Monastery at Large

Category: Architectural Movements and Styles

  • Healy Guest House, “Cocoon House” (1948) – Siesta Key, Florida

    Twichell & Rudolph. Healy Guest House, "Cocoon House" (1948). Siesta Key, Florida.
    Twichell & Rudolph. Healy Guest House, “Cocoon House” (1948). Siesta Key, Florida.1

    References

    1. Domin, Christopher, and King, Joseph. Paul Rudolph: The Florida Houses. New York: Princeton Architectural Press (2002). ↩︎

  • Davison-Paxon-Stokes Department Store (1927) – Atlanta

    Starrett & van Vleck with Hentz, Reid & Adler. Davison-Paxon-Stokes Department Store (1927). Atlanta.
    Starrett & van Vleck with Hentz, Reid & Adler. Davison-Paxon-Stokes Department Store (1927). Atlanta. 1 2
    Cornice on the Davison-Paxon-Stokes Department Store, Atlanta
    Cornice on the Davison-Paxon-Stokes Department Store, Atlanta
    Looking up at the east facade of the Davison-Paxon-Stokes Department Store, Atlanta
    Looking up at the east facade of the Davison-Paxon-Stokes Department Store, Atlanta
    Ornamental corbel on the east facade of the Davison-Paxon-Stokes Department Store, Atlanta
    Ornamental corbel on the east facade of the Davison-Paxon-Stokes Department Store, Atlanta
    Second-floor windows on the east facade of the Davison-Paxon-Stokes Department Store, Atlanta
    Second-floor windows on the east facade of the Davison-Paxon-Stokes Department Store, Atlanta
    Corbel and stringcourse on the east facade of the Davison-Paxon-Stokes Department Store, Atlanta
    Corbel and stringcourse on the east facade of the Davison-Paxon-Stokes Department Store, Atlanta
    Second-floor window on the east facade of the Davison-Paxon-Stokes Department Store, Atlanta
    Second-floor window on the east facade of the Davison-Paxon-Stokes Department Store, Atlanta
    South elevation of the Davison-Paxon-Stokes Department Store
    South elevation of the Davison-Paxon-Stokes Department Store, Atlanta

    References

    1. “$7,000,000 Department Store, Theater, Garage To Be Built By Candler Interests On Peachtree”. The Atlanta Journal, March 8, 1925, p. 1. ↩︎
    2. “Brief Formal Ceremony Held As Davison-Paxon’s Great New Store Opens”. The Atlanta Journal, March 21, 1927, p. 1. ↩︎

  • J.M. Beath Residence (1890) – Atlanta

    A.McC. Nixon. J.M. Beath Residence (1890). Inman Park, Atlanta.
    A.McC. Nixon. J.M. Beath Residence (1890). Inman Park, Atlanta.

    The Queen Anne-style J.M. Beath Residence in Atlanta’s Inman Park neighborhood, better known as the Beath-Dickey House, is the only known extant work by A.McC. Nixon, a British-born architect1 who began his practice in Texas circa 1881 2 3 and first appeared in Atlanta in 1888.4

    In late 1890, Nixon partnered with J.M.P. Lindsey as Nixon & Lindsey.5 The firm dissolved in 1894,6 shortly before a court trial in which the pair were acquitted on charges of larceny stemming from their supervision of a home’s construction in 1891.7 8 9 10

    The client had accused the architects of pocketing money intended for the contractors, but the matter was successfully proven to be an accounting error.11 Still, the well-publicized trial appears to have damaged Nixon’s reputation.

    Lindsey moved to Toronto in January 1895,12 and Nixon’s work in Atlanta dwindled. In July 1896, his personal possessions and business contents were sold at public auction to pay off debt.13

    Apparently quite ill, Nixon returned to England in July 1896, “in the hope that the sea voyage might improve his shattered health.”14 Yet as The Southern Architect so eloquently reported:

    “On the contrary, the physicians consulted after his arrival in England pronounced his ailment a hopeless case of consumption, and gave him but a few weeks of life. This will be sad news to all who knew the gentleman here in his adopted city and throughout the South, where he established a high reputation as a skilled architect, and had won many friends by his gentle and cultured manners, and whose sincere sympathies like silken chords will extend to him and his across the ocean in their hours of trial and affliction.”15

    Nixon died in England in October 1896.16

    Nixon & Lindsey. D.H. Dougherty House (1891, demolished 1931). Atlanta.
    Nixon & Lindsey. D.H. Dougherty Residence (1891, demolished 1931). Atlanta.17 18 19

    Despite the claim that he was a “skilled architect,” I’ve seen no evidence that Nixon was an especially good designer, and the Beath Residence’s clumsy, top-heavy design is typical of his oeuvre.

    The home was said to be of the “Domestic Gothic” style, “although not pure in this style throughout.”20 That was an understatement: I see almost nothing Gothic about it, except the spiky roof finial.

    The home was also reportedly built “at very moderate cost,”21 which is apparent from its appearance.

    In 1891, Nixon also designed the similarly styled D.H. Dougherty Residence (above, demolished),22 which has been erroneously attributed to both G.L. Norrman and W.L. Stoddart.23

    Atlanta really doesn’t know its own history.

    Looking at the Palladian window on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Looking at the Palladian window on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Dormer and roof finial on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Dormer and roof finial on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Attic window on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Attic window on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Belvedere on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Belvedere on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Post and ornamentation on the second floor of the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Post and ornamentation on the second floor of the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Bargeboard and ornamentation on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Bargeboard and ornamentation on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Chimneys on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Chimneys on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Corbels on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Corbels on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Gable on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Gable on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Turret on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Turret on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Roof finial on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    Roof finial on the J.M. Beath Residence, Atlanta
    J.M. Beath Residence circa 1903
    J.M. Beath Residence circa 190324
    J.M. Beath Residence circa 1900
    J.M. Beath Residence circa 190025

    References

    1. “Personal.” The Southern Architect, Volume 7, No. 9 (July 1896), p. 182. ↩︎
    2. “San Sada.” The Galveston Daily News, May 15, 1881, p. 1. ↩︎
    3. “Twenty-Five Cent Column”. The Austin Daily Statesman, June 2, 1881, p. 3. ↩︎
    4. “From Our Notebooks.” The Atlanta Constitution, October 1, 1888, p. 4. ↩︎
    5. “Wanted.” The Atlanta Journal, November 15, 1890, p. 7. ↩︎
    6. “A Dissolution of Copartnership.” The Atlanta Constitution, April 4, 1894, p. 3. ↩︎
    7. “Architects On Trial.” The Atlanta Journal, June 21, 1894, p. 1. ↩︎
    8. “The Architect Not Guilty.” The Atlanta Journal, June 22, 1894, p. 3. ↩︎
    9. “Mr. Nixon Not Guilty.” The Atlanta Constitution, June 23, 1894, p. 5. ↩︎
    10. “The Case Dismissed.” The Atlanta Journal, June 23, 1894, p. 9. ↩︎
    11. Ibid. ↩︎
    12. “Personally Speaking.” The Atlanta Journal, January 12, 1895, p. 12. ↩︎
    13. “Public Sale of Personal Valuable Property”. The Atlanta Journal, June 15, 1896, p. 2. ↩︎
    14. “Personal.” The Southern Architect, Vol. 7, No. 9 (July 1896), p. 182. ↩︎
    15. Ibid. ↩︎
    16. “Mr. A. McC Nixon Dead.” The Atlanta Journal, October 26, 1896, p. 5. ↩︎
    17. Photo credit: Garrett, Franklin M. Yesterday’s Atlanta. Miami: E.A. Seamann Publishing, Inc. (1974). ↩︎
    18. “Happy Days Are Recalled by Atlantians as Old Colonial Club Yields To Progress”. The Atlanta Journal, February 22, 1931, p. 4. ↩︎
    19. “Miscellaneous for Sale” (advertisement). The Atlanta Constitution, February 18, 1931, p. 20. ↩︎
    20. “The Illustrations”. The Southern Architect, Vol. 6, No. 8 (June 1895), p. 167. ↩︎
    21. Ibid. ↩︎
    22. Ibid. ↩︎
    23. “Hopkins Corner Leased 10 Years By Goodrich Co.” The Atlanta Journal, January 7, 1931, p. 14. ↩︎
    24. Photo credit: Art Work of Atlanta: Published in Nine Parts ↩︎
    25. Photo credit: Marr, Christine V. and Sharon Foster Jones. Inman Park. Arcadia Publishing: Charleston, South Carolina, 2008, p. 45. ↩︎

  • John Blackmar Residence (1910) – Columbus, Georgia

    Henrietta C. Dozier. John Blackmar Residence (circa 1910 renovation and expansion). Columbus, Georgia.  
    Henrietta C. Dozier. John Blackmar Residence (circa 1910 renovation and expansion). Columbus, Georgia.1 2 3
    Looking at the John Blackmar Residence from the southwest
    Looking at the John Blackmar Residence from the southwest
    Dormers and cornice on the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Dormers and cornice on the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Eaves and cornice on the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Eaves and cornice on the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Front door of the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Front door of the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Corinthian capital on the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Corinthian capital on the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Enclosed porch on the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Enclosed porch on the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Looking between columns at a pilaster on the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Looking between columns at a pilaster on the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Dormer and chimney on the south elevation of the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Dormer and chimney on the south elevation of the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Consoles over the front entrance of the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Consoles over the front entrance of the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Balcony on the front porch of the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Balcony on the front porch of the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Railing and console for the second-floor balcony of the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Railing and console for the second-floor balcony of the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Looking between columns at the enclosed porch on the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Looking between columns at the enclosed porch on the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Cornice, frieze, and Doric capitals on the porte cochere of the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia
    Cornice, frieze, and Doric capitals on the porte cochere of the John Blackmar Residence, Columbus, Georgia

    References

    1. “Personal and Incidental.” The Columbus Enquirer-Sun (Columbus, Georgia), October 17, 1909, p. 4. ↩︎
    2. “Wanted–Driver and Butler.” (classified advertisement) The Columbus Ledger (Columbus, Georgia), September 25, 1910, p. 2. ↩︎
    3. “Mrs. Blackmon’s Bridge Party”. The Columbus Enquirer-Sun (Columbus, Georgia), March 5, 1911, p. 2. ↩︎

  • Samford Hall, Auburn University (1888) – Auburn, Alabama

    Bruce & Morgan. Samford Hall (1888), Auburn University. Auburn, Alabama.
    Bruce & Morgan. Samford Hall (1888), Auburn University. Auburn, Alabama.1 2 3 4 5
    Looking up at Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Looking up at Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Clock tower on Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Clock tower on Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Gable on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Gable on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Center bay on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Center bay on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Looking at the northeast corner of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Looking at the northeast corner of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Second-floor windows on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Second-floor windows on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Second- and third-floor windows on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Second- and third-floor windows on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Gable dormer on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Gable dormer on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Tower with a belvedere on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Tower with a belvedere on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Eaves, brackets, and terracotta frieze on a tower of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Eaves, brackets, and terracotta frieze on a tower of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Terracotta ornamental figure and a second-floor window on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Terracotta ornamental figure and a second-floor window on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Windows on the clock tower of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Windows on the clock tower of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Third-floor windows and the gable on the center bay of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Third-floor windows and the gable on the center bay of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Terracotta tympanum and roof finial on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Terracotta tympanum and roof finial on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Second- and third-floor windows on the northeast corner of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Second- and third-floor windows on the northeast corner of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Terracotta inscription over the northeast entrance of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Terracotta inscription over the northeast entrance of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Terracotta spandrel on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Terracotta spandrel on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Tower with a belvedere on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Tower with a belvedere on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Second- and third-floor windows with spandrel on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Second- and third-floor windows with spandrel on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Gable dormer on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Gable dormer on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Terracotta ornamental figure on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Terracotta ornamental figure on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Terracotta window spandrels on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Terracotta window spandrels on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Southeast entrance of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Southeast entrance of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Weather vane on the bell tower of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Weather vane on the bell tower of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Column on the southeast entrance of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Column on the southeast entrance of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Arch over the southeast entrance of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Arch over the southeast entrance of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Eaves and cornice on the northeast corner of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Eaves and cornice on the northeast corner of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    First-floor and basement windows on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    First-floor and basement windows on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Northeast entrance of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Northeast entrance of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Cornice and terracotta frieze on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Cornice and terracotta frieze on the facade of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Inscription over the southeast entrance of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Inscription over the southeast entrance of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Terracotta column and capital on the southeast entrance of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Terracotta column and capital on the southeast entrance of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Pedestal at the northeast entrance of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Pedestal at the northeast entrance of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Looking at the south elevation of Samford Hall from the southwest
    Looking at the south elevation of Samford Hall from the southwest
    Cornerstone of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Cornerstone of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Finial on a tower of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Finial on a tower of Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama
    Towers on Samford Hall
    Towers on Samford Hall, Auburn, Alabama

    References

    1. “Auburn.” The Montgomery Daily Advertiser (Montgomery, Alabama), August 3, 1887, p. 2. ↩︎
    2. “Technical Education in Alabama.” The Atlanta Constitution, August 24, 1887, p. 8. ↩︎
    3. “Notice to Contractors.” The Montgomery Daily Advertiser (Montgomery, Alabama), September 20, 1887, p. 8, ↩︎
    4. “Auburn.” The Weekly Advertiser (Montgomery, Alabama), June 14, 1888, p. 1. ↩︎
    5. Building cornerstone. ↩︎

  • First Methodist Church (1909) – Opelika, Alabama

    Bruce & Everett. First Methodist Church renovation and expansion (1909). Opelika, Alabama.
    Bruce & Everett. First Methodist Church renovation and expansion (1909). Opelika, Alabama. 1 2 3 4
    Dome on First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Dome on First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Northeast elevation of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Northeast elevation of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Columns and Corinthian capitals on First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Columns and Corinthian capitals on First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Pediment on the facade of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Pediment on the facade of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Portico of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Portico of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Sanctuary windows on the northeast elevation of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Sanctuary windows on the northeast elevation of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Transept on the northeast corner of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Transept on the northeast corner of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Eaves, cornice, and acroteria on the facade of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Eaves, cornice, and acroteria on the facade of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Eaves, cornice, and pilaster capital on the facade of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Eaves, cornice, and pilaster capital on the facade of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Transept windows on First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Transept windows on First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Pilaster capital on First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Pilaster capital on First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Corinthian capital on First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Corinthian capital on First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Eaves and cornice on First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Eaves and cornice on First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Door and second-floor windows on the facade of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Door and second-floor windows on the facade of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Acroterion on the facade of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Acroterion on the facade of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Second-floor windows and door pediment above the main entrance of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Second-floor windows and door pediment above the main entrance of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Second-floor window, cornice, and pilaster on the southeast corner of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Second-floor window, cornice, and pilaster on the southeast corner of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Main entrance of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Main entrance of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Second-floor windows on First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Second-floor windows on First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Door and pediment on the facade of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Door and pediment on the facade of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Sanctuary windows on the northeast elevation of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Sanctuary windows on the northeast elevation of First Methodist Church, Opelika, Alabama
    Looking at First Methodist Church from the southeast
    Looking at First Methodist Church from the southeast

    References

    1. “Churches.” Manufacturer’s Record, Volume 54, no. 13 (October 8, 1908), p. 59. ↩︎
    2. “To Remodel Church.” The Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, Alabama), March 10, 1909, p. 2. ↩︎
    3. “Work On Methodist Church Will Be Rushed.” The Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, Alabama), March 16, 1909, p. 10. ↩︎
    4. First United Methodist Church Historical Marker ↩︎

  • Relic Signs: Dixie Drive-In – Greenwood, South Carolina

    Dixie Drive-In (1959). 600 Montague Avenue, Greenwood, South Carolina.
    Dixie Drive-In (1959). 600 Montague Avenue, Greenwood, South Carolina.1

    I’ve passed through Greenwood, South Carolina, countless times on back-and-forth trips between Abbeville and Newberry, two towns that contain surviving works by G.L. Norrman.

    On my last pass, I was happy to find this well-preserved sign for the Dixie Drive-In, which apparently debuted with the restaurant’s opening in 1959.

    This is a true Googie relic, which is quite rare in the Deep South. Sorry, I ain’t calling it Dixie.

    Location of Dixie Drive-In

    References

    1. “Announcing the Grand Opening of the Dixie Drive-In” (advertisement). The Index-Journal (Greenwood, South Carolina), October 17, 1959, p. 3. ↩︎

  • M.A. Hale Residence (1892) – Atlanta

    J.W. Golucke. M.A. Hale Residence (1892). Inman Park, Atlanta.
    J.W. Golucke. M.A. Hale Residence (1892). Inman Park, Atlanta.

    This Queen Anne-style home is Atlanta’s only known extant work designed by J.W. Golucke (1857-1907),1 2 a shyster carpenter who built a career on smooth talk and grand delusions of being a legitimate architect.

    A thoroughly fraudulent and incompetent designer, Golucke was one of several “Atlanta architects” of his era who did little actual work in the city, primarily peddling their shoddy plans to poor, rural communities that didn’t know any better.

    If you travel through backwoods Georgia, you’ll find more than a dozen county courthouses by Golucke’s design3—all of them terrible.

    Golucke fittingly died in a southwest Georgia jail cell while being held on charges of forgery,4 weeks after attempting suicide under the influence of drugs.5 6 His work is not celebrated here.

    Gallery

    Gable on the facade of the M.A. Hale Residence, Atlanta
    Gable on the facade of the M.A. Hale Residence, Atlanta
    Cornice and corbels on the M.A. Hale Residence, Atlanta
    Cornice and corbels on the M.A. Hale Residence, Atlanta
    Second-floor bay window on the M.A. Hale Residence, Atlanta
    Second-floor bay window on the M.A. Hale Residence, Atlanta
    Porch post and ornamentation on the facade of the M.A. Hale Residence, Atlanta
    Porch post and fretwork ornamentation on the facade of the M.A. Hale Residence, Atlanta
    Porch pediment and ornamentation on the facade of the M.A. Hale Residence, Atlanta
    Porch pediment and fretwork ornamentation on the facade of the M.A. Hale Residence, Atlanta
    Oval window and porch post on the facade of the M.A. Hale Residence, Atlanta
    Oval window and porch post on the facade of the M.A. Hale Residence, Atlanta
    Fretwork ornamentation on the M.A. Hale Residence, Atlanta
    Fretwork ornamentation on the M.A. Hale Residence, Atlanta

    References

    1. “Atlanta’s Growth.” The Atlanta Constitution, July 13, 1892, p. 7. ↩︎
    2. “Mrs. M.A. Hale’s Death.” The Atlanta Constitution, March 29, 1896, p. 6. ↩︎
    3. J.W. Golucke – Wikipedia ↩︎
    4. “Death Takes J.W. Golucke”. The Atlanta Constitution, October 28, 1907, p. 6. ↩︎
    5. “J.W. Golucke Tries to Take His Life in Newton Jail”. The Atlanta Journal, October 7, 1907, p. 1. ↩︎
    6. “Atlanta Man Tries Suicide”. The Atlanta Constitution, October 8, 1907, p. 9. ↩︎

  • Metropolitan Club (1894) – New York

    Stanford White of McKim, Mead & White. Metropolitan Club (1894). New York.
    Stanford White of McKim, Mead & White. Metropolitan Club (1894). New York.1

    The Fifth Avenue side of the Metropolitan Club enjoys just a few minutes of direct light in the winter, so I had to work fast for this picture.

    It was a freezing day in January—hours before a snowstorm hit—but damn it, the result was worth the misery.

    Location of the Metropolitan Club

    Of the many fine examples of Stanford White‘s work in New York, the Metropolitan Club is the best.

    The building’s composition is simple yet refined; the elements are perfectly balanced, and the facade is delicately textured with just the right amount of ornamentation.

    Someday I’ll get the detail shots.

    The structure was designed in the style of an Italian palazzo and built of marble, with opulent interiors that I’ll certainly never photograph. The club, after all, was founded by millionaires and is now patronized by billionaires.

    I’ll just take pics by the Halal cart across the street, thanks.

    Gallery

    Interior2

    Main Hall of the Metropolitan Club, New York
    Main Hall of the Metropolitan Club, New York

    Elevations, Sections, and Floorplans3

    Sixtieth Street Elevation of the Metropolitan Club, New York
    Sixtieth Street Elevation of the Metropolitan Club, New York
    Section and detail drawings of the Metropolitan Club, New York
    Section and detail drawings of the Metropolitan Club, New York
    First floor plan of the Metropolitan Club, New York
    First floor plan of the Metropolitan Club, New York
    Second floor plan of the Metropolitan Club, New York

    References

    1. “New Club Of The Millionaires.” The World (New York), February 25, 1894, p. 26. ↩︎
    2. A Monograph of the Work of McKim Mead & White, 1879-1915. New York: The Architectural Book Publishing Company, 1915. ↩︎
    3. Ibid. ↩︎

  • Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion (1991) – Atlanta

    Smallwood Reynolds Stewart Stewart & Associates. Atrium of the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion (1991). Midtown, Atlanta.
    Smallwood Reynolds Stewart Stewart & Associates. Atrium of the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion (1991). Midtown, Atlanta.1 2

    Atlanta’s overall architectural quality is among the worst of any major U.S. city, and you will never find a harsher critic than I of its subpar built environment.

    May it never be said, though, that I do not praise the few works in the city that are actually worthy of admiration. Here’s one: the 1991 expansion of the Georgian Terrace Hotel, designed by Smallwood Reynolds Stewart Stewart & Associates of Atlanta.

    The 20-story tower was attached to the original 1911 structure—the first of dozens of luxury hotels in the eastern United States designed by W.L. Stoddart of New York,3 4 5 who had deep ties to Atlanta,6 7 8 and designed several other buildings in the city, notably the Winecoff Hotel,9 10 site of the deadliest hotel fire in United States history.

    W.L. Stoddart. South facade of the Georgian Terrace Hotel (1911). Atlanta.
    W.L. Stoddart. South facade of the Georgian Terrace Hotel (1911), Atlanta.

    Efficient and prolific, Stoddart became a wealthy man from his many projects, although his legacy is all but forgotten today. I would argue that’s because he spent the bulk of his career sacrificing his creative talent—and there is ample evidence that he had actual talent—by lazily repeating the same designs, which became increasingly flavorless and banal.

    Compare Stoddart’s Poinsett Hotel in Greenville, South Carolina;11 the Francis Marion Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina;12 or the Hotel Savannah in Savannah, Georgia:13 the 3 buildings are nearly identical in appearance and plan.

    Thomas Wolfe was scathingly accurate in his assessment of Stoddart’s Battery Park Hotel in Asheville, North Carolina: “It was being stamped out of the same mold, as if by some gigantic biscuit-cutter of hotels that had produced a thousand others like it all over the country.”14

    After decades of neglect, the Georgian Terrace was abandoned in the 1980s and taken over by squatters, further damaged by a series of fires.15 16 Spared from inevitable demolition, the structure was initially renovated into luxury apartments,17 18 19 with Smallwood’s soaring glass-and-steel atrium, seen here, ingeniously connecting Stoddart’s hotel building with the modern addition.

    Looking at the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion from the west
    Looking at the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion from the west

    Considered radical at the time, the design met with some local opposition20 21(isn’t that always the case?), but in the years since, the expanded Georgian Terrace—once again a hotel—has become an integral part of Midtown Atlanta, and is something rare for the city: a beautiful and unique space that preserves history.

    Gallery

    Looking up at the atrium of the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion, Atlanta
    Looking up at the atrium of the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion, Atlanta
    Exposed exterior wall of the original Georgian Terrace Hotel in the atrium of the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion, Atlanta
    Exposed exterior wall of the original Georgian Terrace Hotel in the atrium of the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion, Atlanta
    Lobby entrance in the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion, Atlanta
    Lobby entrance in the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion, Atlanta
    First-floor lobby in the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion, Atlanta
    First-floor lobby in the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion, Atlanta
    First-floor lobby in the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion, Atlanta
    First-floor lobby in the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion, Atlanta
    Stairwell in the lobby of the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion, Atlanta
    Stairwell in the lobby of the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion, Atlanta
    Ground-floor lobby in the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion, Atlanta
    Ground-floor lobby in the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion, Atlanta
    Conference center in the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion, Atlanta
    Conference center in the Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion, Atlanta

    References

    1. Patureau, Alan. “Landmark Gets New Lease On Life”. The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, December 9, 1989, p. A-1. ↩︎
    2. Patureau, Alan. “A restored Georgian Terrace will shine again in city’s skyline”. The Atlanta Constitution, May 22, 1991, p. D1. ↩︎
    3. “$500,000 Hotel On Mims Corner”. The Atlanta Constitution, February 16, 1910, p. 5. ↩︎
    4. “New York Architect Is In The City”. The Atlanta Journal, August 13, 1910, p. 3. ↩︎
    5. “Atlanta’s New Hotel.” The Atlanta Constitution, October 4, 1911, p. 4. ↩︎
    6. “City Notes.” The Atlanta Constitution, March 26, 1892, p. 5. ↩︎
    7. “Bird’s-Eye View Of The Cotton States And International Exposition – Atlanta, Georgia, V.S.A.”, The Atlanta Constitution, November 4, 1894, p. 14. ↩︎
    8. “Miss Elizabeth Powell To Wed Mr. W.L. Stoddard”. The Atlanta Journal, February 19, 1898, p. 7. ↩︎
    9. “Peachtree Hotel To Cost $500,000”. The Atlanta Constitution, June 26, 1912, p. 3. ↩︎
    10. “15-Story Hotel To Grace Peachtree; Will Cost $600,000”. The Atlanta Journal, October 20, 1912, p. 1. ↩︎
    11. “Cleveland Firm To Get It At $925,000 And Structure Will Soon Be Fine Reality”. The Greenville News (Greenville, South Carolina), May 30, 1924, p. 2. ↩︎
    12. “Twelve-Story Structure For City Is Planned”. The Greenville News (Greenville, South Carolina), August 3, 1922, p. 1. ↩︎
    13. The Architectural Review, Volume 2, Part 1 (January 1913), p. 136. ↩︎
    14. Wolfe, Thomas. You Can’t Go Home Again. New York: Scribner (2011), p. 97. ↩︎
    15. Cordell, Actor. “Georgian Terrace, Imperial: old landmarks, new breed of ‘guests’”. The Atlanta Journal–Constitution, September 3, 1987, Intown Extra, p. 10D. ↩︎
    16. White, Gayle. “Georgian Terrace Hotel Is Damaged by Fire”. The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, October 26, 1988, p. 5C. ↩︎
    17. Patureau, Alan. “A restored Georgian Terrace will shine again in city’s skyline”. The Atlanta Constitution, May 22, 1991, p. D1. ↩︎
    18. Cordell, Actor. “Georgian Terrace, in new clothes, makes bow”. The Atlanta Constitution, October 17, 1991, Intown Extra, p. D7. ↩︎
    19. Royston, Deborah. “Grand Comeback”. The Atlanta Journal, October 17, 1991, p. E1. ↩︎
    20. Fox, Catherine. “The Art of Adding On”. The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, June 24, 1990, p. E-1. ↩︎
    21. Fox, Catherine. “With Preservation Ordinance in place, it’s a whole new ballgame for UDC”. The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, June 24, 1990, p. N-2. ↩︎