Harlan Thomas
Encyclopedia
Harlan Thomas was a prominent Seattle architect
in the first half of the twentieth century. From 1926 to the early 1940s he served as Chair of the University of Washington Department of Architecture. He was also a noted watercolorist.
Harlan Thomas was born in 1870 in Des Moines, Iowa. His family moved to Fort Collins, Colorado in 1879. Thomas entered the Colorado State College
at Fort Collins in 1885, but after the death of his father the following year, he was forced to drop out and apprenticed as a carpenter, subsequently moving to Denver. In 1889 he took a job as a draftsman for a Denver architect, a position he held for two years. In 1891 he returned to Colorado State College; he majored in mathematics and mechanics, and graduated in 1895 with a Bachelor of Science degree. After a year in Denver working as an architect, Thomas married and then spent sixteen months in Europe. While in Paris, he studied with an atelier independent of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts
. Thomas returned to Denver and practiced as an architect in the city for the next decade.
in 1906, Harlan Thomas moved to Seattle, where he quickly achieved success, soon winning the commissions for the Chelsea Hotel (an apartment hotel in the Queen Anne
neighborhood) and for the Sorrento Hotel
(an elegant upscale tourist hotel on the edge of downtown). In the next few years his firm prospered and he received commissions for several schools in smaller cities in western Washington.
About 1910, Thomas entered into the first of several partnerships which would be the focus of his professional career thereafter--Thomas, Russell and Rice; Thomas and Grainger; Thomas, Grainger and Thomas (with Clyde Grainger (1887-1958) and his own son, Donald P. Thomas (1898-1970)). Among the best known of the projects of these partnerships are the Corner Market Building (1911-12) in the Pike Place Market
, and (in joint venture with W. Marbury Somervell) several branch libraries in Seattle--Queen Anne, Columbia, and Henry L. Yesler (now Douglass-Truth). The best-known project of the Thomas, Grainger and Thomas partnership is the Art Deco
-influenced Harborview Hospital (1929-31).
Thomas served as president of the Washington State Chapter of the American Institute of Architects
(predecessor to today's AIA Seattle Chapter) from 1924 to 1926.
In 1926, he was appointed as the second chair of the Department of Architecture at the University of Washington succeeding Carl F. Gould. Like Gould he held the position on a half-time basis and continued to maintain an active architectural practice. In 1928 Thomas secured funds for additional faculty and was able to entice Lionel Pries
to join the Department. Thomas served as head of the program through the early 1940s, but by 1940, day-to-day administrative functions were increasingly handled by Arthur Herrman who became Executive Officer.
He was elected a Fellow
in the AIA in 1935. In 1941, after Thomas's retirement from day-to-day direction of the architecture school, he was elected Director of the Western Mountain District, American Institute of Architects.
Throughout his life, Thomas was an avid watercolorist
, noted for his soft, meticulous technique, particularly appropriate to the many landscapes he painted.
Thomas completely retired from practice in 1949. He died in Seattle in 1953.
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
in the first half of the twentieth century. From 1926 to the early 1940s he served as Chair of the University of Washington Department of Architecture. He was also a noted watercolorist.
Biography
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
at Fort Collins in 1885, but after the death of his father the following year, he was forced to drop out and apprenticed as a carpenter, subsequently moving to Denver. In 1889 he took a job as a draftsman for a Denver architect, a position he held for two years. In 1891 he returned to Colorado State College; he majored in mathematics and mechanics, and graduated in 1895 with a Bachelor of Science degree. After a year in Denver working as an architect, Thomas married and then spent sixteen months in Europe. While in Paris, he studied with an atelier independent of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The most famous is the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, now located on the left bank in Paris, across the Seine from the Louvre, in the 6th arrondissement. The school has a history spanning more than 350 years,...
. Thomas returned to Denver and practiced as an architect in the city for the next decade.
in 1906, Harlan Thomas moved to Seattle, where he quickly achieved success, soon winning the commissions for the Chelsea Hotel (an apartment hotel in the Queen Anne
Queen Anne, Seattle, Washington
Queen Anne Hill is a neighborhood and geographic feature in Seattle, Washington, northwest of downtown. The neighborhood sits on the highest named hill in the city, with a maximum elevation of . It covers an area of , and has a population of about 28,000...
neighborhood) and for the Sorrento Hotel
Sorrento Hotel
Sorrento Hotel is an Italian oasis style hotel in Seattle, Washington, United States, located at the historic First Hill neighborhood.The Sorrento Hotel opened in 1909, just before the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition was held in the city....
(an elegant upscale tourist hotel on the edge of downtown). In the next few years his firm prospered and he received commissions for several schools in smaller cities in western Washington.
About 1910, Thomas entered into the first of several partnerships which would be the focus of his professional career thereafter--Thomas, Russell and Rice; Thomas and Grainger; Thomas, Grainger and Thomas (with Clyde Grainger (1887-1958) and his own son, Donald P. Thomas (1898-1970)). Among the best known of the projects of these partnerships are the Corner Market Building (1911-12) in the Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market is a public market overlooking the Elliott Bay waterfront in Seattle, Washington, United States. The Market opened August 17, 1907, and is one of the oldest continually operated public farmers' markets in the United States. It is a place of business for many small farmers,...
, and (in joint venture with W. Marbury Somervell) several branch libraries in Seattle--Queen Anne, Columbia, and Henry L. Yesler (now Douglass-Truth). The best-known project of the Thomas, Grainger and Thomas partnership is the Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
-influenced Harborview Hospital (1929-31).
Thomas served as president of the Washington State Chapter 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...
(predecessor to today's AIA Seattle Chapter) from 1924 to 1926.
In 1926, he was appointed as the second chair of the Department of Architecture at the University of Washington succeeding Carl F. Gould. Like Gould he held the position on a half-time basis and continued to maintain an active architectural practice. In 1928 Thomas secured funds for additional faculty and was able to entice Lionel Pries
Lionel Pries
Lionel H. Pries , was a leading architect, artist, and educator in the Pacific Northwest.Pries was born in San Francisco and raised in Oakland. He graduated with a B.A. in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1920, where he studied under John Galen Howard...
to join the Department. Thomas served as head of the program through the early 1940s, but by 1940, day-to-day administrative functions were increasingly handled by Arthur Herrman who became Executive Officer.
He was elected a Fellow
FAIA
Fellow of the American Institute of Architects is a postnomial, designating an individual who has been named a fellow of the American Institute of Architects...
in the AIA in 1935. In 1941, after Thomas's retirement from day-to-day direction of the architecture school, he was elected Director of the Western Mountain District, American Institute of Architects.
Throughout his life, Thomas was an avid watercolorist
Watercolor painting
Watercolor or watercolour , also aquarelle from French, is a painting method. A watercolor is the medium or the resulting artwork in which the paints are made of pigments suspended in a water-soluble vehicle...
, noted for his soft, meticulous technique, particularly appropriate to the many landscapes he painted.
Thomas completely retired from practice in 1949. He died in Seattle in 1953.