Just a Bit of Eye Candy...State Capitol Buildings

On this snowy Monday afternoon, I thought I would share some sweet State Capitol Building eye candy.  No info, no architects...not even construction dates.  What a lazy Architectural historian.  enjoy!

California

Massachusettes

South Carolina

Tennesse

Louisiana

Wisconsin

...and, of course, my favorite...

Virginia


 

New York, New York....and the Rise of the Luxury High-Rise

   The high-rise apartment building was a relatively new building type in the mid 1800's.  The need for such a type arose in cities across the U.S. where land was quickly becoming scarce and prices soared.  By 1860, the population in New York had reached one million, of which about 42% were new immigrants. 

     The cost of building and maintaining large urban townhouses was becoming untenable even for the upper classes.  But, developers had to change perceptions of "apartment living" in order to convince the gentry to consider such a move.


  Prior to the mid 19th century, the only apartment buildings in New York were tenements at the lower end of Manhattan, inhabited by poor immigrants.  According to author, Elizabeth Hawes "all respectable New Yorkers lived in private homes".  Developer Rutherford Stuyvesant is often credited with building the first luxury high-rise apartment building in New York. The Stuyvesant was located at 142 E. 18th Street in 1869, and was razed in the 1930's. 



The design was by William Morris Hunt after a chance meeting in Paris with Stuyvesant.  Hunt  had spent a decade living and traveling the great cities of Europe where apartment living had been around since ancient Roman cities were built.  Hunt and Stuyvesant knew that young America was ready for this building type.   

The first tenants at The Stuyvesant, nicknamed Hunt's Folley, had a lot to do with making apartment living cool.  Although, a very bohemian bunch, all had excellent social credentials.  There was General Custer's widow,  a great-niece of Thomas Jefferson, and Calvert Vaux, co-designer of Central Park. 

     The next great apartment building in New York was the now-legendary Dakota, still famous and still standing high above Central Park at 1 West 72nd Street.  When completed in 1884, The Dakota stood alone looming over the park on a street where cows and goats still grazed.  The Dakota, designed by Henry Hardenbergh, had a couryard plan much like the ancient Roman houses and insulae.  The courtyard plan was implemented in many New York buildings allowing for much-needed light and air. 

     Over the next thirty years, almost all upper and middle income resident of New York city would make the move to apartment living.  Other large and mid-sized cities followed suite as land became scarce and expensive.  Cities like Philadelphia; Washington, DC; and Boston all had luxury apartment buildings by the turn of the century.  Smaller cities like Richmond followed in their wake.   


The Chesterfiled Apartments, 900 W. Franklin Street, Richmond, VA

Welcome to ArchH101

Welcome to my blog.  I will be sharing articles, essays and images that celebrate the built environment.  I am passionate about the preservation of America's cultural heritage, not just from an artistic perspective but also from a sustainability viewpoint.  After all, THE "GREENEST" BUILDING IS THE ONE THAT'S ALREADY BUILT.

Through the Garden Gate

     In the mid 18^th century in England, a Renaissance of landscape architecture occurred.  Those who extolled the virtues of Palladianism, led by Lord Burlington and his followers, heralded the perfection of Nature and Reason.  Democracy and freedom were tenons of the Enlightenment, and these ideals were carried over into landscape design.  English gardeners threw off the shackles of the autocratic (read “French”) garden aesthetic where every shrubbery and leaf was tortured into obedience.  The English wanted their gardens to be free and wild.  To a certain extent. 

        But, before one enters the garden, one must interact with an architectural element that is so easy to overlook…the garden gate.   




A carved, stone gate attributed to Inigo Jones.

Riordan Mansion Garden Gate, Flagstaff, AZ

Garden Gate at Evelynton Plantation, Charles City, VA

The garden gate is an architectural element that gives a hint.  This first glimpse into any garden, should not only entice, but inform the visitor of what lies ahead..even in a secret garden. 

Celebrating the Built Environment

Welcome to my blog.  I’ll be sharing ideas and essays related to architectural history, specific architectural elements, preservationists and practicioners. I hope readers find the articles interesting, entertaining and informative.  I am passionate about the preservation of our cultural heritage and of the built environment.  I care about preservation not only from an artistic point-of-view, but also as a vital source for sustainability.  Remember…the “Greenest” building is the one that’s already built.  Enjoy!