Douglas Haskell
Encyclopedia
Douglas Putnam Haskell was an American writer, architecture critic and magazine editor. Today he is widely known for his 1952 coinage of the term Googie architecture
in a 1952 article in House and Home magazine.
The son of American missionaries, Haskell was born in the Ottoman Empire
, in the Balkan city of Monastir, now Bitola
in the Republic of Macedonia
. After returning to the United States, he graduated from Oberlin College
in 1923. Shortly after this he became an editor at a national Student magazine, The New Student.
In 1927 he joined the editorial staff of the New York City-based magazine Creative Art. He was the architecture critic of The Nation
from 1929 until 1942, and was twice the associate editor of Architectural Record
, in 1929-1930 and from 1943-1949. He wrote for numerous other publications, including the English journal Architectural Review
and Harper's Magazine
. In 1949, he became the editor of Architectural Forum
, a post he held until his retirement in 1964. Under his editorship, the magazine published some of the early work of Jane Jacobs
, whom Haskell hired as an associate editor in 1952.
Not only one of the noted champions of modern architecture
in 1920's America, he was also a proponent of modern urban design
, and became a friend of planners such as Clarence Stein
and Henry Wright and fellow critic Lewis Mumford
.
Haskell was also an adjunct professor at Pratt Institute
and at Columbia University
. Although not an architect himself, he was admitted as a member of the American Institute of Architects
. His papers are held at Columbia University's Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library
. He was the elder brother of scientist Edward Haskell
.
Googie architecture
Googie architecture is a form of modern architecture, a subdivision of futurist architecture influenced by car culture and the Space and Atomic Ages....
in a 1952 article in House and Home magazine.
The son of American missionaries, Haskell was born in the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, in the Balkan city of Monastir, now Bitola
Bitola
Bitola is a city in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia. The city is an administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba and Nidže mountains, 14 km north of the...
in the Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
. After returning to the United States, he graduated from Oberlin College
Oberlin College
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
in 1923. Shortly after this he became an editor at a national Student magazine, The New Student.
In 1927 he joined the editorial staff of the New York City-based magazine Creative Art. He was the architecture critic of The Nation
The Nation
The Nation is the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States. The periodical, devoted to politics and culture, is self-described as "the flagship of the left." Founded on July 6, 1865, It is published by The Nation Company, L.P., at 33 Irving Place, New York City.The Nation...
from 1929 until 1942, and was twice the associate editor of Architectural Record
Architectural Record
Architectural Record is an American monthly magazine dedicated to architecture and interior design, published by McGraw-Hill Construction in New York City. It is over 110 years old...
, in 1929-1930 and from 1943-1949. He wrote for numerous other publications, including the English journal Architectural Review
Architectural Review
The Architectural Review is a monthly international architectural magazine published in London since 1896. Articles cover the built environment which includes landscape, building design, interior design and urbanism as well as theory of these subjects....
and Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts, with a generally left-wing perspective. It is the second-oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. . The current editor is Ellen Rosenbush, who replaced Roger Hodge in January 2010...
. In 1949, he became the editor of Architectural Forum
Architectural Forum
Architectural Forum was an American magazine that covered the home-building industry and architecture. Started in 1892, it absorbed the magazine Architect's world in October 1938, and ceased publication in 1974.-Other titles:...
, a post he held until his retirement in 1964. Under his editorship, the magazine published some of the early work of Jane Jacobs
Jane Jacobs
Jane Jacobs, was an American-Canadian writer and activist with primary interest in communities and urban planning and decay. She is best known for The Death and Life of Great American Cities , a powerful critique of the urban renewal policies of the 1950s in the United States...
, whom Haskell hired as an associate editor in 1952.
Not only one of the noted champions of modern architecture
Modern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
in 1920's America, he was also a proponent of modern urban design
Urban design
Urban design concerns the arrangement, appearance and functionality of towns and cities, and in particular the shaping and uses of urban public space. It has traditionally been regarded as a disciplinary subset of urban planning, landscape architecture, or architecture and in more recent times has...
, and became a friend of planners such as Clarence Stein
Clarence Stein
Clarence Samuel Stein was an American urban planner, architect, and writer, a major proponent of the "Garden City" movement in the United States.- Biography :...
and Henry Wright and fellow critic Lewis Mumford
Lewis Mumford
Lewis Mumford was an American historian, philosopher of technology, and influential literary critic. Particularly noted for his study of cities and urban architecture, he had a broad career as a writer...
.
Haskell was also an adjunct professor at Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
and at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. Although not an architect himself, he was admitted as a member of the American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
. His papers are held at Columbia University's Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library
Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library
The Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library is one of twenty-five libraries in the Columbia University Library System and is located in Avery Hall on the Morningside Heights campus of Columbia University in the City of New York. It is the largest architecture library in the world...
. He was the elder brother of scientist Edward Haskell
Edward Haskell
Edward Fröhlich Haskell was a synergic scientist and integral thinker who dedicated his life to the unification of human knowledge into a single discipline.-Biography:Haskell was born in Phillipopolis, now Plovdiv, Bulgaria...
.