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Williamsburg Architecture Gallery
Williamsburg is a showcase of amazing architecture. Some, such as that found on the campus of William and Mary, include buildings that have been in continuous use for centuries. Other structures were refurbished or rebuilt in the 1920’s, the product of a herculean restoration project funded by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. With most post 1790 buildings removed, the town’s architecture largely reflects Georgian ideals, including absolute symmetry. Wonderfully walkable, it’s the perfect place to immerse yourself in the past.
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Vassar Campus- Poughkeepsie, NY
I do love college campuses. Old college campuses that is; I am not rushing out to photograph a Phoenix or a Stratford. But old college campuses are an architectural wonderland; collections of substantial stone buildings, built to impress. Vassar, founded in 1861, checks all the boxes. Their campus includes a stunning Gothic library, an 1865 Observatory, a magnificent chapel, and the facade of an 1866 Second Empire/Lombard Romanesque Calisthenium, which now fronts a Cesar Pelli designed drama center. The 1904 Norman Style chapel, with its gorgeous hammerbeam ceiling boasts 15 stained glass windows, including five by Louis Comfort Tiffany, four by Robert L. Dodge and six by John La Farge.…
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Cathedral of Learning- Pittsburgh, PA
University of Pittsburgh’s intricate and arched Cathedral of Learning is a space straight out of the world of Harry Potter. It is absolutely Hogwarts’ stateside campus. Although that may not be true, it is certainly the most inspiring study venue I have ever visited. Although, truth be told, I would probably spend my time exploring the space, rather than actually studying. Designed by architect Charles Klauder in the late Gothic Revival style, the 42 story building is the tallest educational building in the Western Hemisphere. When construction started in 1926, it was going to be the tallest building in Pittsburgh; however, in 1932, the 44 story Gulf Tower stole their…
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Oberlin College- Oberlin, OH
Generally speaking, old colleges have fabulous architecture. Usually grand Gothic, but depending on when they were founded, also stately Greek Revival or red roofed Mediterranean. Oberlin College in Ohio consists of an eclectic mix of buildings, spanning over two centuries. Although a collection of different styles, the buildings work well together, and provide an interesting journey through architectural time. The college was founded in 1833 as the Oberlin Collegiate Institute, by a pair of Presbyterian ministers, John Jay Shipherd and Philo Stewart. Named after an Alsatian minister, Jean-Frederic Oberlin, it is the oldest coeducational liberal arts college in the United States, and the first college in the United States to…
