Joseph Urban
Encyclopedia
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, died in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, trained as an architect, known also for his theatrical design and his early illustrations of children's books.
Urban's early work with illustrated books arose from his collaboration with his brother-in-law, Heinrich Lefler (1863–1919) and the pair contributed to what are considered seminal works in children's illustrated books, including:
- Grimm's Marchen (1905);
- Kling-Klang Gloria (1907);
- Andersen Kalender (1911); and
- Marienkind (1914).
Urban immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1912 to become the art director of the Boston Opera Company
Boston Opera Company
The Boston Opera Company was an American opera company located in Boston, Massachusetts that was active from 1909 to 1915.-History:The company was founded in 1908 by Bostonian millionaire Eben Dyer Jordan, Jr. and impresario Henry Russell...
. Two years later he moved to New York where he designed productions for the Ziegfeld Follies
Ziegfeld Follies
The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
and the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
. William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst was an American business magnate and leading newspaper publisher. Hearst entered the publishing business in 1887, after taking control of The San Francisco Examiner from his father...
was an important client and supporter. Most of Urban's architectural work in the United States has been demolished, with the exceptions of Mar-A-Lago
Mar-A-Lago
Mar-A-Lago , built 1924-1927, is the name of the Marjorie Merriweather Post estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Post built the house with her husband, Edward F. Hutton. The house was designed by Joseph Urban. Upon her death in 1973 Marjorie Post willed the estate to the U.S. Government as a retreat...
in Palm Beach, Florida
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
and The New School
The New School
The New School is a university in New York City, located mostly in Greenwich Village. From its founding in 1919 by progressive New York academics, and for most of its history, the university was known as the New School for Social Research. Between 1997 and 2005 it was known as New School University...
and the base of The Hearst Tower
Hearst Tower (New York City)
The Brilliant Hearst Tower is located at 300 West 57th Street, 959 8th Avenue, near Columbus Circle in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, New York...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The color gel
Color gel
A color gel or color filter , also known as lighting gel or simply gel, is a transparent colored material that is used in theatre, event production, photography, videography and cinematography to color light and for color correction...
Urban Blue (Roscolux #81) is named for him.
European Architecture
- 1900 Wohn- und Bürohaus Wien 8, Buchfeldgasse 6 (mit Hermann Stierlin)
- 1902 Villa Goltz, Wien 19, Grinzinger Straße 87 (Eingang und Anbau)
- 1903 Villa Wiener, Wien 13, Veitingergasse 21
- 1907 Villa Redlich, Wien 19, Kreindlgasse 11
- 1907 Wohnhaus, Wien 19, Krottenbachstraße 11
- 1907 Villa Max Landau, Semmering, Südbahnstraße 83
- 1910 Villa Dr. Mair, Scheiblingkirchen, Kreuzackergasse 43, NÖ
U.S. Architecture and Interior Design
This partial list omits unbuilt projects.- Austrian Pavilion, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904
- Sherman Hotel Tiger Room, Chicago, 1920
- Wiener WerkstätteWiener WerkstätteEstablished in 1903, the Wiener Werkstätte was a production community of visual artists. The workshop brought together architects, artists and designers whose first commitment was to design art which would be accessible to everyone...
Showroom, NYC, 1922 - Mar-A-LagoMar-A-LagoMar-A-Lago , built 1924-1927, is the name of the Marjorie Merriweather Post estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Post built the house with her husband, Edward F. Hutton. The house was designed by Joseph Urban. Upon her death in 1973 Marjorie Post willed the estate to the U.S. Government as a retreat...
, Palm Beach, Florida, 1925–1926 - Demarest Little Castle, Palm Beach, Florida, 1926
- Paramount Theater, Sunrise Building, Palm Beach, Florida, 1926
- Biddle House, Palm Beach,1926
- Bath and Tennis Club, Palm Beach, Florida, July 1926
- Ziegfeld TheatreZiegfeld TheatreThe Ziegfeld Theatre was a Broadway theater located at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and 54th Street in Manhattan, New York City. It was built in 1927 and, despite public protests, was razed in 1966....
, 1926–27 - St. Regis Hotel Roof Garden, 1927–1928
- Hotel Gibson Roof Garden, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1928
- Bossert HotelHotel BossertHotel Bossert was once known as "the Waldorf-Astoria of Brooklyn". It was the site of the celebration of the Brooklyn Dodgers' only World Series championship.-Early history:...
, Grill Room, Brooklyn, 1928 - Bedell Department Store, New York City, 1928
- William Penn Hotel, Pittsburgh, 1928, 1932
- (Hearst) International Magazine BuildingHearst Tower (New York City)The Brilliant Hearst Tower is located at 300 West 57th Street, 959 8th Avenue, near Columbus Circle in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, New York...
, 1928–1929 - Central Park Casino, 1929
- Metropolitan Museum of Art 11th annual exhibition of American Industrial Art, 1929
- The Gingerbread Castle Hamburg NJ, 1929
- New School for Social Research NYC, 1929–1931
- Atlantic Beach Club, Long Island, NY, 1930–1931
- Park Avenue Restaurant, 1931
- Congress Hotel, Joseph Urban Room, Chicago, Illinois, 1932
- Omni William Penn Hotel, Urban Room Pittsburgh, PA, 1929
- Katherine Brush Apartment, 1933