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48 C i t e 3 2 TRAVELS IN LARGE (AND SMALL) TOWN TEXAS Architecture in Texas, 189.1-1945 by Jay C. Henry. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1993. 364 pp., illus., $49.95 Reviewed by Malcolm Quantrill It used to be said that if you drove 50 miles anywhere in Europe you would pass at least five miles of architecture, but if you drove 50 miles in Texas you would be lucky to get out of the gas station. University of Texas architecture professor Jay C. Henry's excellent study of half a century of Baukunst in Texas clearly demonstrates that this old saw is at least partially unfounded. Naturally, your chances of being exposed to Texas K.iukiiiiM will depend on the route you take, and the direction in which you travel. Jay Henry aims to take as much chance as possible out of the architectural tour (a pity, then, that he doesn't give us any maps). His book desperately wants to be a ga/etteer, hut someone apparently decided against that, perhaps on the grounds of academic respectability. Instead, we have something that is almost a catalogue. If you want to enjoy the major delights of Texas architecture for the period span- ning the end of the 19th century to the end of World War II, visit the larger cities: Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Galveston, and Houston. But a random selection from the build- ings illustrated here reveals that James Knox Taylor's U.S. Post Office for Mineral Wells of 1912, the Carnegie Museum at Belton (1904) by Smith and Moore, Roy L. Thomas's City Hall and Fire Station for San Marcos (1915), the Beaumont City Hall and Auditorium by F. W. and D. E. Steinman (1927), Mood Hall at Southwestern University, Georgetown < 1906), by C. H. Page and Brother, and the Baylor University Administration Building in Waco (1938), by Birch Easterwood and Son, are all worth a visit. There are other treasures, for example on the campus of Texas AflcM University at College Station - known locally as "a parade ground occa- sionally interrupted by buildings" - where F. E. Giesecke's (Old) Academic Building of 1912 is as good an example of turn-of-the-century classicism as can be found in the region. In addition, visits to places with such exotic names as Paris and Palestine are clearly worthwhile. The chapters on "The Survival of Past Traditions," "Academic Eclecticism," and "Regional Eclecticism" are particu- larly well written and worthwhile. "Modernistic Modes of Design" reveals poor connections between Texas and the rest of the architectural world in the 1930s, an impression that arises partly as a consequence of Professor Henry's decision to distinguish between "mod- ernistic," "domestic," and "public" architecture. In the midst of this confu- sion there are quite startling surprises, such as the link between Wilem (not William, as Henry has it) Dudok's Hilversum Town Hall (1930) and Walter C. Sharpe's Lincoln High School of Dallas (1939). Dudok, a follower of Wright, was certainly an influence on Alvar Aalto; if he penetrated the architec- tural consciousness of Texas in the thir- ties he must have had truly universal appeal at that time. The work of Karl Kamrath is also rightly celebrated, and is not a surprise. This book has many good qualities, but design and layout are not among them. The size of the illustrations is largely arbitrary, their reproduction often poor. Clearly, the problem was one of conflict between broad scope and narrow budget. The choice of format only made things worse; if the book were redesigned as a traveler's guide, it would be extremely useful and undoubtedly popular. • ACCE&SOKLE& INTERNATIONAL LNC An extensive collection of classical furniture and accessoncft. Color catalogue with over 200 photographs 550.00 9620 Dryadolc. Houston. Texas 77041 800-669-7449/rax 713-895-0189 Dross Beds • Iron Deds Railings • Stairways the BRASS maiden 2035 Porrsmourh Housron, TX 77098 (713)5238413 {continued from page 131 .3 David l.ittlcjohn. Architect: The Life and Work of Charles W. Moore (New York: Hull Kini.-li.irt and Winston, 1984), p. 103. 4 Charles Moore, Gerald Allen, and Donlyn Lyndon, The Place of Houses (New York: H»l(, Rinchart and Winston, 1974), p. 62. 5 Ibid., p. 64. 6 Ibid., p. 231. 7 Franz Schulzc, "Chaos as Architecture,"/^/ in America July 1970, pp. 88-96; "New Haven Haven: Amid Connecticut's Early Americana ...," Playboy, October 1969, p. 126. 8 Charles Moore, "Plug ll in Rameses," Perspecta 1 I |1967|, pp. 32-43. 9 l.ittlcjohn, Architect, pp. 85, 86. 1(1 Charlie Moore, I'erer Decker, and Kegula Campbell, The City Observed: Lot Angeles (New York: Vintage/Random House, 1984). The condo- minium is, however, included in David Gcbhard and Robert Winter's Architecture in Los Angeles: A Compleat Guide (Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1985), p. 132. The deferential entry focuses on its rather jumbled outward appearance, with the caveat lli.it from the outside "it is close to impossible to know what is going on inside." 11 [Drexel Turner), "Reflections on a l.ess Critical Regionalism and Other Burdensome Matters: A Conversation With Charles Moore," Cite 17 (Spring 1987), p. 12. 12 Charles Moore, as cold to Elizabeth Sverbcyeff Byron, "More, More, Moore! Architect Charles Moore Describes the Eighth House He's Built for Himself - The Crowded Center of a Crowded Life," House and Garden, May 1988, p. 184. 13 The plan of Moore's Esses courtyard house project of 1970 bears a skewed, out-of-body relation ship to Louis I. Kahn's project for a courtyard house for M. Morton Goldcnberg, Rvdal, Pennsvlvania, 1958-59 [The Work ofCJ/arles Moore. A+V. extra issue, 1973:5, p. 93), Moore prepared at least one other scheme in 1970 for a new house of his own in Essex, using a bow-tie plan illustrated in Eugene Johnson's essay "Performing Architecture: The Work ol Charles Moore," in Johnson, ed., Charles W. Hour,-: IliuUings and Projects. [94M-1986 [New York: Rizzoli. 1986], p. 77). 14 Littlciohn, Architect, p. 320. 15 B. J. Archer, ed.. Houses for Sale (New York: Rizzoh, 1980), p. 61. 16 Moore and Byron, "More," p. 184. 17 Anthony Blunt, Borromim (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 19791, pp. 164-66. 18 Yale Seminars in Architecture 2 (New Haven: School of Architecture, Yale University, 1^821, p. 18. [9 Moore, "More." pp. 184-85. 20 Ihid., p. 185. 21 Goldberger, "Trying to Save the Legacy," p. B4. 22 Heinrich Klotz, "Charles Moore in Miniatures," in Johnson, ed., CJiartes Moore: liuddmgs and Protects, p. 41. 2.3 Both sources were available to Moore only through reading. The Neue Wache as built dispensed with the armorial sentinels; the Komglichcs Sciilnss was devastated by bombing and demolished after the end of World War II. 24 Moore and Byron, "More," p. 183. 25 Moore et al., The Place of Houses, p. 8S. 26 Ihid.. p. 233. 27 Moore and Byron, "More," p. 185. 28 Ibid., p. 184. The figure Goldberger reports has been Texanized to 26. Paul Goldberger, "'We Can't Wait Forever,' Says Moore's Executor," New York Times. 20 October 1994. p. B4. 29 Moore ct al.. The Place of Houses, p. 64. 30 Goldberger, "'We Can't Wait Forever,'" p. B4. 31 Goldberger, "Trying to Save the Legacy," p. 134.
Transcript of 2035 Porrsmourh maiden
48 C i t e 3 2
TRAVELS IN LARGE (AND SMALL) TOWN TEXAS
Architecture in Texas, 189.1-1945 by Jay C. Henry. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1993. 364 pp., illus., $49.95
Reviewed by Malcolm Quantrill
It used to be said that if you drove 50 miles anywhere in Europe you would pass at least five miles of architecture, but if you drove 50 miles in Texas you would be lucky to get out of the gas station. University of Texas architecture professor Jay C. Henry's excellent study of half a century of Baukunst in Texas clearly demonstrates that this old saw is at least partially unfounded. Naturally, your chances of being exposed to Texas K.iukiiiiM wil l depend on the route you take, and the direction in which you travel. Jay Henry aims to take as much chance as possible out of the architectural tour (a pity, then, that he doesn't give us any maps). His book desperately wants to be a ga/etteer, hut someone apparently decided against that, perhaps on the grounds of academic respectability. Instead, we have something that is almost a catalogue.
If you want to enjoy the major delights of Texas architecture for the period span-ning the end of the 19th century to the end of World War I I , visit the larger cities: Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Galveston, and Houston. But a random selection from the build-ings illustrated here reveals that James Knox Taylor's U.S. Post Office for Mineral Wells of 1912, the Carnegie Museum at Belton (1904) by Smith and Moore, Roy L. Thomas's City Hall and Fire Station for San Marcos (1915), the Beaumont City Hall and Auditorium by F. W. and D. E. Steinman (1927), Mood Hall at Southwestern University, Georgetown < 1906), by C. H. Page and Brother, and the Baylor University Administration Building in Waco (1938), by Birch Easterwood and Son, are all worth a visit. There are other treasures, for example on the campus of Texas AflcM University at College Station -known locally as "a parade ground occa-sionally interrupted by buildings" -where F. E. Giesecke's (Old) Academic Building of 1912 is as good an example of turn-of-the-century classicism as can
be found in the region. In addition, visits to places with such exotic names as Paris and Palestine are clearly worthwhile.
The chapters on "The Survival of Past Traditions," "Academic Eclecticism," and "Regional Eclecticism" are particu-larly well written and worthwhile. "Modernistic Modes of Design" reveals poor connections between Texas and the rest of the architectural world in the 1930s, an impression that arises partly as a consequence of Professor Henry's decision to distinguish between "mod-ernistic," "domestic," and "publ ic" architecture. In the midst of this confu-sion there are quite startling surprises, such as the link between Wilem (not Wil l iam, as Henry has it) Dudok's Hilversum Town Hall (1930) and Walter C. Sharpe's Lincoln High School of Dallas (1939). Dudok, a follower of Wright, was certainly an influence on Alvar Aalto; if he penetrated the architec-tural consciousness of Texas in the thir-ties he must have had truly universal appeal at that time. The work of Karl Kamrath is also rightly celebrated, and is not a surprise.
This book has many good qualities, but design and layout are not among them. The size of the illustrations is largely arbitrary, their reproduction often poor. Clearly, the problem was one of conflict between broad scope and narrow budget. The choice of format only made things worse; if the book were redesigned as a traveler's guide, it would be extremely useful and undoubtedly popular. •
ACCE&SOKLE& INTERNATIONAL LNC
An extensive collection of classical furniture and accessoncft. Color catalogue with over 200 photographs 550.00
9620 Dryadolc. Houston. Texas 77041 800-669-7449/rax 713-895-0189
Dross Beds • Iron Deds Railings • Stairways the
BRASS maiden
2035 Porrsmourh Housron, TX 77098
(713)5238413
{continued from page 131
.3 David l.ittlcjohn. Architect: The Life and Work of Charles W. Moore (New York: Hull Kini.-li.irt and Winston, 1984), p. 103. 4 Charles Moore, Gerald Allen, and Donlyn Lyndon, The Place of Houses (New York: H»l(, Rinchart and Winston, 1974), p. 62. 5 Ibid., p. 64. 6 Ibid., p. 231. 7 Franz Schulzc, "Chaos as Architecture,"/^/ in America July 1970, pp. 88-96; "New Haven Haven: Amid Connecticut's Early Americana . . . , " Playboy, October 1969, p. 126. 8 Charles Moore, "Plug ll in Rameses," Perspecta 1 I |1967|, pp. 32-43. 9 l.ittlcjohn, Architect, pp. 85, 86. 1(1 Charlie Moore, I'erer Decker, and Kegula Campbell, The City Observed: Lot Angeles (New York: Vintage/Random House, 1984). The condo-minium is, however, included in David Gcbhard and Robert Winter's Architecture in Los Angeles: A Compleat Guide (Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1985), p. 132. The deferential entry focuses on its rather jumbled outward appearance, with the caveat lli.it from the outside "it is close to impossible to know what is going on inside." 11 [Drexel Turner), "Reflections on a l.ess Critical Regionalism and Other Burdensome Matters: A Conversation With Charles Moore," Cite 17 (Spring 1987), p. 12. 12 Charles Moore, as cold to Elizabeth Sverbcyeff Byron, "More, More, Moore! Architect Charles Moore Describes the Eighth House He's Built for Himself - The Crowded Center of a Crowded Life," House and Garden, May 1988, p. 184. 13 The plan of Moore's Esses courtyard house project of 1970 bears a skewed, out-of-body relation ship to Louis I. Kahn's project for a courtyard house for M . Morton Goldcnberg, Rvdal, Pennsvlvania, 1958-59 [The Work ofCJ/arles Moore. A+V. extra issue, 1973:5, p. 93), Moore prepared at least one other scheme in 1970 for a new house of his own in Essex, using a bow-tie plan illustrated in Eugene Johnson's essay "Performing Architecture: The Work ol Charles Moore," in Johnson, ed., Charles W. Hour,-: IliuUings and Projects. [94M-1986 [New York: Rizzoli. 1986], p. 77). 14 Littlciohn, Architect, p. 320. 15 B. J. Archer, ed.. Houses for Sale (New York: Rizzoh, 1980), p. 6 1 . 16 Moore and Byron, "More," p. 184. 17 Anthony Blunt, Borromim (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 19791, pp. 164-66. 18 Yale Seminars in Architecture 2 (New Haven: School of Architecture, Yale University, 1^821, p. 18. [9 Moore, "More." pp. 184-85. 20 Ihid., p. 185. 21 Goldberger, "Trying to Save the Legacy," p. B4. 22 Heinrich Klotz, "Charles Moore in Miniatures," in Johnson, ed., CJiartes Moore: liuddmgs and Protects, p. 4 1 . 2.3 Both sources were available to Moore only through reading. The Neue Wache as built dispensed with the armorial sentinels; the Komglichcs Sciilnss was devastated by bombing and demolished after the end of World War II. 24 Moore and Byron, "More," p. 183. 25 Moore et al., The Place of Houses, p. 8S. 26 Ihid.. p. 233. 27 Moore and Byron, "More," p. 185. 28 Ibid., p. 184. The figure Goldberger reports has been Texanized to 26. Paul Goldberger, "'We Can't Wait Forever,' Says Moore's Executor," New York Times. 20 October 1994. p. B4. 29 Moore ct al.. The Place of Houses, p. 64. 30 Goldberger, "'We Can't Wait Forever,'" p. B4. 31 Goldberger, "Trying to Save the Legacy," p. 134.
