Dankmar Adler
Encyclopedia
Dankmar Adler was a celebrated German
-born American architect
.
After he began his own firm, Adler hired Louis Sullivan as a draughtsman and designer in 1880; Sullivan was made a partner in the firm in 1883.
Adler was not only an architect but also a gifted civil engineer
who, with his partner Louis Sullivan
, designed many buildings including influential skyscrapers that boldly addressed their steel skeleton through their exterior design: the Guaranty Building in Buffalo, New York
, the Chicago Stock Exchange Building (1894–1972) and the Wainwright Building
in St. Louis, Missouri
.
Adler and Sullivan's Auditorium Building
(1889) is an early example of splendid acoustical engineering, as is their Kehilath Anshe Ma'ariv Synagogue
. Both drew upon the fine acoustics in Adler's earlier Central Music Hall. Adler was an acclaimed expert in acoustics, yet he was unable to explain fully the excellent acoustic properties of his buildings.
With his partner Burling and thereafter, as a partner in Adler and Sullivan, Adler was instrumental in rebuilding much of Chicago following the Great Chicago Fire
. Adler is considered a leader in the Chicago school
of architecture. In addition to their pioneering accomplishments with steel-framed buildings and skyscraper
s, Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan were early employers and mentors of architect Frank Lloyd Wright
, whose consistent praise for Adler ("the ‘American Engineer’ my ‘Big Chief’") surpassed even that which he reserved for Sullivan, whom he called his "lieber meister".
The last major building Adler designed was Temple Isaiah.
Photographs and other archival materials are held by the Ryerson & Burnham Libraries
at the Art Institute of Chicago
. The Dankmar Adler Collection of letters, papers, and photographs also includes an autobiography.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-born American architect
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
.
Early years
Adler's mother died when he was born. He came to the United States with his father Liebman in 1854.Architectural practice
Adler served in the Union Army during the Civil War. Thereafter, he practiced in Chicago, from 1866 onward. He worked first with Augustus Bauer and next with Ozias S. Kinney. Adler formed a partnership with Edward Burling in 1871; they created more than 100 buildings together before ending the partnership.After he began his own firm, Adler hired Louis Sullivan as a draughtsman and designer in 1880; Sullivan was made a partner in the firm in 1883.
Adler was not only an architect but also a gifted civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
who, with his partner Louis Sullivan
Louis Sullivan
Louis Henri Sullivan was an American architect, and has been called the "father of skyscrapers" and "father of modernism" He is considered by many as the creator of the modern skyscraper, was an influential architect and critic of the Chicago School, was a mentor to Frank Lloyd Wright, and an...
, designed many buildings including influential skyscrapers that boldly addressed their steel skeleton through their exterior design: the Guaranty Building in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, the Chicago Stock Exchange Building (1894–1972) and the Wainwright Building
Wainwright Building
The Wainwright Building is a 10-story red brick office building at 709 Chestnut Street in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. The Wainwright Building is among the first skyscrapers in the world. It was designed by Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan in the Palazzo style and built between 1890 and 1891...
in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
.
Adler and Sullivan's Auditorium Building
Auditorium Building, Chicago
The Auditorium Building in Chicago is one of the best-known designs of Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan. Completed in 1889, the building is located on South Michigan Avenue, at the northwest corner of Michigan Avenue and Congress Parkway. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1975. It...
(1889) is an early example of splendid acoustical engineering, as is their Kehilath Anshe Ma'ariv Synagogue
Pilgrim Baptist Church
Pilgrim Baptist Church is an historic church located on the south side of Chicago, Illinois, USA. The landmarked building was originally constructed for a synagogue, K.A.M. Isaiah Israel Temple. The church is notable both as an architectural landmark and for the cultural contributions by the...
. Both drew upon the fine acoustics in Adler's earlier Central Music Hall. Adler was an acclaimed expert in acoustics, yet he was unable to explain fully the excellent acoustic properties of his buildings.
With his partner Burling and thereafter, as a partner in Adler and Sullivan, Adler was instrumental in rebuilding much of Chicago following the Great Chicago Fire
Great Chicago Fire
The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned from Sunday, October 8, to early Tuesday, October 10, 1871, killing hundreds and destroying about in Chicago, Illinois. Though the fire was one of the largest U.S...
. Adler is considered a leader in the Chicago school
Chicago school (architecture)
Chicago's architecture is famous throughout the world and one style is referred to as the Chicago School. The style is also known as Commercial style. In the history of architecture, the Chicago School was a school of architects active in Chicago at the turn of the 20th century...
of architecture. In addition to their pioneering accomplishments with steel-framed buildings and skyscraper
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
s, Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan were early employers and mentors of architect Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
, whose consistent praise for Adler ("the ‘American Engineer’ my ‘Big Chief’") surpassed even that which he reserved for Sullivan, whom he called his "lieber meister".
The last major building Adler designed was Temple Isaiah.
Personal life
On June 25, 1872, Adler married Dila Kohn (05 Jul 1850 - 03 Dec 1918). Their children include: Abraham K. Adler (September 13, 1873-October 30, 1914), Sidney Adler (26 Jun 1876-25 Nov 1925) and Sadie Adler (born 1878). Adler's final resting place is the Mount Maryiv Cemetery in Chicago.Photographs and other archival materials are held by the Ryerson & Burnham Libraries
Ryerson & Burnham
The Ryerson & Burnham Libraries are the art and architecture research collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. The libraries cover all periods with extensive holdings in the areas of 18th, 19th and 20th century architecture and 19th century painting, prints, drawings, and decorative arts...
at the Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
. The Dankmar Adler Collection of letters, papers, and photographs also includes an autobiography.
Architectural work (partial list)
The first group of buildings were created in partnership with Edward Burling:- Old Chicago Tribune Building, Dearborn & Clark
- Delmonico's, Madison & Clark
- Kingsbury Hall, Clark Street
- Garrett Biblical Institute, Lake Street
- Methodist Church Block, Clark Street
- Samuel Cole Building, W. Lake Street - 1873
- William Rowney Building - 1873
- St James Episcopal Cathedral, E. Huron Street - 1875
- Row Houses, 2225-2245 N. Burling Street - 1875
- Sinai Temple, Indiana Avenue and 21st Street - 1875
- Central Music Hall - 1879
- Borden Block - 1879-90
- Rothschild Store - 1881
- Jewelers Building 1881-82
- Revell Building - 1881-83
- Third McVickers Theatre - 1883
- Thirty-Ninth Street Passenger Station, ICR - 1883
- Troescher Building - 1884
- Springer Block and Kranz Buildings - 1885–87
- Selz, Schwab & Company Factory - 1886–87
- Wirt Dexter Building - 1887
- Standard Club of Chicago - 1887-88
- James H. Walker Warehouse - 1888
- Auditorium Building - 1887-1889
- Hebrew Manual Training School - 1889–90
- E. W. Blatchford Warehouse - 1889
- Kehilath Anshe Ma'ariv Synagogue (later Pilgrim Baptist Church) - 1890–91
- Wainwright BuildingWainwright BuildingThe Wainwright Building is a 10-story red brick office building at 709 Chestnut Street in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. The Wainwright Building is among the first skyscrapers in the world. It was designed by Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan in the Palazzo style and built between 1890 and 1891...
, St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
- 1891 - Schiller Building - 1891-92
- James Charnley House - 1891–92
- Albert Sullivan Residence - 1891–92
- Transportation Building, World's Columbian Exposition - 1891–93
- Guaranty Building, Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New YorkBuffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
- 1894
External links
- http://digital-libraries.saic.edu/cdm4/results.php?CISORESTMP=results.php&CISOVIEWTMP=item_viewer.php&CISOMODE=grid&CISOGRID=thumbnail%2CA%2C1%3Btitle%2CA%2C1%3Bdescri%2CA%2C0%3Bnone%2C200%2C0%3Bnone%2CA%2C0%3B20%3Btitle%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone&CISOBIB=title%2CA%2C1%2CN%3Borigin%2CA%2C0%2CN%3Bdate%2C200%2C0%2CN%3Bnone%2CA%2C0%2CN%3Bnone%2CA%2C0%2CN%3B20%3Btitle%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone&CISOTHUMB=20+(4x5)%3Btitle%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone&CISOTITLE=20%3Btitle%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone&CISOHIERA=20%3Borigin%2Ctitle%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone&CISOSUPPRESS=1&CISOOP1=exact&CISOFIELD1=title&CISOROOT=%2Ffindingaids&CISOBOX1=Adler%2C+Dankmar%2C+Collection%2C+1844-1941Dankmar Adler Collection 1844-1941: Ryerson & BurnhamRyerson & BurnhamThe Ryerson & Burnham Libraries are the art and architecture research collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. The libraries cover all periods with extensive holdings in the areas of 18th, 19th and 20th century architecture and 19th century painting, prints, drawings, and decorative arts...
Libraries] - Dankmar Adler papers, 1865-1900 from the Smithsonian Archives of American ArtArchives of American ArtThe Archives of American Art is the largest collection of primary resources documenting the history of the visual arts in the United States. More than 16 million items of original material are housed in the Archives' research centers in Washington, D.C...
- Dankmar Adler Papers, 1857-1984 at The Newberry Library