Archinect
anchor

Happy Birthday Julian Abele

30 April 1881

OUT OF THE SHADOWS
After decades of obscurity, African-American architect Julian Abele is finally getting recognition for his contributions to some of 20th-century America's most prestigious buildings -- by Susan E. Tiffet
Smithsonian February 2005

Cheif designer Julian Abele modeled Duke University's chapel after Britian's Canterbury Cathedral.

Abele was elected president of the University of Pennsylvania's student architectural society.

"I hired my brains," declared Trumbauer, who added Abele to the firm's roster in 1906.

[Trumbauer had no formal training in Architecture himself (a born architect I guess), but he did pay for Abele's studies at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, Paris.]

Two firms collaborated on the design of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, for which Abele created dramatic perspective drawings.

Over 44 years, Abele designed or contributed to the design of some 250 buildings, including Harvard's Widener Library.

(All the above quotations are the illustration captions within "Out of the Shadows."
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian/issues05/feb05/shadow.html )

Interestingly, Julian Abele's death, 23 April 1950, calendrically coincides with the birth of St. Catherine de Ricci, 23 April 1522. The Domincan Sisters of St. Catherine de Ricci presently own a good bit of Trumbauer architecture.

Elstowe
http://www.quondam.com/19/1814.htm
Powerhouse of the Elstowe Estate
http://www.quondam.com/19/1811.htm
Squash Court and Garden at Chelten House
http://www.quondam.com/19/1824.htm

sorry Tafuri
http://www.quondam.com/19/1873.htm

 
Apr 30, 05 2:57 pm
kissy_face

Wow..someone else knows who this guy is!

Apr 30, 05 5:54 pm  · 
 · 

Block this user


Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?

Archinect


This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.

  • ×Search in: