30s Gothic revival architecture (& good news)

[Cousin Hepcat]

Had an interview this past week with a counselor in admissions board for my first-choice grad school; very encouraging! Knock on wood. When I'm in a good mood, I take pictures.

For fans of Gothic architecture: Construction on the Duke University Chapel in Durham, NC (the school's national rep earned Durham the name, "The City of Medicine") started in 1930, was completed in 1935, and cost nearly $2.3 million.

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As a little kid, used to think giants lived there. In high school, did a research project on its architecture, construction, & Gothic style in general.

Here're pics of the campus area near the main quadrangle leading up to the chapel, w/ student library, some dorms facing towards the hospital, & the divinity school. Anyone else have examples of local gothic or other medieval-influenced architecture?

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[Cousin Hepcat]

The chapel, outside:

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[Cousin Hepcat]

Side courtyard:

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Wanted to get some pics inside the chapel but it was in use. Some pics from the chapel website:

The front lobby:

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Inside:

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From the front: performed there while in the NC Boys Choir.

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Downstairs- the crypt:

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Anyone else have examples from your area? I'm watching a documentary right now that includes a section on Gothic, & now I can't Wait to see Chartres when fate allows...

- C H

 

[Midnight Palace]

Great photos!!!

 

[SaraBell]

Wow...I looove gothic architecture and that building is amazing!

 

[Sefton]

Stunning! Wonderful photos. Will you be wearing 30's collegiate style if-excuse me,when-you get in? White buck shoes and blue blazer with gold buttons,et al?

 

[Haversack]

Collegiate Gothic is not as common on the West Coast as it is back east, (Italian Rennaissance and Spanish Colonial are the major influences for Golden Age collegiate architecture out here). There are some examples however.

There is Bowles Hall over at Cal. It was built in 1928 as the mens' dormitory. Its been in the news recently as some University officials want to tear it down for a sports center expansion. Others want it dismantled because of it is seen as an incubator of an old boys network. (There are many traditions. The Wiki article has a picture of the place as well as a list of alumni and some of the traditions of the place)

Also peculiar with its traditions and sense of their own quirky superiority is Reed College in south eastern Portland, (Oregon). Almost all of the original campus buildings are Gothic Revival and date from its founding in 1908. Probably the most (in)famous of Reed's buildings is the Old Dorm Block which contains Doyle Dormitory, home (at one time) of the Doyle Owl.

Some of the smaller religious-backed colleges use Collegiate Gothic to good effect. Also, I believe that the University of Washington in Seattle has some CG buildings as well. I'm not that familiar with the campuses in Southern California so I will leave there to others more familiar and local to comment.

Haversack.

 

[Cousin Hepcat]

Gothic- pics from the inside

Haversack: Fascinating. From Wikipedia: "The movement had significant influence throughout the United Kingdom as well as in Europe and North America, and perhaps more Gothic architecture was built in nineteenth and twentieth centuries than had originally ever been built." Talk about posthumous recognition...

Was on campus again (financial aid); afterward, chapel wasn't reserved this time, so took my own inside pics shortly before sunset. Reminded me how excited I got as a kid, going to hear the regular carillion & organ recitals here.

The Portal:

Christian reformers Savonarola, Martin Luther, & John Wycliffe:

The Memorial Chapel room: Here are the sarcophagi where the benefactors that the university was named for are entombed:

 

[Cousin Hepcat]

The Crypt, with former university presidents & chapel deans and their wives:

Back up

Wish I had an MP3 to post; you don't really "hear" the low notes, they just feel like earth tremors

- C H

 

[Tomasso]

The University of Chicago

Rockefeller Memorial Chapel named after John D. Rockefeller, U. of C. founder and benefactor. Rockefeller called the U. of C. ,"The best investment I ever made".

 

[dhermann1]

Wow, nice. I love Gothic architecture, and appreciate really well done American attempts.
In my childhood neighborhood, the upper west side of Manhattan, we had the Riverside Church, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and the Union Thoelogical Seminary. I'll get some pix some time soon, since I work near them now, but in the meantime, here are some links:
http://www.theriversidechurchny.org/about/?art
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Saint_John_the_Divine
http://www.nyc-architecture.com/HAR/HAR002.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Theological_Seminary_in_the_City_of_New_York
If you've ever seen the (original) film, The Bishop's Wife, the picture of the Bishop's "cathedral" is actually Riverside Church.

 

[Cousin Hepcat]

Wow...I looove gothic architecture and that building is amazing!

Indeed... and this is only a few of the buildings; the majority of that area of the entire campus is the same Gothic style, including the old parts of the hospital.

Stunning! Wonderful photos. Will you be wearing 30's collegiate style if-excuse me,when-you get in? White buck shoes and blue blazer with gold buttons,et al?

Thanks- but Come on, that's a sure jinx! I'll be happy to wear Anything if I get in.

Tomasso: Great Pics, love the ivy, thanks. Makes me want to find out more about the different styles of Gothic. Wonder what the original purpose of those spire barbs was.

Dhermann: Checked out the links, Riverside Church & the Cathedral of St. John the Divine look incredible up close! Really like those variants on the Gothic style. Added them to the list to stop by for a close look whenever I'm in that area, thanks.



Was surfing & found out Duke Chapel's chief designer architect, Julian Abele, was America's first African-American architect of renown. Sometimes the more you investigate, the cooler things get.

- C H