Philadelphia Architecture from 1700-1940
 

Ok , Swinefeld .....Watusi , I couldn't think of a better name , maybe
you two can come up with a better title .

Most that read the Philadelphia Developement Thread , still move about
the nation for business , education , political or vacation purposes . I on
the other hand , am limited to the DC to NYC corridor , with the greater
time spent in or around Philly .

If ANYone out there is interested in the architectual genius that permeated
americana between the 1860's and the 1940's Please post all info and mug
shots .....here .......Not to down play the importance and engineering skills
of the Roman or Greek empires........Just America , from the 1860's to the
1940's . Ok ? :cheers:

P.S. Name changed to "Philadelphia Architecture 1700-1940"

My favorite from that era is definitely:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ankFurness.jpg

Frank Furness

Fantastic......
 

:previous:

WOW , you just filled an entire thread with one post . Dam nice work .
I am more than impressed , thank you .
:worship:

Furness...a wild man
 

Photos from Penn Archives:


Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts

http://www.upenn.edu/gsfa/archives/m.../academy1x.jpg

Allegedly demolished bank (Provident?) but I could swear to have seen something much like this on Chestnut near Jefferson Med School:

http://www.upenn.edu/gsfa/archives/m...rovident2x.jpg

Another view. Yep, it's gone...1959. Bad year for classic buildings, something called urban renewal.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ust.jpg/317px-

This bank is gone for sure (an outright crime):

http://www.upenn.edu/gsfa/archives/m...uarantee1x.jpg

Hey, Streets - does it have to be demolished?

If not, here's another, though not by Furness:


Wanamaker's Department Store (1909) - Philadelphia, PA; Daniel Burnham, FAIA

Wanamaker’s in Philadelphia is one of several well-appointed retail stores by the architect of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, Daniel Burnham. He modeled the design on that of a Renaissance palazzo, or palace. President Taft attended the building’s opening, where Burnham said, in an uncharacteristically modest moment, “if I have become a good architect, it has been because of the education I have received at the expense of my clients.”



photo credit Carol Highsmith for AIA.org

http://blog.aia.org/mt-static/plugin...amakers_lg.jpg

Don't forget the Fisher Fine Arts Library at U-Penn. A definite Furnessian classic!
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/8/886...0d9304.jpg?v=0

And the Paul Peck Alumni Center (aka the Centennial Bank) another Furness beauty on Drexel's campus.
http://www.gophila.com/assets/dmt/im...nt-bank1_C.jpg

And the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia
http://www.philauu.org/uploads/image...ladelphia.jpeg

Photo credit Schuylkill Navy

Furness's Undine Barge Club Boathouse #13 of the Schuylkill Navy

http://www.philadelphia-reflections....eboathouse.jpg

http://k53.pbase.com/v3/93/463093/1/...Barge_Club.jpg

More re Furness:

Although the style of Furness confections seemed and seems a little strange to everyone except Victorian Philadelphians, he did leave a major stamp on American architecture. Over 40 years his firm built 600 buildings.

His most noted student was Louis B. Sullivan, who put an entirely different sort of stamp on Chicago. And Sullivan's main student was Frank Lloyd Wright who created a modernist image of architecture for the West. The buildings of these three don't look at all alike, but their rainmaker personalities are all essentially the same.

Fairmount Waterworks Philadelphia
 

Photo credit DW Thomas at i.phase.com

http://i.pbase.com/v3/93/463093/1/49...Waterworks.jpg

.....hopeful explanation....
 

[QUOTE=bucks native;4045209]Hey, Streets - does it have to be demolished?

If not, here's another, though not by Furness:



No sir , any building in the horizontal or vertical position that reflects
the lost , but not forgotten design and construction of that period in
time . Including , but not restricted to .....Multi story office , hotel or
educational institutions . Churches , old fire houses and libraries .

The main purpose here is to acknowledge the fine craftsmanship and
commitment of all responsible for presenting and leaving with us , the
undeniable eye catching beauty of their legacy.

Please do not misunderstand my intent . I respect almost everyones
contribution to todays streetscapes .....I merely enjoy the blend of
what was , with what is .
In addition , feel free to post any photos you think might add to our
knowledge of this lost art of design and construction . Thank you .
:cheers:

PS ; Bucks Native , I have an old pic . Let me know if it is anything like
what you tried to post .

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3304/...9516e02b_o.jpg

Is this it ??

Streets: Nope not the one I tried to post. It was up but disappeared although I gave credit. Mystery to me.

But, hey, your photo is fine enough and more recent. Thanks.

You know - I had a thought but don't know if it will float here because it's imaginary. Since we are both in favor (an understatement) of using the SS United States, which does exist, as a casino; would a photo of it with a caption reading: Sugarhouse Casino, Philadelphia (proposal) be acceptable here?

But it was built after 1940, yes?

So, well, it wouldn't fit.

Nevermind.

......Politics......
 

:previous:

First , let me say .....That 990' ship was laid down in 1950 . Ten years too late for true consideration . Second , I think your proposal sort of defeats the purpose of this thread . Third , Although I am a firm believer in
the lagistical and monetary benifits of using the ship as a " full blown hotel
casino " , my guess would be , it's lobbying would be better served in a
thread such as the " Philly VII " developement thread .......But thank you for
your support......both here , and with the " ship " . :)

Being a train nut I would have love to seen Broad Street Station in person:

from SW corner of city hall looking NW
http://members.cavtel.net/mikeg/hist...full-glory.jpg


From the City Hall tower looking west
http://members.cavtel.net/mikeg/hist...after-fire.jpg

Horace Trumbauer (1868-1938) A true Philadelphia classic.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi.../Trumbauer.jpg

His stamp is all over the city of Philadelphia but he will be most remembered for his monumental structures like the Philadelphia Museum of Art (with Zantzinger, Borie and Medary) and the Free Library on Logan Square along with the Ben Franklin Hotel, the Philadelphia Racquet Club, the Public Ledger Building, Union League of Philadelphia Annex, etc.

Philadelphia Museum of Art
http://phillylindylove.com/media/museum.jpg

Free Library of Philadelphia
http://z.about.com/d/philadelphia/1/0/Q/b/parkway19.jpg

Irvine Auditorium
http://www.facilities.upenn.edu/dbimages/bi0255.jpg

That picture is of Provident Life & Trust Co building but it misses adjoining Provident Office Building (also by Furness) that had already been torn down in 1945:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ntAddition.jpg
image:Library of Congress, Historic American Buildings Survey, HABS.PA.51-PHILA.256A-1

If you notice, when the Office building was demolished, they also chopped off the "dunce cap" roof on Life & Trust building. It was located on the northwest corner of 4th & Chestnut Streets as part of "Banker's Row". It it the current location of Azalea Restaurant.

Day one..........
 

The educational information and fantastic photographic contributions
are all more than I could have hoped for in one day . Thank you all for
a fantastic start to something I hope will continue to grow . Your
knowledge of and guidance with regard to our historical architectural
heritage is to be commended . I believe it is extremely important to
remember , where we came from , in order to appreciate where we are
going .........in more ways than one .

Please continue to inform , educate and enlighten all that attend to this
all but lost , art of design . :tup:

Maybe the title of this thread should be "Philadelphia Architecture from 1700-1940". Anyone else like that idea?

One of my all time favorite buildings - Furness was a genius.

:tup: