Wank Adams Slavin Associates records, 1913-2006, bulk 1920-1975
Collection context
- Creator:
- Wank Adams Slavin Associates, Reed & Stem, and Fellheimer & Wagner
- Abstract:
- Wank Adams Slavin Associates was an American architecture firm that grew out of Reed & Stem (1889-1923) and Fellheimer & Wagner (1923-1961). Both early firms were known for their work with train station design; Reed & Stem won the commission for Grand Central Terminal, and Fellheimer & Wagner specialized in Art Deco and Beaux-Arts train stations. However, Fellheimer & Wagner also expanded into financial institutions, educational complexes, housing facilities, and laboratories. This would continue to expand under the leadership of Roland Wank with Wank Adams Slavin Associates. Relationships between firm partners and government institutions were also an important source for commissions. The firm has been active as WASA Studio since 2005.
- Extent:
- 4 document boxes, 2 manuscript boxes, 7 print boxes, and 6 bound volumes
- Language:
- English .
- Scope and content:
-
Donated in 1982, this first accession consists of 1,315 architectural drawings of railroad stations in the United States and Canada created when the firm was known as Fellheimer & Wagner. Included are drawings for the Union Passenger Station in Macon, Ga. (1915); the State Street Station in Chicago, Ill. (1924); the Passenger Station in South Bend, Ind. (1927); the Kentucky and Indiana Railroad Terminal in Louisville, Ky. (1928); the Springfield Union Station in Springfield, Mass. (1924); the New York Central Rail Road Buffalo & East Buffalo Terminal Improvement Passenger Station and Curtis Street Passenger Station in Buffalo, NY (1927-1928); the Cincinnati Terminal in Cincinnati, Ohio (1930-1931); the Passenger Station in Elyria, Ohio (1924); the Erie Passenger Station in Erie, Penn. (1928-1931); and the Toronto-Hamilton & Buffalo Railway Company in Hamilton, Ont., Canada (1931).
Donated in 2015, this second accession is arranged chronologically and divided by firm. Undated material has been listed alphabetically at the end of each firm's time period when it is clear that the material appears to be affiliated with a particular firm or era.
This collection is fairly limited in scope, with only 147 items covering 93 years of a very prolific firm's history. The material is focused on the professional, with very little regarding the partners of the firm, their clients, or the design process. Instead the bulk of the collection consists of publications for proposed projects and photo albums of projects under construction.
Additionally, some reference material is included in the collection and may be of interest to researchers in general. This includes Kings Views of New York 1911-1912 and a block and lot book of Manhattan. A scrapbook containing clippings of some of the work of Reed & Stem and Fellheimer & Wagner provides additional information on the early work of the firm.
- Biographical / historical:
-
REED & STEM (1889-1923)
Reed & Stem was primarily an architecture firm for railroad stations. Charles A. Reed (1858-1911) and Allen H. Stem (1856-1931) were originally based in St. Paul, Minnesota and completed projects for the Great Northern, the Northern Pacific, the Great Western, the Michigan Central, and the Norfolk & Western Railroads; completing over a hundred stations over their thirty year practice. After winning the commission for Grand Central Terminal, the firm relocated to New York. This would be their final project together, due to the death of Reed in 1911 at the age of 54.
Following the death of Reed, the firm briefly became Stem & Fellheimer, incorporating Alfred T. Fellheimer (1875-1959), who was an assistant for Grand Central Terminal, as a partner.
FELLHEIMER & WAGNER (1923-1961)
By the 1920s, Alfred T. Fellheimer joined Steward Wagner (1886-1958) to create Fellheimer & Wagner. The firm continued to work on a number of train stations, yet this collection begins to illustrate the breadth of the projects in which they were involved, including financial institutions, government projects, educational facilities, and housing.
Wagner was also involved with a number of WPA projects regarding housing, which is reflected in the work of the firm in the 1930s; particularly in the Arthurdale Homestead project in West Virginia. In the 1940s and 50s the firm briefly became Fellheimer, Wagner & Vollmer, with the addition of Carl Vollmer. The projects that his name is attached to are generally large-scale housing projects.
Roland A. Wank studied at the Technical University of Brno, Czechoslovakia, where his studies focused on Modern architecture. He joined Fellheimer & Wagner briefly from 1927-1933, and again in 1945 as a partner. In the interim he was head architect of the Tennessee Valley Authority and designed a number of dams and their associated facilities.
WANK ADAMS SLAVIN ASSOCIATES (1961-1986)
Roland A. Wank (1898-1970) continued the firm with partners Frederick W. Adams and William Slavin, officially changing the name in 1961. The firm continued to work on government infrastructure projects and laboratories, with many projects for universities and manufacturing companies.
WASA (1986-2005) WASA STUDIO (2005-2015)
Since 1986 the firm has continued as an architecture and engineering firm. The addition of preservation projects to the firm's work resulted in their involvement with the restoration of Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater in Mill Run, Pennsylvania. Beyond architectural design, engineering and preservation, the firm also offers interior design and sustainable design services.
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
This collection is available for use by appointment in the Department of Drawings & Archives, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University. For further information, please email avery-drawings@library.columbia.edu.
- Terms of access:
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Columbia University is providing access to the materials in the Library's collections solely for noncommercial educational and research purposes. The unauthorized use, including, but not limited to, publication of the materials without the prior written permission of Columbia University is strictly prohibited. All inquiries regarding permission to publish should be submitted in writing to the Director, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University. In addition to permission from Columbia University, permission of the copyright owner (if not Columbia University) and/or any holder of other rights (such as publicity and/or privacy rights) may also be required for reproduction, publication, distributions, and other uses. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of any item and securing any necessary permissions rests with the persons desiring to publish the item. Columbia University makes no warranties as to the accuracy of the materials or their fitness for a particular purpose.
- Preferred citation:
-
Wank Adams Slavin Associates records, 1913-2006, (bulk 1920-1975). Dept. of Drawings & Archives, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library. Columbia University, New York, N.Y.
- Location of this collection:
- Before you visit:
- Researchers are encouraged to request materials at least one month in advance. You will receive an email from the department within 2-3 business days confirming your request and currently available appointment times. Requests are limited to 8 boxes per day (or equivalent), with a maximum of 5 boxes for off-site materials, 5 folders of drawings, or 5 rolls or tube boxes.
- Contact:
- avery-drawings@columbia.edu