Richard Sundeleaf
Encyclopedia
Richard Sundeleaf was an American
architect from Portland, Oregon
.
Sundeleaf was born in Portland in 1900, and moved to the Sellwood neighborhood
as a child. He graduated from Washington High School
in 1918 and went to the University of Oregon
School of Architecture, in Eugene
, graduating in 1923. He trained in the Beaux Arts style of traditional design.
After graduation he returned to Portland. He began working for the firm of A. E. Doyle
for a year. He then worked for four years with the firm of Sutton and Whitney. After working for other architecture firms, he decided to open his own firm in 1928. During the Great Depression
, he worked for the Historic American Buildings Survey
. During this time he became known for his imaginative work in industrial architecture. He combined his decorative training with a rugged functionalism in a series of distinctive warehouses and offices. In the 1940s, his style changed somewhat when he became a proponent of the Streamline Moderne
style, in which the spirit of the machine age and the concepts of aerodynamics shaped the design of the building.
He designed numerous residential and public buildings around Portland.
Sundeleaf died in March 1987.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
architect from Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
.
Sundeleaf was born in Portland in 1900, and moved to the Sellwood neighborhood
Sellwood, Portland, Oregon
Sellwood-Moreland is a neighborhood on a bluff overlooking the Willamette River in Southeast Portland, Oregon, bordering Westmoreland to the north, Eastmoreland to the east, and the city of Milwaukie to the south...
as a child. He graduated from Washington High School
Washington High School (Portland, Oregon)
Washington High School was a high school in Portland, Oregon, United States, described in 1950 as "Portland's finest high school." It was part of the Portland school district. Opened in September 1906, the school was originally named the East Side High School, but changed its name to Washington in...
in 1918 and went to the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
School of Architecture, in Eugene
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
, graduating in 1923. He trained in the Beaux Arts style of traditional design.
After graduation he returned to Portland. He began working for the firm of A. E. Doyle
A. E. Doyle
Albert Ernest Doyle was a prolific architect in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington. He is most often credited for his works as A.E. Doyle....
for a year. He then worked for four years with the firm of Sutton and Whitney. After working for other architecture firms, he decided to open his own firm in 1928. During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, he worked for the Historic American Buildings Survey
Historic American Buildings Survey
The Historic American Buildings Survey , Historic American Engineering Record , and Historic American Landscapes Survey are programs of the National Park Service established for the purpose of documenting historic places. Records consists of measured drawings, archival photographs, and written...
. During this time he became known for his imaginative work in industrial architecture. He combined his decorative training with a rugged functionalism in a series of distinctive warehouses and offices. In the 1940s, his style changed somewhat when he became a proponent of the Streamline Moderne
Streamline Moderne
Streamline Moderne, sometimes referred to by either name alone or as Art Moderne, was a late type of the Art Deco design style which emerged during the 1930s...
style, in which the spirit of the machine age and the concepts of aerodynamics shaped the design of the building.
He designed numerous residential and public buildings around Portland.
Sundeleaf died in March 1987.
Public buildings
- Woodbury and Co. warehouse, 1939
- Bearing Service Co. building, 1944
- General Co. building (now Dynagraphics Inc.) 1945
- Francis and Hopkins Motor showroom (now the University Station Post Office) 1949
- The original Oregon Museum of Science and IndustryOregon Museum of Science and IndustryThe Oregon Museum of Science and Industry is a museum located in Portland, Oregon, United States. It contains two auditoriums, including an IMAX Dome theatre, and a variety of hands-on permanent exhibits focused on natural sciences, industry, and technology...
, 1955 - Portland Medical Center, 1957.