“Architecture is worth great attention, it is then among the most important arts: and it is desirable to introduce taste into an art which shows so much.” -Thomas Jefferson, architect. Between May 14th, 2015 and May 28th, 2015 I traveled across the East Coast of the United States, visiting, examining, and photographing a wide range of public buildings. This trip aimed to explore the growth and change of a nation through the architecture that its government produces. Whether public or private, urban or rural, architecture attempts to communicate and create a narrative in the mind of its user. Never is this tendency more clear than in public works of architecture, those housing the physical apperatus of the state. Governmental architecture serves as the de facto “face” of its owner, taking what is essentially an abstract concept and presenting it in a concrete and unavoidable fashion. These buildings are the primary, and sometimes only, contact point of citizens with their government, and as a result their narrative is of great importance. Examining this typology across a wide range of time periods provides a unique glimpse into the
history of America. One finds that, moreso than that of other nations, America’s history is one of constant change and redefinition. America’s view of Herself, Her core principles, Her values, and most especially Her people and their expectations for their government are in constant flux, and the State’s physical apparatus reflects new and ever changing aspirations, ambitions, and desires. The architectural form of each individual building examined on this trip changes not just due to new architectural styles or technologies, but more remarkably due to the historical context of their genesis, as well as their specific function and the associated attitudes toward this purpose. This analysis examined over thirty different buildings from a variety of time periods, and serving a diverse range of functions across all levels of the federalist system; from simple legislative houses, to specialized courts, to departamental buildings, and finally to an example of the now-ubiquitous “Federal Building”. The
geographic scope was limited to four cities that played a disproportionately important role in the history of the United States; Washington DC; Philadelphia, PA; New York, NY; and Boston, MA. In the end, this analysis did not uncover sweeping and all encompassing themes nor simple characterizations. In examining the continuous dialogue carried on by the United States’ Government and its citizens through the vessel of architecture, one finds nuance and complexity; a situation mirroring exactly that that is found thoughout the nation’s history.
Sites Visited Washington, DC
New York, NY
Philadelphia, PA
Boston, MA
-The Capitol Building -The White House -The Supreme Court - Federal Reserve Bank -The Pentagon -Jefferson Memorial -Lincoln Memorial -Washington Monument -The National Gallery of Art -The Census Headquarters -J Edgar Hoover Building -Hubert H Humphrey Building (HUD) -State, War, and Navy Building
-Second Bank of the United States -Philadelphia City Hall -Independence Hall -Mid-Atlantic Social Security Center -US Customs House
-New York City Hall -Jacob Javits Federal Building -New York Customs House -Ted Weiss Federal Building -Morgan Mail Processing Facility -United States Court of International Trade
-Old South Meetinghouse -Massachusetts State House -Boston City Hall -Old Boston City Hall -JFK Federal Building -Government Service Center -John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse -Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill Federal Building
One way or another, Boston City Hall engenders strong opinions. Wikipedia tells me that when Phillip Johnson passed the architect, Michael McKinnell, on the street following completion of the City Hall, he excitedly remarked, “Absolutely marvelous. I think it’s wonderful. And it’s so ugly!”. According to Boston lore, when the Mayor first saw the design he gasped, and someone in the room allegedly blurted out “What the hell is that!?”. Perhaps the design really is ugly. Or perhaps it’s the overly large, empty plaza, or the shape, or it’s overly prominant location in the center of a historic city. Either way, the new Boston City Hall is quite the surprise when you round the corner from Fanieul Hall. But when you actually enter inside, you find a surprisingly pleasant arrangement of shape and material. People sit around coffee tables in the atrium and read newspapers. The way the light bounces around in the central skylight, shimmering the raw concrete is subtely beutiful.
TWELVE CONDITIONS FROM EYE LEVEL
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1995- Internet Invented.
1993- Apartheid Ends in South Africa.
2010 2001- 9/11 Attacks
1999- Clinton Impeached
1995- Oklahoma City Bombing
2000 1991- Persian Gulf War
1990 1987- Reagan’s Berlin Speech
1978- Camp David Accords Signed
1973- Watergate Scandal 1973- US Embassy Marine Guards Evacuated from Vietnam, War Ends
1972- Nixon Goes to China
1980
1992- USSR Collapses.
1988- USSR Loses War in Afghanistan.
1978- Personal Computer Invented
1973- Gulag Archipelago Published.
1967- Beatles Release Sgt. Pepper. 1964- Civil Rights Act Signed 1969- Man walks on Moon
1957- Federal Troops Enforce Integration in Little Rock
1970 1963- March on Washington, “I Have a Dream” Speech
1950- First US involvement in Vietnam
1960 1950-Korean War Begins, Ends 1953
1950 1954- Brown v. Board of Education Decision
1940
1962- Cuban Missle Crisis
1937- Plastic Invented
1948- Transistor Invented
1953- DNA Double Helix Shape Discovered.
Unfortunately this beauty is probably lost when arguing your way out of a traffic violation.
1948- Marshall Plan passes Congress
1929-Great Depression Begins
1919- Women achieve right to vote
1930
entrance
Boston City Hall-Boston, MA. b. 1968
1939-WWII Begins, US Enters in 1942
1934- Hitler Becomes Fueher
1917- Communist Revolution- USSR Formed 1918- Worldwide influenza epidemic
1920 1914- WWI Begins, US Enters in 1917
1910 1903- Wright Brothers achieve flight
1898-Spanish-American War begins
1900
1905- Einstein Proposes Special Theory of Relativity
1907- Picasso paints Les Demoiselles d’Avignon.
1884- European Partition of Africa 1885- First Successful Vaccination
1890 1896- Plessy v. Furguson Decision
1880
1892- Ellis Island Opens
1869- Transcontinental Railway Completed
1868- Slavery Abolished, 14th Ammendment Ratified
1879- Lightbulb Invented
1876- Telephone Invented
1869- Suez Canal Opens.
1865- War and Peace Published. 1867- Nobel Patents Dynamite
1870 1861- Civil War Begins
1857- Dred Scott Decision
1846- Mexican War 1846- Oregon Treaty establishes present US-Canada border 1848- Gold discovered in California
1860
1871- Great Chicago Fire
1850
1840
1830
1859- Darwin Publishes Origin of Species.
1851- Moby Dick Published
1839- First form of Photography Invented.
1832- Morse Designs Telegraph.
1812- Napoleon Defeated in Russia.
A stoic and refined presence amongst a sea of mediocre and domineering building in its vicinity this building houses the Federal Agency that most deserves a well-designed headquarters. It got one, with a Marcel Breuer designed modernist exemplar featuring the first ever use of precast concrete in an American Federal Building. The gently curvillinear “X- shaped” plan provides small green spaces for workers, and though the load-bearing concrete walls are 3 feet thick, the building expresses a lightness that was clearly absent from many similar buildings in the area. Though upon opening, the building was well received, over time public opinion has waned. Regardless, the building has proven surprisingly multi-purpose; the interior having been rearranged and renovated multiple times since it s consturction.
1820 1812- War of 1812
1810 1803-Louisiana Purchase
1800-Washington, DC Established as Capital
1800 1791-Bill of Rights Ratified
1789-Constitution Ratified
1790 1781-Cornwallis Surrenders at Yorktown
1780 1776-Independance Declared
1770
1808- Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony Composed.
1804- Napoleon Becomes Emperor.
1789- French Revolution Begins
World History 1760
American History
Timeline of
of the
The US. Customs Service was established by the First Congress in 1789 and is the oldest federal agency. After moving numerous times, the US Cusom’s Service commisioned an architectural competition to design a permanent, New York, home. This competition was won by famed architect Cass Gilbert (He of Woolworth building, and US Supreme Court fame) who crafted the Beaux Arts style temple to commerce that sits proudly near Battery Park on the edge of New York’s financial district. Though the US Custom’s Service has since moved elsewhere, the Great Hall with its ornate rotunda still features reminders of its past tenant. On the ceiling around the oval oculus one finds frescos celebrating all things commerce- Ships, and freight, as well as hard working beurocrats, sitting at hardwood desks and faithfully processing Custom’s applications for all eternity.
1830- Indian Removal Act Signed
of the
Robert C. Weaver Federal Building (HUD)- Washington, DC. b. 1968
1820-Missouri Compromise- Missouri admitted as slave state
STATE ARCHITECTURE STATE
The Alexander Hamilton US Customs House- New York, NY b. 1893
1831-Nat Turner Rebellion 1831-William Lloyd Garrison publises first issue of “The Liberator”
The
Independance HallPhilladelphia, PA. b. 1753
Library of CongressWashington, DC b. 1897
Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill Federal Building- Boston, MA b. 1985
The “Birthplace of America” (and UNESCO heritage site!), predates America itself, having been built as the Pennsylvania Commonwealth’s assembly in 1753. Restored multiple times, most recently in 1950 (bringing it back it to its 1776 appearance) this building is famous for being the place where founding documents like the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and US Consitution were signed. The famous “Liberty Bell” rang in its steeple, though now it is housed in an adjacent (and incredibly well designed) shelter for public viewing. Today, Independence Hall welcomes American and international visitors to view its well maintained, appointed, and curated rooms where some of the most important events in American history took place. At the same time (Or at least at the time of my visit) current Presidential candidates campaign just steps away in the adjacent park, hoping to make their own mark on a country that began in this simple, yet dignified brick structure.
The history of the Library of Congress is a history of fires. When Congress created the Libray of Congress in 1800, its collection was housed in the newly constructed Capitol building, which was promptly burned in the War of 1812; destroying the collection. In 1815, Thomas Jefferson’s own personal library was purchased and de facto became the new Library of Congress, and from that date it only took two more fires and the destruction of priceless artifacts before Congress appropriated the money to build a separate (fireproof) structure across the street. The finished building, opulently designed and appointed, with gold leaf and marble abounding, and an obvious devotion to the classical tradition in its statuary and frescos is truly a masterpiece of American architecture. While its opulent materials and devotion to even the smallest details is almost overwhelming beautiful for visitors, what is perhaps even more incredible is that this government project, which took over 11 years to complete, featured the work of over 42 artists, and had numerous construction setbacks came in over 200,000 dollars under budget.
Housing over 15 Federal Departments and Agencies, the Tip O’Neill Federal Building dominates its block; adjacent to the Boston Garden and across the street from the Paul Rudolph designed Brutalist Government Service Center. This building replaced the Madison Hotel, one of Boston’s oldest and most famous, having hosted NBA and NHL teams, as well as The Beatles. While the previously mentioned Government Service Center in all its brutalist glory is often derided by the local press as the ugliest building in Boston, in my estimation, the Tip O’Neill Federal Building gives it a good run for its money. With a horrible street presence and awkwardly empty atrium covered with kitch artwork, it seems more like a third-rate office building then a place of government. It is worth considering the EPA praised this building for its energy efficiency and awarded it the EPA Energy Star award in 2000 and 2005, though those with an ironic sense of humor may also wish to consider the fact that the EPA itself operates out of a beautiful and historic art deco building across town.
A. The Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC. B. The Department of Health and Human Services Building, Washington DC. C. The Department of Housing and Urban Development Building, Washington DC. D. The J. Edgar Hoover Building (FBI Headquarters), Washington DC. E. The Old US Customs House, New York, NY. F. The New York Supreme Court, New York, NY. G. The Court of International Trade, New York, NY. H. The Second Bank of the United States, Philadelphia, PA. I. The John F. Kennedy Federal Center, Boston, MA J. The Old Boston City Hall, Boston, MA. K. The New Boston City Hall, Boston, MA. L. The Thurgood Marshall Courthouse, New York, NY.