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The architecture of Birdsall P. Briscoe / Stephen Fox ; photography by Paul Hester ; foreword by Charles W. Ligon.
- Format:
- Book
- Author/Creator:
- Fox, Stephen, 1950- author.
- Series:
- Sara and John Lindsey Series in the Arts and Humanities Series
- Sara and John Lindsey Series in the Arts and Humanities Series ; v.23
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Architects--Texas--Houston--Biography.
- Architects.
- Architecture, Domestic--20th century--Designs and plans.
- Architecture, Domestic.
- Architecture, Domestic--Texas--Houston--History--20th century.
- Decoration and ornament--Régence style.
- Decoration and ornament.
- Briscoe, Birdsall.
- Physical Description:
- 1 online resource (384 pages)
- Edition:
- First edition.
- Place of Publication:
- College Station, Texas : Texas A&M University Press, 2023.
- Summary:
- "Birdsall P. Briscoe (1876-1971) practiced architecture from 1912 to 1956, the span of years during which Houston was transformed from an ambitious town on Buffalo Bayou into an international city, its economy powered by cotton, trade, and oil. The country houses Briscoe designed for three generations of affluent clients, sited in such Houston neighborhoods as Courtlandt Place, Shadyside, Broadacres, and River Oaks, display his exceptional skill in formulating stylistic and social identities for his wealthy clients and their families. In The Architecture of Birdsall P. Briscoe, architectural historian Stephen Fox examines the country houses designed by Briscoe, offering a glimpse into the architect's methods as well as analyzing how Briscoe constructed a "social architecture" to frame his clientele during periods of economic expansion and contraction. Fox demonstrates how Briscoe cultivated and managed elements of taste, style, and fashion to embody assertions of class identity and solidarity in the context of Houston's capitalist economy. Additionally, Fox shows how Briscoe and his peers interpreted and reflected early twentieth-century Progressive Era design ideals in giving shape to the vision of local civic leaders. Illustrated throughout with masterful color photography by Paul Hester, this original study of one of Texas' most distinguished residential architects will enthrall readers with both its detail and its contextual clarity. As he did in his book on the architecture of John F. Staub, Fox delivers a treasure trove of insight into a vital period of Houston's social history and the architect who helped design it"-- Provided by publisher.
- Contents:
- Foreword / Charles W. Ligon
- Preface and Acknowledgments / Stephen Fox
- Modernizing Houston with Beauty
- Birdsall P. Briscoe: A Biographical Overview
- Progressive Houston
- Beginning Practice
- Houston's Cradle of Culture
- Civics for Houston: River Oaks
- The City That Never Knew the Depression
- Azalea Trail
- Postwar Planning
- Beyond Houston
- In the House of Grace
- Appendix
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Illustration Credits.
- Notes:
- Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.
- Description based on print version record.
- Includes bibliographical references and index.
- ISBN:
- 9781648430534
- OCLC:
- 1440669007
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