Louis Sullivan’s Merchant National Bank An Intervention and Material Study Melissa Brooks Arch 507 Summer 2015
Ornament The eye is first drawn to the ornament which is announced on the exterior of the main threshold. Both simplistic and complex, the organic and geometric form of the cartouche is comparably chant-like in that the motifs repeats through the interior and exterior cornices , trim, and furniture. To add to this observation, is the fact that this bank is just one iteration of eight others.
Materials
What makes a space sacred and can that quality be enhanced? Those were the initial the questions fueling my investigation into Louis Sullivan’s famous Merchants’ National Bank (1914). Upon numerous visits to Grinnell, Iowa, I deduced that sanctity, in this case, is not tethered to the intended function of the space (as it no longer served as a bank); but rather, it is influenced by the special atmospheric quality produced by its form. This includes Sullivan’s church-like floorplan (which frames everything around a central point) as well as design elements like lighting, ornamentation, and the material selection. In my experience, the latter two emitted the most pull.
Equally of interest are the materials present. On the exterior, Sullivan primarily employs wire-cut shale brick varying in colors from deep blues to light browns. While the brick is perceived as loadbearing, in actuality it is only symbolic in strength as its cladding around a steel skeleton. Other materials present on the exterior are terracotta and gilt on the cartouche as well as wooden oak columns on the east elevation.
The sections and plans to the right document the existing twostory vault structure prior to the intervention.
Southern The bank’s interior spaces also reect a material logic that relates to the sanctity of the ground and sky. At ground level, he uses stereotonic materials of brick and marble ooring to create an intimate atmosphere. He then stacks lighter tectonic materials (wood, plaster, glass, to create an open and airy space above. The lightest material, glass, occupies the centered, void space where it is most open and uninhabitable, making it the most sacred.
Like a box unraveling, Sullivan strives to mirror the same square symmetry on every face of the structure. To achieve this he repeats a solid-void-solid pattern.
Eastern
Northern
Western
The Intervention The idea to perform an intervention was spurred by the observation that the space was being under-utilized by, and possibly immaterial to, the surrounding community. Although the program doesn’t contribute to its sanctity, high occupation via activities do help in promoting its relevance. Secondly, it was also inspired by the natural inclination to look up as you enter the space. My proposal renews both the function of the space as well as enhances the experience by providing an alternative way to visually and tactically sense the architecture. Without disrupting the existing interior, it allows the occupant to gravitate closer to the previously uninhabitable light level by elevating them to height of the opposing thresholds via a mezzanine.
Mezzanine process work
Existing State The current state of the structure does not reect its original design as there have been extensive renovations prior to the structure’s admittance into the historic registry. In particular, the partial and full removal of partition walls along the western and eastern faces.
Initial Intervention This iteration seeks to connect the opposing vault and rose window thresholds, which were previously uninhabitable. By utilizing a u-shaped mezzanine that extends around the perimeter of the northern, southern and eastern walls the occupant can circulate around. This proposal was reďŹ ned in a decision not to bisect the existing structure.
Final Intervention Intending to respect the existing structure, this iteration solely targets the most underutilized space in the existing building, the western face. The mezzanine still connects the thresholds but the sanctity of those spaces can only be visually inhabited.
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In addition to adding a new sight line, by occupying the vertical space along the west wall, a new array of activities can occur in this space ranging from small performances to weddings.
At ten feet, the structure’s cantilevered platform aligns with the trim of each threshold. The cantilever creates visually reduces the presence of the platform from the center of the room.
The non-permenant structure is supported by 8 freestanding 3” round steel columns. These columns are placed behind and slightly against the existing walls to minmize contact to interference with the visibily of the exisintg building.
Relating to Sullivan’s use of material, transitioning from material heavy to light, is translated within the design of the staircase. Utilizing perforated steal, and 1/2” apertures, the tread in the stair incrementally becomes more transparent as it is ascended. The idea is to promote tactical in addition to visual awareness of the change in space. The risers are all perforated in order to maintain the horizontal sightlines in the space.
Grail design process work
Banister design process work The ďŹ nal banister design in simplistic in form, referencing the proportions in the iconic car-touche on the front elevation. Primarily glass, thin steel tubes support the glass panels while following the lines that make each square. Glass is used at this level to signify that the occu-pant in now at the lightest level.
Railing ornament process work
The structure is composed of steel and glass. The selection of steel acknowledges the hidden tectonic supports within the building while glass adds elements of transparency, and lightness.
ModiďŹ ed sections displaying ďŹ nal mezzanine intervention