Lever House architectural drawings, 1950-1953

Summary Information

At a Glance

Arrangement

Arrangement

General architectural sheets are stored in numerical order, Index Sheet followed by A-1 through A-53; followed by Arcade architectural sheets, A-1 through A-3; and one unnumbered furniture sheet.

• Series I: Architectural Drawings

Description

Scope and Content

Collection consists of sixty original architectural and furniture drawings for Lever House in New York City, drawn between 1950 and 1952. Most sheet are graphite on paper, with a smaller group of sepia diazo prints with extensive graphite annotations. All sheets were treated by a paper conservator and are now encapsulated in polyester film.

• Series I: Architectural Drawings

General Note

In 1980, Lever House was awarded the 25-Year Award by the American Institute of Architects, prompting the donation of these drawings to Columbia University

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.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Permission to publish must be obtained in writing from the Director, Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library, Columbia University, 1172 Amsterdam Ave., MC 0301, New York, NY 10027.

Preferred Citation

Lever House architectural drawings, 1950-1953. Located in Columbia University, Avery Archiectural & Fine Arts Library, Department of Drawings & Archives.

Related Material

Gordon Bunshaft architectural drawings and papers, 1909-1990 (bulk 1950-1979). Dept. of Drawings & Archives, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University.

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP collection of Ezra Stoller photographs, bulk 1940-1970. Dept. of Drawings & Archives, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University.

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill photographs, 1945-1969. Dept. of Drawings & Archives, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Source of acquisition--Gift of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Accession number--1982.002.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library

Processing Information

Drawings Processed ET, AvR 03/06/07.

Revision Description

2007-11-27 File created.

2009-11-17 File revised.

2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.

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

Lever House, one of the major landmarks of International Style architecture, was designed by Gordon Bunshaft, of the the New York office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Sited along Park Avenue between 53rd and 54th Streets in New York City, the building was completed in 1952. Weiskoff & Pickworth were the structural engineers and Jaros Baum & Bolles were the mechanical engineers.