Furness, Evans & Co. Architectural records for the Library of the University of Pennsylvania Building, 1888-1991.

Format:

Other

Author/Creator:

Furness, Evans & Co.

Contributor:

Furness, Frank, 1839-1912.

Evans, Allen, 1849-1925.

McGoodwin, Robert Rodes, 1886-1967.

Thomas, George E.

Venturi, Rauch, and Scott Brown.

CLIO Group.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Furness, Evans & Co.

University of Pennsylvania. Library--Buildings.

University of Pennsylvania.

University of Pennsylvania. Fine Arts Library--Buildings.

Fisher Fine Arts Library--Buildings.

Fisher Fine Arts Library.

Architects--Archives.

Architects.

Architectural design--History--19th century--Sources.

Architectural design.

Architectural design--History--20th century--Sources.

Architectural drawing--United States.

Architectural drawing.

Architecture--United States--History--19th century--Designs and plans.

Architecture.

Architecture--United States--History--20th century--Designs and plans.

Library buildings.

Philadelphia (Pa.)--Buildings, structures, etc--History--Sources.

Philadelphia (Pa.).

Genre:

Architectural drawings -- American.

Photographs.

Physical Description:

361 sheets : various media.

146 photoprints; 182 photonegatives.

2 folders.

Other Title:

Library of the University of Pennsylvania collection.

Place of Publication:

1888-1991.

Biography/History:

The Library of the University of Pennsylvania was designed in 1888 by Frank Furness, in consultation with Melvil Dewey and the librarian of Harvard University, Justin Winsor. The building was constructed 1889-1890 and dedicated 1891. In the following years and decades the library was repeatedly expanded. A gallery was added in the reading room (1903-1905). After Frank Furness died in 1912, his firm, Furness, Evans & Co., added the Duhring Memorial Stacks (1914-1915) to the south of the existing stacks. Further proposed additions and alterations by Furness, Evans & Co. beginning in 1918 resulted in two major expansions. The vaulted main reading/reference room was divided by the insertion of a floor (1922-1923) which doubled its capacity at the sacrifice of much of its original grandeur. And in 1923 the Henry Charles Lea Library and Reading Room filled the space between the library and 34th Street. The next major addition to the Furness Building was designed by Robert Rodes McGoodwin. He proposed an expansion of the library building which would have constructed a larger Collegiate Gothic building around Furness's original library. Remaining exterior walls would have been reclad to match the new construction. The Horace Howard Furness Memorial (1930-1931) was the only part of McGoodwin's larger design to be built.

In 1962 the University built a new library building for the School of Arts and Sciences, designed by Harbeson, Hough, Livingston & Larson; and the Furness Building became the home of the Fine Arts Library. The Furness Building (excluding the Duhring Memorial Stacks) underwent a major renovation/restoration by Venturi, Rauch, and Scott Brown 1985-1991. It was rededicated in 1991 as the Jerome and Anne Fisher Fine Arts Library.

Summary:

This collection comprises architectural drawings, photoprints and papers documenting the architecture of the Library of the University of Pennsylvania, designed in 1888 by Frank Furness (Furness, Evans, and Co.). Materials include original drawings and prints from 1888, originals and prints for subsequent alterations and additions by Furness, Evans, and Co., original drawings and prints for Robert Rodes McGoodwin's addition, and limited documentation of the 1985-1991 renovation. The collection contains an exceptionally fine perspective rendering in ink and wash, as well as oversized, hand-colored prints on linen of the plans, sections and elevations for the original design by Furness, Evans and Co. Also notable are drawings for Robert Rodes McGoodwin's proposal to enlarge and re-clad the library in Collegiate Gothic style. Holdings for the renovation and restoration begun in 1985 comprise two presentation renderings by Venturi, Rauch, and Scott Brown and the entire office file for the Historic Structure Report by the Clio Group (George E. Thomas). The Clio Group file is rich in photographic documentation, including copies of historic photographs as well as photo-documentation of the building (before, during and after restoration). The collection contains no design, construction or shop drawings related to the restoration and no office files of Venturi, Rauch, and Scott Brown.

Finding Aid/Index:

Printed finding aid available at the Architectural Archives. For electronic finding aid see Web Link.

This collection is indexed (with electronic access to selected images) in Philadelphia Architects and Buildings, a searchable database of architectural research materials. See Web Link.

Cited as:

Library of the University of Pennsylvania Building Collection, The Architectural Archives, University of Pennsylvania.

Access Restriction:

Collection available for research by appointment only.

Online:

Finding aid (PDF)

Philadelphia Architects and Buildings