Hugh Ferriss architectural drawings and papers, 1906-1980, bulk 1918-1960

Summary Information

Abstract

Hugh Ferriss (1889-1962) was an architectural renderer known for his vision of the modern city and his ability to translate vast projects into dramatic but clear-cut images. Ferriss published two books: The Metropolis of Tomorrow (1929) and Power of Buildings (1953). The collection was donated to Avery Library by Ferriss' family after his death, and has been supplemented by several later additions from other sources. 363 original drawings in the collection have been photographed and digitized and can be viewed via links in the finding aid's container listing.

At a Glance

Arrangement

• Series I: Architectural Drawings
• Series II: Archival Materials
• Sub-series 1: New York Projects (Future City): Photographs
• Sub-series 2: Ephemera/Illustrations/Brunner Illust./Adv. Drwgs.
• Sub-series 3: Non-New York City Projects
• Sub-series 4: Advertising/Future City/Diplomas/Non-New York City Projects
• Sub-series 5: Photographs & Archival Material
• Sub-series 6: Illustrations/Brunner Illustrations
• Sub-series 7: Articles, Talks & Citations
• Sub-series 8: Designs for a Future City: 1922-1932
• Sub-series 9: New York, NY
• Sub-series 10: Exhibitions/Job Book/Scrap Book

Description

Summary

This collection includes Ferriss' architectural renderings of buildings by various architects, circa 1918-1960, including variant designs for the United Nations buildings; the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C.; Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts; Rockefeller Center in New York; La Guardia Airport in New York; National Airport in Washington, D.C.; the New York Times Building in New York; the 1939-1940 and 1964-1965 World's Fairs in New York; the Chicago Tribune Tower; Hoover Dam; and three Frank Lloyd Wright projects including Fallingwater in Bear Run, Pa., Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona, and the Johnson Wax Administration Building in Racine, Wisconsin.

Also included are Ferriss' renderings of imaginary buildings, circa 1920s-1930s, some of which were published in THE METROPOLIS OF TOMORROW (published 1929) and POWER IN BUILDINGS (published 1953). Also included are Ferriss' drawings, 1941, of important buildings in the United States, done as a result of a nation-wide tour sponsored by a Brunner grant from the Architectural League of New York; and related correspondence.

The collection also contains a small collection of archival material include some correspondence with architects and others; talks, including radio talks, and speeches on architecture; photographs of drawings; clippings; a job book, 1922-1961, listing jobs Ferriss undertook; a scrapbook, 1910s-1930s, containing clippings of articles about Ferriss and his work, including reviews of his books; and programs, reviews, catalogs, and correspondence, circa 1920s-1980, relating to exhibits of his work. Also, some personal material including high school yearbook, 1906; undated student work done at Washington University in Saint Louis, Mo., which he attended 1906-1911; and correspondence, diplomas, and photographs.

• Series I: Architectural Drawings

  This series contains over 400 original architectural renderings of buildings by various architects, dating from 1918 to 1960. Drawings are arranged alphabetically using project name. The name of the associated architect for the project can be found in the notes field under the project name.

  The drawing collection was acquired in three accessions. The first accession from Ferriss's family acquired by Avery after his death is the largest (1000.001); followed by accessions in 1978 (1978.002), 1985 (1985.001), and 1987 (1987.005).

  Each project was catalogued separately in the online catalog. This finding aid provides a link to each project's associated record. Sheet level description can be found in these project-level records.

  363 original drawings in the collection have been photographed and digitized and can be viewed online. Access to digital images is provided in this finding aid. The full digital collection can also be viewed directly here.

• Series II: Archival Materials

  This series consists of a small collection of correspondence with architects and others; talks, including radio talks, and speeches on architecture; photographs of drawings; clippings; job book and listings; records related to the exhibition of Ferriss' work; and some personal material. The collection is divided into sub-series based on each box of this archival collection. History of this inventory is unknown, but likely dates from the 1980s, if not earlier.

Using the Collection

Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library

Restrictions on Access

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 and to make an appointment, please email avery-drawings@library.columbia.edu.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Source of acquisition--Various gifts and purchases.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library

Processing Information

The drawings were catalogued by Project AVIADOR staff with grant funding from the Getty Foundation in the 1980s. The archival material was likely inventoried by archives staff in the 1980s. Shelley Hayreh, Avery Archivist, edited and published the ArchivesSpace finding aid in 2021.

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches at Columbia University through the Archival Collections Portal and through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, as well as ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Genre/Form

Subject

History / Biographical Note

Biographical / Historical

Hugh Ferriss was born in St. Louis and trained in architecture at Washington University. He moved to New York in 1912 and lived and worked in the city for the remainder of his life. Ferriss worked briefly as an architect for Cass Gilbert before venturing into an independent practice as an architectural renderer in 1915.

Ferriss specialized in drawings visualizing future buildings and cities. He was one of the most sought-after architectural renderers in the first half of the 20th century. Outside his work as an architectural renderer, Ferriss was on the United Nations headquarters planning staff from 1947 to 1950 and served as a member of the New York City Art Commission from 1950 to 1953.

Ferriss died of cancer on January 28, 1962 at New York City's Presbyterian Hospital.