Monastery at Large

Category: Postmodern

  • Bank of America Plaza (1992) – Atlanta

    Kevin Roche of Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates. NationsBank Plaza, later Bank of America Plaza (1992). Atlanta.1 2

    References

    1. Walker, Tom. “Modernist Architect Kevin Roche Will Design New C&S Headquarters Tower”. The Atlanta Journal, July 25, 1989, p. B-1. ↩︎
    2. Fox, Catherine. “Reaching for the Sky”. The Atlanta Journal The Atlanta Constitution, April 12, 1992, p. N1. ↩︎

  • High Museum of Art (1983) – Atlanta

    Richard Meier. High Museum of Art (1983). Atlanta.1 In foreground: Roy Lichtenstein. House III (1997).2

    References

    1. “A New High”. The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, October 9, 1983, Section M. ↩︎
    2. House IIII – High Museum of Art ↩︎

  • Hearst Tower (2002) – Charlotte, North Carolina

    Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart & Associates. Hearst Tower (2002). Charlotte, North Carolina.1 2

    Rise up, Charlotte.

    References

    1. Smith, Doug. “Hearst Tower built to charm pedestrians.” The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), August 25, 2000, p. 1D. ↩︎
    2. Smith, Doug. “Say hello to 2nd-tallest building in town.” The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), November 14, 2002, p. 1. ↩︎

  • Fire Station Number 4 (1968) – Columbus, Indiana

    Robert Venturi. Fire Station Number 4 (1968). Columbus, Indiana.1 2 3

    References

    1. Rutherford, John. “Use Ceco Architect Plan”. The Columbus Herald (Columbus, Indiana), June 10, 1966, p. 5. ↩︎
    2. “City To Go Ahead With Fire Station”. The Republic (Columbus, Indiana), April 18, 1967, p. 1. ↩︎
    3. The Republic (Columbus, Indiana), April 25, 1968, p. 13. ↩︎

  • 191 Peachtree (1990) – Atlanta

    Johnson/Burgee Architects and Kendall/Heaton Associates Inc. 191 Peachtree (1990). Atlanta.1 2 3

    References

    1. Walker, Tom. “‘Skyscraper era’ returns in Atlanta”. The Atlanta Constitution, May 6, 1988, p. 1C. ↩︎
    2. “How much difference a tower makes”. The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, January 11, 1991, p. F-2. ↩︎
    3. One Ninety One Peachtree Tower – Kendall Heaton ↩︎

  • Georgian Terrace Hotel Addition (1991) – Atlanta

    Smallwood Reynolds Stewart Stewart & Associates. Atrium of Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion (1991). 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 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.

    Smallwood Reynolds Stewart Stewart & Associates. Georgian Terrace Hotel Expansion (1991). Atlanta.

    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.

    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. ↩︎