Eleanore Pettersen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eleanore Pettersen
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| Born | 1916 |
| Died | January 15, 2003 (aged 86–87) Saddle River, New Jersey, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Cooper Union |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Projects | Alford/Nixon House, Saddle River, New Jersey. Bear's Nest Townhome Development, Park Ridge, New Jersey. |
Eleanore Kendall Pettersen (1916 – January 15, 2003) was an amazing American architect. She was one of the very first women to become a licensed architect in New Jersey. She ran her own architecture business there for 50 years, from 1952 to 2002.
Contents
Eleanore's Early Life and Schooling
Eleanore Pettersen was born in 1916 in Passaic, New Jersey. She loved architecture and studied it at Cooper Union in New York City. She earned her first certificate in 1941. Later, in 1976, she went back to Cooper Union to get her full Bachelor of Architecture degree.
Her Career as an Architect
In 1950, Eleanore Pettersen became one of the first women in New Jersey to get her license as an architect. She started her career working for the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. She was a "draftsman" (someone who draws building plans) and then an "apprentice" (a student learning on the job) for him. She worked with Wright from 1941 to 1943 at his studios in Arizona and Wisconsin, called Taliesin.
From 1946 to 1950, she lived in Tennessee. During this time, she designed power buildings and other facilities for the Tennessee Valley Authority. This was a government program that built dams and power plants to help the region. She also worked for the National Defense Research Committee. In this job, she studied how enemy buildings were put together.
Starting Her Own Business
In 1952, Pettersen opened her own architecture business in Saddle River, New Jersey. This made her the first woman in the state to start her own architecture firm! She kept her business going for 50 years, until 2002.
During those 50 years, she designed more than 600 projects. These included homes and buildings for businesses. She often hired young interns and apprentices, many of whom were women. She liked to hire people right out of architecture school. After a few weeks of training, new employees would get their own projects. They were encouraged to work closely with clients and see their projects through from design to construction.
In 1970, Eleanore started Design Collaborative. This was a part of her firm that focused on interior design. This meant she was involved in every step of making a building look great, inside and out.
Famous Projects
Eleanore Pettersen mostly designed homes. One of her most famous designs was a large 15-room house in Saddle River. She designed it in 1971 for a businessman named John Alford. Later, in 1981, former U.S. president Richard Nixon bought this house and lived there after he left politics.
Pettersen also designed Bears Nest. This is a private community with many homes in Park Ridge, New Jersey. Richard Nixon also lived there after moving from the Saddle River house. Eleanore was licensed to work as an architect in seven states! These were New Jersey, Connecticut, Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, and North Carolina.
She owned two companies: Eleanore Pettersen, A.I.A., which was her architecture firm, and Design Collaborative, which focused on interior design.
Pioneering Achievements for Women
Eleanore Pettersen achieved many "firsts" for women in her field.
- In 1978, she was the first woman elected president of the New Jersey Board of Architects.
- In 1985, she became the first female president of the American Institute of Architects' (AIA) New Jersey chapter.
- Two years later, she became the first female regional director for the AIA.
- In 1991, she was honored by being appointed to the AIA College of Fellows.
- In 1965, she was the first woman to receive a special award from Cooper Union for her great professional achievements.
- She was the first woman chosen by the governor to be on the New Jersey State Board of Architects. She then became its first woman president from 1975 to 1976.
- In 1984, she became the first female president of the New Jersey Society of Architects.
From 1968 to 1970, Pettersen was president of the Bergen County Altrusa Club. This is an organization for professional women.
Awards and Exhibitions
Eleanore Pettersen's work was shown in three special exhibitions:
- Ageless Perceptions IV – Senior Women in Architecture at the SOHO20 Gallery in New York City (1991)
- Eleanore Pettersen, FAIA/Four Decades at the Center of Northern New Jersey (New Milford, NJ, 1991)
- Taliesin Legacy: The Independent Work of Frank Lloyd Wright Apprentices at the Pratt Manhattan Gallery in New York (1992)
She also received many awards, including:
- 1965: Professional Achievement Citation – Cooper Union
- 1967: North Jersey Architectural Award – North Jersey Cultural Council and Architects League of Northern New Jersey
- 2010: Michael Graves Lifetime Achievement Award – American Institute of Architects New Jersey (given after her death)
- Pioneer Women of the 90's Honoree - County Executive William
- Augustus Saint-Gaudens Award for Architecture - Cooper Union
- Named a New Jersey Woman of Achievement - Douglass College and the New Jersey State Federation of Women
- Elizabeth Cady Stanton The World Is Moving Award - Given by the Women's Rights Information Center
- Outstanding Services Award - New Jersey Commission on Women
- President's Citation for Meritorious Service - New Jersey Society of Architects
Death and Legacy
Eleanore Pettersen passed away in 2003 in Saddle River, when she was 86 years old. Her important papers and designs are kept at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
A special event called the "Eleanore Pettersen lecture" is held at Cooper Union in her honor. This lecture talks about great design and new ideas for building in ways that help the environment. She was also featured in a documentary film called "A Girl is a Fellow Here" ~ 100 Women in the Studio of Frank Lloyd Wright. This film was made by the Beverly Willis Architectural Foundation.
See also
In Spanish: Eleanore Pettersen para niños
