Louis Sullivan’s Impact on Architectural Ceramics
SOURCE: Village Preservation
AUTHOR: Andrew Berman
DATE: April 14, 2016
Often referred to as the “father of skyscrapers,” Sullivan has imposed great influence on significant architects and designs of America’s modern era. The lofty heights achieved by contemporary structures are rooted in the vocabulary of Sullivan’s original skyscrapers: in the steel skeleton, the form of the base, the shaft and cornice, and rich naturalistic ornament.
Boston Valley Terra Cotta can ascribe much of our knowledge and experience to Sullivan, who successfully integrated ornament and structure; the phrase “form follows function” was coined by him and would become a guiding principle for modern architects. Not only have Boston Valley’s craftspeople studied the methods of Sullivan’s sculptors, but our company’s first restoration project was to fabricate replacement units for the intricately decorated tiles of his Guaranty Building in Buffalo, NY.
Building higher in dense cities became possible in the late 19th century with the development of cheap but very strong inner frames of steel, which Sullivan utilized for “column-frame” construction — tall skyscrapers with thinner walls and wider wall openings to allow for more floor space and natural daylight.
“Sullivan urged architects not to mimic traditional building forms when designing skyscrapers, but to let their tallness define them, to look to nature for inspiration in forms, to draw the eye upward, and to inspire.”
For building façades, stone and terra cotta offered the fire resistance and durability that was greatly desired in construction materials after the Chicago Fire of 1871. Terra cotta is lighter and easier to manipulate than stone, however, not restricted to the physical or technical limitations of load-bearing masonry. Its inherent malleability is one of the many characteristics that make terra cotta a popular material with architects for the development of high performance facades, as it can be shaped into any number of aesthetic styles.
This emergence of craftsmanship and innovation led to the development of the skyscraper, and the balance between them is what advances the architectural ceramics industry today. Terra cotta continues to be valued as an adaptable, sustainable material, helping to define the future of the built environment.
To learn more about Louis Sullivan’s work, read “The Death and Life of Louis Sullivan” >
