American Architecture Peter Harrison Is recognized as America's first serious and most talented gentleman architect. Architecture was a hobby for the wealthy. He did not accept payment for his work. Born in York, England came to Rhode Island in 1740 as merchant and captain of his own vessels. He was also a Royal Customs Collector. This was how he supported himself. The first professionally trained architect in America. Returned to England between the years of 1743-45 and received his formal training as an architect under the direction of one of the English Lords Peter Harrison 1716-1775 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/image:peter_harrison.jpg His travels and education in Europe allowed him to accumulate a substantial library of books concerning Classically inspired forms as well as allowing him to see the latest designs that were produced by the Palladian movement. He used these as pattern books to generate his designs. p.85, G. E. Kidder Smith p.89, Mark Gelernter http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/peter_harrison Redwood Library Newport, RI 1748-1750 The oldest lending library in America, and the oldest library building in continuous use in the country. Founded in 1747 by forty-six proprietors upon the principle of "having nothing in view but the good of mankind," its mission continues over 250 years later. Redwood Library Newport, RI 1748-1750 The first public classical building, noticed by Thomas Jefferson when he visited Newport in 1790 as Secretary of State in the company of President George Washington. Jefferson began championing classical architecture as the model for public building in the new Republic. So it is that the Redwood Library is possibly one of the most architecturally influential buildings in America. The first community library building in the Colonies - the Library's modern collection now includes more than 160,000 volumes as well as a museum collection of art and artifacts. http://www.redwoodlibrary.org/general_info/introduction_and_history.html Redwood Library Newport, RI 1748-1750 Rusticated wood looks like stone Redwood Library Newport, RI 1748-1750 Training of architects was through private studio-schools using pattern books from masters such as Palladio and Vitruvius, grand tours of Italy and Greece and through applied skills to become expert draftsmen. probable inspiration for library: Edward Hoppus' "Andrea Palladio's Architecture" published in 1735 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/peter_harrison 1
Claude Perrault Five Orders, 1683 Classical architecture has very specific requirements. This plate shows the different types of orders of architecture Tuscan Doric Ionic Corinthian Composite Sizes based on ratio of column diameter The Royal Governor built the original on the town burying ground in 1688. It was situated on the public burying ground since no resident would sell land for a non-puritan church. When the building became too small for the congregation in 1749, architect Peter Harrison was hired to design a new church on the same site "that would be the equal of any in England." This church was completed in 1754 The new church was built around the old, which was then thrown out through the windows of the new stone building. The first stone building in the colonies - the exterior walls were 4' thick Claude Perrault. Ordonnance des cinq especes de colonnes selon la methode des anciens (Paris, 1683), pl. 1 http://www.ribapix.com/image.php?i=18984&r=2&t=4&x=1 p.86, G. E. Kidder Smith http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/king%27s_chapel Before the American Revolution, it was the headquarters of all the colonial Anglican churches. During the American revolution, it was closed. Marylebourne Church In 1785, became the first Unitarian Church in America. Services are still held today. Plan draws from Gibb's Marylebourne Church Ionic order outside Planned steeple was never added p.86, G. E. Kidder Smith http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/king%27s_chapel 2005, Jorge López http://www.stmarylebone.org.uk/history01.htm Double Corinthian columns inside Detail of column base/construction 2005, Jorge López 2
Christ Church Cambridge, MA 1761 Christ Church Cambridge, MA 1761 Spire never constructed Founded in 1759 by members of the who lived in Cambridge to have a church closer to their homes The church was closed and its organ melted down for bullets during the Revolution. Used as colonial barracks during American Revolution http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/christ_church%2c_cambridge Christ Church Cambridge, MA 1761 Christ Church Cambridge, MA 1761 Originally finished in a sanded paint treatment to give the appearance of a traditional English stone church http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/christ_church%2c_cambridge 3
In 1658, fifteen Spanish Portuguese Jewish families arrived in Newport. These Jews, wanted to start a new life in a land where they could live free to worship. By 1759 the Congregation had grown large enough to build of a Synagogue which would also serve to teach the young. They needed more money so they called on other congregations. Three months later, on June 30, 1759, a lot for the erection of a Synagogue was purchased on what was then, Griffin Street, from Ebenezer Allen of Sandwich, Mass When initially approached to design the Synagogue, Harrison first refused. He was a designer of Churches. After much lobbying, Harrison finally agreed. In his memoirs Harrison wrote, "was a labor of love." Due to his fondness for the project, Peter Harrison charged no fee for his services. In 1776 the British captured Newport. A once vital and thriving commercial seaport, much of Newport was destroyed. Supporting the American cause, most Jews left. Until the French liberated Newport, the synagogue was used as a hospital for the British troops and was spared. In 1781-1784, after the war, the Synagogue served as a meeting place for the Rhode Island General Assembly, Rhode Island Supreme Court and the town of Newport. During George Washington's visit to Newport in 1781, to meet with Generals Lafayette and Rochambeau to plan the final battles of the Revolution, a town meeting was held at the synagogue. The building was re-opened for religious services on august 2, 1850. http://www.jodensavanne.sr.org/article9.html http://www.tourosynagogue.org/overview.htm The Synagogue, built of brick imported from England, stands at an acute angle to the street. This is because of the desire to have the Holy Ark facing towards the east, towards Jerusalem, toward which all Jewish prayer is directed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/touro_synagogue Gibbs, Rules for Drawing, 1738, probable source for portico The interior architecture is of classical colonial style, incorporating some features of traditional Spanish Portuguese synagogues. Some similarity is evident between the Sephardi Synagogue that was erected in Amsterdam, Holland in 1675 and the synagogue in Newport, R. I., particularly in the seating arrangement and in the imposing columns. The 12 columns which support the women's gallery and the ceiling symbolize the twelve tribes of Israel. The upper columns are Corinthian and the lower ones Ionic being made out of a solid tree trunk. http://www.tourosynagogue.org/overview.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/touro_synagogue 4
Brick Market Place Brick Market Place Design taken from Somerset House by Inigo Jones and John Webb published in Vitruvious Britannicus, 1715 Built as a traditional British style market building - the building's first level was open and served as a marketplace for various goods, and slaves were often sold. The upper floors contained offices. Remodeled as a theatre in 1793, then as City Hall from 1853-1900 Restored in 1988 and taken over in 1993 by the Newport Historical Society Currently, the building houses The Museum of Newport History, detailing Newport's history from pre-colonial times to the present. p.100, G. E. Kidder Smith http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/museum_of_newport_history Brick Market Place Brick Market Place p.135, Robert Chitham p.100, G. E. Kidder Smith http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/image:somerset_house.jpg Image taken prior to latest restoration - notice the lower level windows 5
Brick Market Place After restoration - notice the lower level appears more open as originally designed Garden House Redwood Library, 1766 Relocated from the Redwood Estate, now on the grounds of the library http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/image:newport_history_museum_edit1.jpg http://www.redwoodlibrary.org/ http://www.redwoodlibrary.org/general_info/introduction_and_history.html Garden House Redwood Library, 1766 Garden House Redwood Library, 1766 Wood treated to look like stone Probable source of inspiration: James Gibbs A Book of Architecture, 1728 Peter Harrison His dedication to Toryism and England brought ruin upon him during the American Revolution. Just after his death in 1775, his home in New Haven, Connecticut was attacked by a mob of revolutionaries who burned his library and all of his original drawings. Peter Harrison died in New Haven, Connecticut in 1775 and is buried in an un-marked grave at the Green. Classicism in Iowa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/peter_harrison 6
Old Capitol Iowa City, IA Classicism Today http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~iajohnso/old_capitol/oldcap.htm Thomas Gordon Smith Established his architectural practice in 1980. Became fully committed to the profession of classical architecture during 1979-80 as Rome Prize Fellow in Architecture at the American Academy in Rome. Now a product of Fypon He advocates learning the classical language for application in current architecture. From 1989 to 1998, as chairman, applied his perspective of classical architecture to the curriculum of the School of Architecture at the University of Notre Dame. http://63.171.17.64/eproducts/equotecatalog.faces http://www.thomasgordonsmitharchitects.com/main_frameset.html Temple of Apollo (watercolor reconstruction) 1986 Laurentian House Livermore, CA 1979 Actually built as part of two houses on a street Entry is asymmetrical Garage (seen in foreground) and Entry create a piazzetta Notice use of color A possible depiction of the temple as when it was built Sun, rain, etc had scoured the temple white by the time of the renaissance when scholars became re-interested in classical architecture p.17, Thomas Gordon Smith http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/image?lookup=perseus:image:1987.08.4211 p.116, Thomas Gordon Smith 7
Richmond Hill House Richmond, CA 1983 Richmond Hill House Richmond, CA 1983 Outside uses "classical" vocabulary with modern images Inside is colorful with terrazzo on floors and murals on walls/ceilings House on narrow lot p.123, Thomas Gordon Smith p.124, Thomas Gordon Smith Bibliography Robert Chitham THE CLASSICAL ORDERS OF ARCHITECTURE Rizzoli International Publications Inc, copyright 1985 Mark Gelenter A HISTORY OF AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE, BUILDINGS IN THEIR CULTURAL & TECHNOLOGICAL CONTEXT University Press of New England, copyright 1999 Jorge López, Architect Professor Kirkwood Community College 6301 Kirkwood Blvd Cedar Rapids, IA 52406 Slide Collection P.O. Box 1011 Newport, RI 02840 G. E. Kidder Smith SOURCE BOOK OF AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE Princeton Architectural Press, copyright 1996 Thomas Gordon Smith CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE, RULE & INVENTION Peregrine Smith Book published by Gibbs M. Smith, Inc., copyright 1988 Additional web resources are listed on each slide. 8