Leopold Arnaud papers and architectural drawings, 1914-1980, bulk 1914-1945

Summary Information

Abstract

Leopold Arnaud was a member of the Columbia University's School of Architecture faculty for 31 years and dean from 1937 to 1960. The collection consist of architectural drawings, correspondence, student photographs, student sketchbooks and papers documenting the 1944-1945 Architectural Competition for Permanent Building Construction at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.

At a Glance

Bib ID:
8449027 View CLIO record
Creator(s):
Arnaud, Leopold, 1895-1984
Repository:
Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library
Physical Description:
1 print box; 1 manuscript box; 1 box (card storage-file); 15 folders (flat-file); 2 rolls
Language(s):
English .
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.

Description

Scope and Content

The collection is composed primarily of architectural drawings, correspondence, student photographs, and student sketchbooks.

Series I: West Point Competition documents Leopold Arnaud's involvement as the Professional Advisor in the Architectural Competition for Permanent Building Construction at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, 1944-1945. As Advisor, Arnaud's duties included examining the designs by the various competitors (which included firms such as Cram and Ferguson; Delano and Aldrich; Shreve, Lamb and Harmon; Skimore, Ownings and Merrilll and Voorhees, Walker, Foley and Smith) to ascertain whether they complied with the requirements of the program and to report to the jury any instance of failure to comply with those requirements. The series also contains 11 drawings (dated from 1925 to 1934) of various buildings at United States Military Academy at West Point, NY.

Series II: Student Work is made up of renderings and drawing exercises done by Arnaud while studying at the École des Beaux-Arts and Columbia School of Architecture.

Series III: Miscellaneous is made up of two subseries: Subseries III.1: Artifacts contains Arnaud's academic hood and decoration (2 pieces; cloth). Subseries III.2: Papers consists of letters and transcripts collected by Arnaud that relate to Columbia University and specifically the School of Architecture. Of particular note is a transcription of a cassette tape sent by Leopold Arnaud to Dean James Stewart Polshek describing the history of Columbia University's School of Architecture for the Centenary celebration. In the transcript, Arnaud tells Dean Polshek, "I thought that I would give a little run-down of the history of the [Columbia University] School [of Architecture] as I know it, because I don't have any modesty, but I am perhaps the only person around still going that knows the School from its beginnings."

  • Series I: West Point Competition

    documents Leopold Arnaud's involvement as the Professional Advisor in the Architectural Competition for Permanent Building Construction at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, 1944-1945. As Advisor, Arnaud's duties included examining the designs by the various competitors (which included firms such as Cram and Ferguson; Delano and Aldrich; Shreve, Lamb and Harmon; Skimore, Ownings and Merrilll and Voorhees, Walker, Foley and Smith) to ascertain whether they complied with the requirements of the program and to report to the jury any instance of failure to comply with those requirements. The series also contains 11 drawings (dated from 1925 to 1934) of various buildings at United States Military Academy at West Point, NY.

  • Series II: Student Work

    is made up of renderings and drawing exercises done by Arnaud while studying at the École des Beaux-Arts and Columbia School of Architecture.

  • Series III: Miscellaneous

Publication Date

1914-1980

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in three series: West Point Competition, Student Work, and Miscellaneous.

Using the Collection

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

Leopold Arnaud papers and architectural drawings, 1914-1980, Department of Drawings & Archives, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Source of acquisition--Mrs. Fortuny (Leopold Arnaud's daughter). Method of acquisition--Donated;; Accession number--1997.010 and 1998.002.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library

Processing Information

Processed; Kerri Pfister 2011.

Revision Description

2011-05-26 File created.

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

Biographical / Historical

Leopold Arnaud was a member of the Columbia University's School of Architecture faculty for 31 years and dean from 1937 to 1960.

Subject Headings

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

All links open new windows.

Genre/Form
Photographs CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Sketchbooks CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Student drawings CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Name
Arnaud, Leopold, 1895-1984 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Columbia University. School of Architecture -- Anecdotes CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Columbia University. School of Architecture -- History CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Coolidge, Shepley, Bulfinch, and Abbott CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Corbett, Harvey Wiley, 1873-1954 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Cram and Ferguson CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Delano & Aldrich CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Shreve, Lamb & Harmon CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
United States Military Academy CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Voorhees Walker Foley & Smith CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Williams, Edgar I. CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris -- Alumni and alumnae CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Place
West Point (N.Y.) -- Buildings, structures, etc CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Subject
Architecture -- United States -- Designs and plans CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID