coverage, is small and light and certainly good enough for what I do. I also had a Fujinon 210mm which although slightly longer and has excellent coverage, was mainly too short for my desires. As for longer lengths, I had then and still do, a Komura 400T, which is alright, but not something I have never had great affinity for; not sure why as it does work well.
Shortly after this trip I made a bit of a wish list of where I wished to head with regard to my 4x5" format system. I was very happy, in fact I cannot find any other wooden folder camera as capable as my little Shen Hoa HZX II-A for anywhere near the same cost base. The camera body is first rate and I love using it, plus, I pretty much know how I can extract what I am trying to do with it.
My wish list was for something longer than 210mm; I picked up a beautiful Linhof Schneider Kreuznach Tele-Arton f/5.6 250mm. This was an excellent lens, I still have it, but the limiting factor of the telephoto design (coverage) dissuaded me from having a long term relationship with it. But using this, told me that a 250mm lens with coverage was going to happen.
My quest for different lenses was on, took me about 5-6 years to get there. The first I picked up was quite funny; a friend of long standing rang me one Sunday morning (he lives in Canberra) to mention that he was at their camera fair, "was there anything I was interested in." My reply was along the lines of not really, but if you find a 250mm f6.3 Fujinon, I really would like it. Less than 5 minutes later he telephoned back, "found one, pristine condition". I secured it and had it on Tuesday; loved it from the get go.
The search for a 90mm went on, but an ad for a Fujinon SWD f/5.6 65mm lens with a 105º angle of coverage in Japan caught my eye, picked it up and tested it and found there was rather massive fall-off in the corners; so much that even with reasonable diligence in the darkroom, things were difficult. Literally 1 week after getting the 65mm lens, an ad for a 67mm Heliopan graduated centre filter turned up in Sydney one week prior to a 3 month 4WD camping trip to most of outback QLD; best thing I did was to pick filter that up.
The 90mm was a longer wait as I had thought a SWD version would be the go, really silly prices for average lenses from around the world, as for Australian prices; out of my league. Eventually found the SW f/8 90mm lens with a 100º angle of coverage in Japan, works a treat and if the desire for almost dead even exposure across the long side of the negative is required, I use the graduated centre filter. Not quite right for that focal length, or maybe something like that, but it certainly makes some architecture photography better, not all. Sometimes the slight fall-off is nice, fall-off is around 1/3 and a smidge right in the corners.
Meanwhile back to where I started, the 65mm lens. Yes, it would eat that building up and spit it out. As a darkroom worker, working almost exclusively cropping negatives for around the last 40+ years, I certainly agree with you.
I would though, think the 90mm is about the right lens for that building, I'll let you know.
Mick.