Recent Researches in Urban Sustainability, Architecture and Structures
Edward Durell Stone: Architectural Works in Asia & North Africa Timothy Reinen (Graduate Student) Mohammad Gharipour, PhD (Assistant Professor) School of Architecture and Planning, Morgan State University 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane Baltimore, MD 21251 United States [email protected] Abstract: “A great building should be universal, not controversial.” This quote allows one to ascertain a concept that the distinguished architect, Edward Durell Stone (1902-1978) originated his architectural vision around. Stone, a pivotal designer in American history, proved to exhibit most of his work in the United States but it was his global design projects that set him apart from other American architects. With a premonition of environmental building strategies, Stone created architecture that hinted at sustainability as the norm. His life experiences continued to shape his attitude towards the built environment. He preached that in his trips, he “scarcely encountered a place where land was used wisely and where what has been built is beautiful [1]. Key Words: architect, Edward Durell Stone, modernism, embassy, International Style, Islamic architecture
1. Introduction: The Beginning until the summer of 1921 when Edward Stone developed a passion for architecture. His brother Stone started his design venture as a young artist, provided him lodging in Boston while he started to growing up in Fayetteville, Arkansas. His initial self-process his capability of designing buildings interests steered towards decorating and similar to the existing works in the city [3]. He woodworking crafts. His mother, Ruth, promoted recognized that Fayetteville was not a positive the pastime by installing a workshop within the place to gain any architectural inspiration or house for him and his friends. At age fourteen opportunity. Multiple visits to Boston proved to Edward Stone submitted his first design sketch for deliver Edward valuable architectural precedence. a birdhouse competition supported by a local Another memorable trip for the young man was to lumber company. His design vision took first place New York City with his brother in the summer of and later was credited in the local newspaper [2]. 1920. His first person perspective standing on the Brooklyn Bridge looking towards the building skyline was said to have “marked him for life.” It was that summer than Stone decided that he wanted
to become an architect [4].
Subsequently, Stone uprooted his life to the Northeast working at the firm Strickland, Blodgett Figure 1 & Law as an office assistant. He mostly filed drawings and completed administrative duties but was well immersed within the office studio culture. After hours, Stone attended the Boston Architectural College and gained a new perspective on architecture predominately influenced by his instructor Henry R. Shepley. Shepley specifically
noticed Stone as a student that had incredible talent Figure 2 in design drawing and continued to be at the top of his class. However, in his other technical classes, He progressed his skills when attending the he proved to be inadequate and unenthusiastic. University of Arkansas and excelled studying art. Stone entered a competition in 1925 for placement Despite his absence as an elite student, Stone had a into Harvard University’s School of Architecture. fine eye for free-hand drawing and sketching. His He was accepted and furthermore received a instructor noticed incredible talent in the young financial scholarship to the university. Over the aspiring artist and transmitted this news to Stone’s next couple years, Stone advanced his skills while professionally established older brother, Hicks studying architecture at Harvard and then Stone, whom she had taught previously. It wasn’t transferring to MIT. A well-known professor at
ISBN: 978-960-474-331-5 232 Recent Researches in Urban Sustainability, Architecture and Structures
MIT, Jacques Carlu, began to experiment with go up and disappear into the ceilings without any modernist design at that time. Edward was expressed beams, no cornices, no capitals. The intrigued and soon after latched on to that notion ceiling is now a flat plane and the columns go up which in turn would later mold the entire breadth of and end in a flat plane…Such ideas were the result his career [5]. of my trip to Europe [9].”
Figure 4
An addition remark regarding patterning stated, “the installation of the Starlight Roof- where the Figure 3 roof slides back with the grille overhead [-was] a In the fall of 1927, Stone entered and won the very nice pattern quite compatible with what I do competition for the Rotch Traveling Fellowship that today [10].” These selected quotes define a bit of allowed him to study architecture at a global level. foreshadowing to his future career and the application of these components. He started to He spent two years studying in Europe and North Africa while slowly evolving a taste for the apply these techniques to a select few residential works that he was commissioned to especially the modernist movement [6]. Stone grew a fascination to the implementation of courtyards in Pompeii Mandel House located in Bedford Hills, New York which would develop into his works of [11]. International Style. He sketched countless typologies of motifs throughout Europe that 3. Middle East showed in many of his later works. In Lisbon, he His specific works within the nations of India and sketched and profiled details composing sunlight Pakistan is where the ‘International Style’ gained filters made of reed mats. His travels on the traction in his designs. In his publications, scholarship proved to be an invaluable experience American architect Phillip Johnson coined the term that later would form a prolific architecture career outlining his modernist view in design. Advancing [7]. the architectural trend that Stone embraced were leading architects Walter Gropius (1883-1969) and 2. Professional Work Ludgwig Mies van der Rohe (1896-1969). The Stone relocated to New York after his travel period style promoted interpreting spaces based on volumes rather than exterior masses. The vision abroad. He took a position working with Schultze was an idea that implied more than just pure & Weaver, a major architecture force on the east ‘functionalism’, clearly exhibiting a discernible coast. At that point, European modernism had made an impacting influence on American design. style. The style lended itself as the most dominant The applications of ornamentation within modern implementation, “the problem of architecture had been in decline. Schultze, a establishing one dominant style, which the nineteenth century set itself in terms of alternative partner of the firm, stated design implementation of New York’s Waldorf Astoria’s “ornament was revivals, is coming to a solution,” said Johnson. It was a contradiction to all buildings that presented eliminated as largely as possible and projections that serve no useful purpose, such as cornices, elegance and decoration as a primary feature [12]. columns, ect. were avoided [8].” Stone began to 3.1 Indian Architecture embrace the modernistic approach to buildings and it’s European influence. After a short time at the Stone was commissioned in 1954 to design the firm, Stone began to make design decisions and American Embassy in New Delhi, India. The took certain parts of the Waldorf Astoria under his building was regarded as a leading tourist attraction wing. He remarked about the columns in the main in the nation’s capital and proclaimed by Frank lobby and how they were expressed, “The columns Lloyd Wright as one of the greatest buildings in the
ISBN: 978-960-474-331-5 233 Recent Researches in Urban Sustainability, Architecture and Structures
past century. Its connection to Indian culture spaces with Char bagh initiating a major design through the use of architectural details captured an and organizational influence. Char bagh was interest from the general public [13]. defined as axially shaping a garden space in four equal spaces with a defined center where the spaces Traditionally Indian architecture has been intersect. The Tomb of Humayun (1570 A.D.) was influenced by usage of delicate and ornate materials built with local material including red sandstone to promote ornamentation of a certain building and marble. typology. In the time of the Maurya Empire (322 B.C.-185 B.C.) cities like Pataliputra were During the tenure of Britain’s control over India in composed of buildings held up by teak beams with the mid-eighteenth centrury, the Britain’s renamed iron bracing. Religious buildings, known as stupas, the city New Delhi and promoted a city plan were comprised of monolithic stones which was the designed for combining building typologies of most available material in the region. The stones Gothic, Imperial, English renaissance and were painted to denote religious connotations and Victorian. After India claimed its independence symbols of importance. During the period of the from Britain’s stronghold, New Delhi planned to Sunga Dynasty (178 B.C.E.-78 B.C.E.) stone create buildings that were relevant on the global railings and gateways were decorated surrounding scale but yet drawing inspiration from typical the Buddhist stupa. Details within these markers Indian tradition [16]. The new city aligned to a set included floral motifs, busts of turbaned Rajas, and symmetry that presented a formal association. Axis artistic scenes for the life of Buddha. Under the and center lines are dominant within the city and Kushana Empire (100 A.D.) the use of ivory and reinforced by certain elements such as domes, glass were implemented within building details and spires, and plazas. There was a careful effort of friezes depicting important figures with ornamental blending materials like sandstone and other draperies. ornamentations that helped transition the city into an orderly metropolis but yet still exhibiting Medieval Indian Architecture marks a point where indigenous architectural artifacts and intent. the shift of building styles was influenced further Chhattris, trelliswork, sun shades, window details, by religion. Muslim architecture shaped the era of cornices, and moldings were all characteristics of the Tughluq Dynasty (1320 A.D.) most effectively traditional Indian elements that were introduced in the city of Delhi. Double-domes were built and into new building projects. Maintaining a color more ornate materials were utilized such as scheme throughout the city was also an important enameled tiles and grey sandstone. Persian scheme. Using sandstone containing red and architecture was sampled in many works within lighter pink on new construction maintained the Delhi with the use of stone and decoration. Under visual urban fabric of New Delhi. Conforming to Emperor Akbar’s rule, Fatehpur Sikri was built in the color and material palette created a cohesive 1572 out of sandstone which was abundant in the and well defined urban city [17]. region [14]. 3.2 Foreign Buildings Office The architecture of Delhi has been diverse through the centuries but has always had a rich and ornate Initializing in the same year as Stone’s commission connection to the Indian culture. Older buildings in New Delhi was the United States Department of still present a connotation of Muslim rule with its State ordered ‘Foreign Buildings Office’. This Gothic temples, monuments and forts spreading program appointed a panel of well-established throughout the city. The first building erected in architects to advise all foreign embassy building Delhi was the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque (1206 projects. All architects were to produce schemes A.D.) and signified construction techniques of that favored a ‘distinguishable American flavor’ but typical Muslim tradition. Another building built in also addressing the local built and natural the same period is the Qutub complex in which precedence of the country. “Embassies are unique depicts mosques composed of pillars and arches. architectural subjects. Perhaps no other public Rarely any decoration is provided within these buildings are of such symbolic importance: much structures especially the drawing of animals and more than our domestic public buildings, their humans upon the walls based on the forbiddance by appearance establishes an image of the American Islamic rule [15]. government and people,' said Daniel Patrick Moynihan June 12, 1981. The FBO program of The Mughal era was a distinct change from the 1954 radically changed the impressions of foreign Islamic period. Gardens were stressed as sacred
ISBN: 978-960-474-331-5 234 Recent Researches in Urban Sustainability, Architecture and Structures
embassy building throughout the world [18]. architecture and political figures. Stone Stone’s embassy project was on a clear instruction exemplified the International Style in the embassy; from the FBO panel that detailed: To the sensitive however there were some slight deviations. Within and imaginative designer [an embassy commission] the design of the building, Edward Stone will be an invitation to give serious study to local implemented an inner-courtyard that was a typical conditions of climate and site, to understand and feature for local vernacular architecture. The open sympathize with local customs and people, and to aired court sustained itself as a dominant design grasp the historical meaning of the particular method to cool the encompassing workers within. environment in which the new building must be set. A decorative metal grate was added to relieve the He will do so with a free mind without being space from harsh rays of the sun [21]. dictated by obsolete or sterile formulae or clichés, be they old or new; he will avoid being either bizarre or fashionable, yet he will not fear using new techniques or new materials should these constitute real advance in architectural thinking [19].
3.3 American Embassy in New Delhi
Edward Stone thought up the original design for the Figure 6 U.S. Embassy in New Delhi in his bathrobe. After marrying his second wife, Maria Stone, in a reception located in Beruit, Stone sketched out what was to be the preliminary concepts of the embassy. On the terrace of their honeymoon suite, he provided key concepts into the organizing structure and design parti that led to the final design of the building. After accidently spilling coffee onto his primary sketches, Stone threw the Figure 7 document into the trash. His wife luckily salvaged it that would in turn later be a valuable artifact to one of Stone’s greatest architectural achievements [20].
Figure 8
Stone recalled his experiences traveling through Europe, most significantly the architecture through Figure 5 Greece and Italy for his original inspirations for the Stone designed a building that could be simply Embassy. Elevated on a podium, he created a understood as a political architectural icon. He cultural and iconic significance by separating the presented a simple cube set on a plinth that had its building from the surrounding built environment. center removed for the inner courtyard and water In turn, the move was a successful response to garden. The exterior skin wrapped around the current sociology and the dependence on cars and outside of the building, composed of perforated parking garages. The raised elevation allowed for terrazzo block. Materials and building techniques an increase of vehicular parking below the structure. were to synchronize with local materials to show of The idea played into not only a vernacular intention, the American willingness to acclimate to its new but also personal taste that responded to a dislike political counterparts. The New Delhi Embassy for vehicles blocking views of the architecture. began attaining widespread pull from both the The building was oriented around a dominant,
ISBN: 978-960-474-331-5 235 Recent Researches in Urban Sustainability, Architecture and Structures
central atrium. The open-aired atrium was relieved 3.4 Hotel Phoenicia from the sun by a light filtered screen. This delicately detailed screen allowed for visitors and A building that Edward D. Stone designed prior to workers to enter the atrium space comfortably but the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi was the Hotel also providing ornamentation. The light screen Phoenicia in Beirut, Lebanon. The city of Beirut promoted details recognized from Estufa Fria, an stands on the coast of the Mediterranean within outdoor space in Lisbon. However, Edward Lebanon and serves as the country’s financial and Stone’s design implementations were not mostly governmental capital. Beirut was formed as a th shaped for aesthetic reasoning, but instead logically political entity in the early 19 century under new favorable thermal gain and loss outcomes. rule and soon became an architectural significant Overlooking the atrium space were offices that metropolis [25]. Beirut adopted a modernist city wrapped around the central core. Stone encouraged fabric in the 1930’s when European design started convection of the warm air leaching from the to gain traction in certain areas in the Middle East. interior office into the atrium that would in turn be New Building techniques applying concrete were transferred through the outdoor screen back into the performed and in turn developed a new spatial environment. Fountains were strategically placed variety within the city [26]. within the atrium not just for decoration, but for providing a cooling microclimate for visitors. The The hotel building was conceptualized as an eleven evaporated water vapor rising in the air created a story structure containing guestrooms on a two- distinct comfort from neighboring spaces. Based story platform [27]. The interior service core on the overpowering Indian sun, an intermediate presents itself as a solid projecting through the roofing structure was applied to below the primary volume. The extended first floor contains retail roof slab to create additional ventilation and shops at street level. The second floor houses insulation layers [22]. administrative offices and public rooms for guests. Overhung balconies and a cantilevering roof The entry to the embassy clearly portrays a block assembly lend itself to compare to some of Frank wall as the main architectural element. However, Lloyd Wright’s works. The same architectural the block wall has no structural properties in the vocabulary was applied to his later mid-rise overall building typology. Rather, the blocks are buildings. Located on the roof of the second floor used as ventilation through linear reveals at the top was an outdoor space with pool amenities and and bottom of the plane. Columns that appear to seating areas. Stone created opportunities with vary in width based on structural capability instead apertures in the roof extension that resembles a are ornamental variations aimed to provide trellis-like structure. This allowed for a dominant monumentality. Stone hinted at the concept of pedestrian circulation, planting areas, and shade mannerist architectural behavior with his material casting for guests of the hotel. Native religious choices and execution [23]. motifs were inscribed on the guardrails of the roof top that were visible from the street. These motifs Through the entire design process and building of created interruptions in the concrete cast railings the U.S. Embassy in India, Stone stayed true to his that created visual appeal and resonance with the world known designs. Despite the amount of adjacent buildings [28]. cultural precedence within New Delhi, he designed with materials and methods that he was confident in from previous projects. Implementing his blocking, well-known in his American works, was an element that he didn’t shy away from. Instead, he provided further decoration into the blocking detail with patterning and reveals that reinforced his consistent strength in tectonics as an architect. In addition, Stone forced the notion of prominence with material selections and finishing. Marble and Figure 9 bronze represented affluence and celebration respective of the United States, but also forged the prosperity of past Indian dynasties [24].
ISBN: 978-960-474-331-5 236 Recent Researches in Urban Sustainability, Architecture and Structures
Figure 13
Figure 10
3.5 Works in Pakistan
In February 1961, Stone received the design Figure 14 commission for a reactor for the government of Pakistan. President Eisenhower’s Atoms for Peace 4. Conclusion: Stone’s Legacy program initiated the effort for peaceful reactors worldwide. The commission allowed Stone to The incorporation of landscape, especially Islamic acquire further works in the Middle East including gardens, played an important role in the succession the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and of Stone’s Islamic architecture era. Outdoor technology, Pakistan International Airlines office gardens were sacred spaces and considered a vital buildings and mosques, the Water and Power extension of the building. He used water and Development Authority in Lahore, and the enclosed geometrical spaces as a cohesive element Presidential Palace for General Ayub Khan [29]. in garden design while always adhering to the Stone became a leading architect in the region for quadripartite always used in paradise gardens. his seamless implementing of Islamic design and Stone used materials of elaborated luxury that site planning [30]. Mostly all the works typified an detailed precious marble, wood veneers, and bronze. organization of spatial systems that was initiated on Many Islamic clients were keen on presenting a compressed entries into large vast colonnades and celebration of their financial wealth and status [31]. courtyards. Stone continued utilizing ornamental, Edward Durell Stone’s contribution to the world of religious patterning and detailing of materials to architecture incorporated enhanced design resemble typical historic Islamic architecture. His intentions and perceptiveness to architectural trends. utilization of grillwork elicited historical Look before the green movement, Stone utilized significance from the Mughal period of architecture. theories of strong relationships of the natural landscape and context. He further propelled the modernist movement with the implementation of ‘The International Style.’ Stone positively deviates from the typical modernist behavior which is described as ignoring contextualism when designing buildings. Modernism usually is known for producing a building as a singular entity or abstract object with little relationship to the Figure 11 surrounding environment [32]. Stone’s ideals were more in tune with Sigfried Giedion’s perspective when written in his 1928 Building in France, “In the future architecture might no longer limit itself to the design of representative buildings but should develop instead into a more comprehensive discipline that considers the whole environment and merges with social reality as well as with daily life
Figure 12 [33].” Stone’s travels abroad and awareness of history shaped his career to be architecturally significant on the global stage.
ISBN: 978-960-474-331-5 237 Recent Researches in Urban Sustainability, Architecture and Structures
References: [16] "Architecture Of Delhi." Encyclopedia & Web Portal on Indian Culture & Lifestyle. [1] "Edward Durell Stone." Edward Durell Stone. http://www.indianetzone.com/42/architecture_delhi.ht N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Feb. 2013. m (accessed June 12, 2013).
ISBN: 978-960-474-331-5 238