Harry Weese
Encyclopedia
Harry Mohr Weese was an American
architect
, born in Evanston, Illinois
in the Chicago
suburbs, who had an important role in 20th century modernism and historic preservation. His brother, Ben Weese
, is also a renowned architect.
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, graduated in 1938, and went on to study city planning while on a fellowship at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan
. Weese was also influenced by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen
, whom he met at Cranbrook. He built primarily in the modern architectural style, but integrated other styles as he felt appropriate for the project. Out of Cranbrook, Weese joined the major architectural and engineering firm, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
. During World War II
, Weese served as an engineer on a U.S. Navy
destroyer
, and 1947, he started his own architectural firm.
Weese is also well known for his firm advocacy of historic preservation
and was remembered as the architect who "shaped Chicago’s skyline and the way the city thought about everything from the lakefront to its treasure-trove of historical buildings." Weese also served as a judge for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
design competition.
Toward the end of his life, Weese drank heavily and his reputation faded; he died after years of going in and out of alcohol rehab.
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Weese is best known as the designer and architect of the first group of stations in the Washington Metro
system. Other well known works include:
Weese also led numerous restoration projects including:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
architect
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...
, born in Evanston, Illinois
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
in the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
suburbs, who had an important role in 20th century modernism and historic preservation. His brother, Ben Weese
Ben Weese
Benjamin Horace Weese is an American architect hailing from Chicago, and a member of the architects group, the Chicago Seven. Weese is the younger brother of fellow Chicago architect Harry Weese....
, is also a renowned architect.
Background
Harry Weese studied under the Finnish architect Alvar AaltoAlvar Aalto
Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto was a Finnish architect and designer. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware...
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
, graduated in 1938, and went on to study city planning while on a fellowship at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Weese was also influenced by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen
Eero Saarinen
Eero Saarinen was a Finnish American architect and industrial designer of the 20th century famous for varying his style according to the demands of the project: simple, sweeping, arching structural curves or machine-like rationalism.-Biography:Eero Saarinen shared the same birthday as his father,...
, whom he met at Cranbrook. He built primarily in the modern architectural style, but integrated other styles as he felt appropriate for the project. Out of Cranbrook, Weese joined the major architectural and engineering firm, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP is an American architectural and engineering firm that was formed in Chicago in 1936 by Louis Skidmore and Nathaniel Owings; in 1939 they were joined by John O. Merrill. They opened their first branch in New York City, New York in 1937. SOM is one of the largest...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Weese served as an engineer on a U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
, and 1947, he started his own architectural firm.
Weese is also well known for his firm advocacy of historic preservation
Historic preservation
Historic preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance...
and was remembered as the architect who "shaped Chicago’s skyline and the way the city thought about everything from the lakefront to its treasure-trove of historical buildings." Weese also served as a judge for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a national memorial in Washington, D.C. It honors U.S. service members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War, service members who died in service in Vietnam/South East Asia, and those service members who were unaccounted for during the War.Its...
design competition.
Toward the end of his life, Weese drank heavily and his reputation faded; he died after years of going in and out of alcohol rehab.
Works
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
system. Other well known works include:
- Alpha Sigma PhiAlpha Sigma PhiAlpha Sigma Phi Fraternity is a social fraternity with 71 active chapters and 9 colonies. Founded at Yale in 1845, it is the 10th oldest fraternity in the United States....
, Alpha Xi Chapter House at Illinois Institute of TechnologyIllinois Institute of TechnologyIllinois Institute of Technology, commonly called Illinois Tech or IIT, is a private Ph.D.-granting university located in Chicago, Illinois, with programs in engineering, science, psychology, architecture, business, communications, industrial technology, information technology, design, and law...
in Chicago, Illinois - The United States Embassy Building in AccraAccraAccra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
, GhanaGhanaGhana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
. - Arena StageArena StageArena Stage is a not-for-profit regional theater based in Southwest Washington, D.C. Its declared mission"is to produce huge plays of all that is passionate, exuberant, profound, deep and dangerous in the American spirit. Arena has broad shoulders and a capacity to produce anything from vast epics...
, Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. - Time-Life BuildingTime-Life Building (Chicago)The Time-Life Building is a , 30-story skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois designed by Harry Weese and completed in 1969. Located at 541 North Fairbanks Court in the Near North Side, it was among the first in the U.S. to use double-deck elevators. The odd-numbered floors are accessible from the lower...
, Chicago, Illinois. - First Baptist ChurchFirst Baptist Church, Columbus, IndianaFirst Baptist Church is one of six national historic landmarks in Columbus, Indiana. It was designed by distinguished architect Harry Weese; construction was completed in 1965. Since completion, few alterations have been made and the building has retained its integrity.- Location :The First...
, in Columbus, IndianaColumbus, IndianaColumbus is a city in and the county seat of Bartholomew County, Indiana, United States. The population was 44,061 at the 2010 census, and the current mayor is Fred Armstrong. Located approximately 40 miles south of Indianapolis, on the east fork of the White River, it is the state's 20th largest...
. - Seventeenth Church of Christ, ScientistSeventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist (Chicago)Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, built in 1968, is an award-winning Modern style Christian Science church building located in The Loop at 55 E Wacker Drive, in Chicago, Illinois in the United States...
in Chicago, Illinois. - The Marcus Center for the Performing ArtsMarcus CenterThe Marcus Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It serves as the home of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Florentine Opera, Milwaukee Ballet, First Stage Children's Theater and other local arts organizations...
in Milwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. - The Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin–MadisonUniversity of Wisconsin–MadisonThe University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
, widely considered one the Midwest's best examples of brutalist architecture but slated for demolition soon. - The Chazen Museum of ArtChazen Museum of ArtThe Chazen Museum of Art is an art museum accredited by the American Association of Museums located at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in Madison, Wisconsin. It was known as the Elvehjem Museum of Art until 2005...
at the University of Wisconsin–MadisonUniversity of Wisconsin–MadisonThe University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
, formerly known as the Elvehjem Museum of Art. - The Upper School (high school) building on the campus of The Latin School of ChicagoThe Latin School of ChicagoThe Latin School of Chicago is a private elementary, middle and high school in the Gold Coast neighborhood in Chicago. The school was founded in 1888 by Mabel Slade Vickery.- History :...
in Chicago, Illinois. - Pierce Tower, an undergraduate residence hall at the University of ChicagoUniversity of ChicagoThe University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. - Mercantile Bank, Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. - Westin Crown CenterCrown CenterCrown Center is a commercial complex and neighborhood located near Downtown Kansas City, Missouri located between Gillham Road and Grand Boulevard to the east and west, and between Pershing Boulevard and Union Hill to the north and south. The shopping center is anchored by Halls, a department store...
Hotel, Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. - The former U.S. Embassy to Ghana in Accra.
- Fulton House at 345 N. Canal Street in Chicago. Converted 19th century 16-story cold-storage warehouse building to condominium building.
- Fewkes Tower at 55 W. Chestnut Street (formerly 838 N. Dearborn Street) in Chicago
- River Cottages at 357-365 N. Canal Street in Chicago. Sloped, structurally expressive facade responds to the angle and cross bracing of the railroad bridge directly across the river.
- William J. Campbell United States Courthouse Annex in downtown Chicago (formerly known as the Metropolitan Correctional Center, ChicagoMetropolitan Correctional Center, ChicagoThe Metropolitan Correctional Center, Chicago is a federal remand center in the United States, located in downtown Chicago, Illinois, at the intersection of Clark and Van Buren Streets. It has a triangular footprint, and has an exercise yard for the prisoners on its roof...
.) Federal temporary holding prison which has no window bars, instead each cell is provided with a vertical 5" slot window. Weese was mandated to follow then new federal prison architectural guidelines, like cells having no bars and by original design each prisoner had his own room. - Middletown City Building, Middletown, OhioMiddletown, OhioMiddletown is an All-America City located in Butler and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. Formerly in Lemon, Turtlecreek, and Franklin townships, Middletown was incorporated by the Ohio General Assembly on February 11, 1833, and became a city in 1886...
. - Formica BuildingFormica BuildingThe Formica Building is a mixed-use building in Cincinnati, Ohio.-History:The building opened in 1970 and was designed by Chicago architect Harry Weese, perhaps best known for designing the Metro stations in Washington, D.C. The building contains both an office tower and arcade connecting Fourth...
, Cincinnati - Sterling Morton Library, The Morton ArboretumMorton ArboretumThe Morton Arboretum, in Lisle, Illinois, covers 1,700 acres and is made up of gardens of various plant types and collections of trees from specific taxonomical and geographical areas. It includes native woodlands and a restored Illinois prairie. The Arboretum has over 4,100 different species of...
. - O'Brian Hall at the State University of New York at Buffalo
- The Healey Library at the University of Massachusetts BostonUniversity of Massachusetts BostonThe University of Massachusetts Boston, also known as UMass Boston, is an urban public research university and the second largest campus in the five-campus University of Massachusetts system. The university is located on on Harbor Point in the City of Boston, Massachusetts, United States...
- The Given InstituteThe Given InstituteThe Given Institute in Aspen Colorado was built to house the Advances in Molecular Biology Conference sponsored by the University of Colorado School of Medicine...
, Aspen Colorado
Weese also led numerous restoration projects including:
- Louis SullivanLouis SullivanLouis 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...
's Auditorium Building in Chicago, Illinois 1967. - Field Museum of Natural HistoryField Museum of Natural HistoryThe Field Museum of Natural History is located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It sits on Lake Shore Drive next to Lake Michigan, part of a scenic complex known as the Museum Campus Chicago...
, Chicago, Illinois - Orchestra HallSymphony CenterSymphony Center is a music complex located at 220 South Michigan Avenue in the Loop area of Chicago, Illinois. Home to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Sinfonietta, Symphony Center includes the 2,522-seat Orchestra Hall, which dates from 1904; Buntrock Hall, a rehearsal and...
, Chicago, Illinois - Union StationUnion Station (Washington, D.C.)Washington Union Station is a train station and leisure destination visited by 32 million people each year in the center of Washington, D.C. The train station is served by Amtrak, MARC and Virginia Railway Express commuter rail services as well as by Washington Metro subway trains and local buses...
, Washington, DC
Further reading
- "Biography of Harry Weese" - The Art Institute of Chicago
- Waldheim, Charles; Ray, Katerina Ruedi, "Chicago Architecture: histories, revisions, alternatives", Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 2005. ISBN 0226870383
- Weese, Kitty Baldwin, Harry Weese Houses, Chicago Review Press, August 1987
External links
- Oral history interview with Harry Weese - Art Institute of Chicago.