The Architecture of Warren & Wetmore

Peter Pennoyer and Anne Walker

Foreword by Robert A. M. Stern

Praise for The Architecture of Warren & Wetmore:

“[W]onderful photographs and has a store of history for the architecturally minded.”
—Newport Daily News

“A 'must' for any college-level architectural studies collection.”
—California Bookwatch

“It is a difficult feat to translate the aesthetic sense of an architect into book form but Peter Pennoyer and Anne Walker have accomplished it with this remarkably well-illustrated book.”
—The New Criterion

"Like their magnificent 2003 volume on the previously un-monographed firm of Delano & Aldrich . . . this book interweaves architectural and urban analysis and biographies of designers and patrons. . . . The Architecture of Warren & Wetmore spins a colorful tale of personalities clashing and a tragic tale of buildings razed.”
—Clem Labine's Traditional Building

“[W]hat to see, why you should see it and where it's located, all in one handy book.”
—Modernism Magazine

“Many of us idolize actors or musicians, but apparently architects aren't far behind in the 'star' category. How else could one explain the current travel trend of people journeying across the country to check out buildings by Frank Gehry, Rem Koolhaas, and other masters? From the swooping stainless steel that is the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles to the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Arts, a collage of concrete and black aluminum boxes by Zaha Hadid, The Architecture Traveler provides useful information (maps, visitor hours, addresses) as well as insight into why each of the 262 American treasures is worth a visit.”
—US Airways Magazine

"[L]ively and informative…a pleasure to consult…[F]irst-class guide to modern and contemporary American architecture.”
    —CultureKiosque: The European Guide to Arts and Culture Worldwide

Overview

During the first three decades of the twentieth century, Warren & Wetmore was one of the most successful and prolific architectural practices in America. Producing over three hundred major projects, including the celebrated Grand Central Terminal (designed in association with Reed & Stem), the charismatic Beaux Arts-trained Whitney Warren (1864-1943) and shrewd lawyer Charles D. Wetmore (1866-1941) grasped the stylistic requirements and prevailing architectural tastes of the vibrant period leading up to the Great Depression. The firm’s bold and creative interpretation of classical and French styles, as translated into American practice, reflected the cultural, social, and business aspirations of the country’s ruling class.

Illustrated with Jonathan Wallen’s stunning new color photographs and with historic photographs, drawings, and plans, The Architecture of Warren & Wetmore is the first book to examine exclusively the scope of the firm’s rich and varied body of work. In addition to Grand Central Terminal, Warren & Wetmore was responsible for some of New York’s most memorable buildings, including the New York Yacht Club, grand mansions for such prominent clients as the Vanderbilts, and a number of luxurious early apartment buildings and hotels. During a period of rampant building activity, the firm was instrumental in shaping New York’s expanding cityscape with its office buildings in Terminal City and setback towers. Its hotels and resorts nationwide set an unprecedented level of comfort and luxury for America’s leisure class, guiding the direction of the modern-day hotel. The reconstruction of the university library in Louvain, Belgium-Warren’s most prized commission-held the international spotlight after World War I. The Architecture of Warren & Wetmore includes a catalogue raisonnÈ and an employee roster, and is the definitive source about a practice that made an indelible imprint on the American landscape.

About the Author –

Peter Pennoyer, is the principal of the eponymous architecture firm that has a national practice in classical and traditional architecture. Pennoyer and his twenty associates have designed houses and institutional projects from New York to California. The firm’s work is recognized for combining an inventive spirit with an erudite grasp of architectural history and has been widely published and exhibited. Pennoyer serves on the boards of the Institute for Classical Architecture and Classical America, the Municipal Art Society, the Morgan Library, and the Whiting Foundation. He is the coauthor of The Architecture of Delano & Aldrich.

Anne Walker , holds a master’s degree in historic preservation from Columbia University. She is the coauthor of The Ford Plantation Architectural Pattern Book and The Architecture of Delano & Aldrich.

ISBN: 0-393-73162-6