Marion Mahony Griffin facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Marion Mahony Griffin
Mahony Griffin in Sydney, 1930
Born	Marion Lucy Mahony (1871-02-14)February 14, 1871 Chicago, Illinois
Died	August 10, 1961(1961-08-10) (aged 90) Chicago, Illinois
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Occupation	Architect; artist
Years active	1890s–1950s
Known for	Prairie School
Spouse(s)	Walter Burley Griffin (m. 1911)

Marion Mahony Griffin (born Marion Lucy Mahony, February 14, 1871 – August 10, 1961) was an amazing American architect and artist. She was one of the first women in the world to be officially allowed to practice architecture. She was also a key member of the Prairie School, a famous style of architecture.

Her designs in the United States helped grow the Prairie School style. Later, her work in India and Australia showed how this style could use local landscapes and materials, especially in new countries. A historian named Deborah Wood said that Marion created many of the famous drawings people connect with Frank Lloyd Wright, another architect she worked with.

Marion made some of the most beautiful architectural drawings in America and Australia. She was also very important in planning the design for Canberra, the capital city of Australia.

Early Life and Education
Her Architectural Career
- Working with Frank Lloyd Wright
- Working with Walter Burley Griffin
Later Life and Legacy
- Exhibitions of Her Work
Architectural Works
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Education

Marion Mahony was born in 1871 in Chicago, Illinois. Her father, Jeremiah Mahony, was a journalist and poet from Ireland. Her mother, Clara Hamilton, was a schoolteacher.

Her family moved to Winnetka, Illinois in 1880 after the Great Chicago Fire. In her memories, Marion described her mother carrying her as a baby in a clothes basket to escape the fire. Growing up in Winnetka, she was fascinated by how quickly the natural landscape was disappearing as new homes were built.

Her cousin, architect Dwight Perkins, inspired her to study architecture. She graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) in 1894. She was only the second woman to graduate from this program. The first was Sophia Hayden, who designed the Woman's Building for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Marion was very talented, but sometimes she felt unsure about her place in society and in her field.

Her Architectural Career

Working with Frank Lloyd Wright

After graduating, Marion returned to Chicago. She became the first woman to get an architecture license in Illinois. She worked for her cousin's architecture firm. This office was shared with many other architects, including Frank Lloyd Wright.

In 1895, Marion was the first person hired by Frank Lloyd Wright. She helped design buildings, furniture, stained glass windows, and decorations. Her beautiful watercolor drawings of buildings and landscapes became a key part of Wright's style. However, he often did not give her credit for her work.

Even though she is now known as one of the best architectural artists, during her lifetime, her talent was often seen as just helping male architects. She worked with Wright's studio for almost 15 years. She played a big part in his fame, especially for the important Wasmuth Portfolio. Marion created more than half of the many drawings for this collection. An architectural writer named Reyner Banham called her the "greatest architectural artist of her generation."

Wright often did not fully recognize the contributions of others in the Prairie School, including Marion. Wright's son, John Lloyd Wright, later explained that Marion Mahony and other talented architects made important contributions to the Prairie-style architecture that made his father famous. During this time, Marion also designed a house for her brother and sister-in-law in Indiana.

When Wright moved to Europe in 1909, he offered his studio's work to Marion, but she said no. After Wright left, another architect, Hermann V. von Holst, took over Wright's projects. He hired Marion, giving her full control over the designs. This way, Marion became the architect for several projects Wright had left behind.

Working with Walter Burley Griffin

Marion suggested that Walter Burley Griffin help von Holst with the landscaping for some houses in Illinois. Griffin was also an architect and had worked with Wright. He was a leading member of the Prairie School style.

Marion and Griffin worked together on the Illinois project before they got married. After their marriage in 1911, Marion worked in Griffin's architecture practice. One of their most impressive American projects was Rock Crest – Rock Glen in Iowa. It is the largest collection of Prairie Style homes built around a natural setting.

Marion and Griffin were married for 26 years. Marion's watercolor drawings of Griffin's design for Canberra, the new Australian capital, were very important. They helped them win first prize in the international competition for the city's plan.

In 1914, the couple moved to Australia to oversee the building of Canberra. Marion managed their office in Sydney. She was also in charge of designing their private projects. In Australia, Marion and Griffin became interested in Anthroposophy, a philosophy by Rudolf Steiner. They joined the Anthroposophy Society in Sydney. In Australia, they also developed a new building method called Knitlock.

In 1935, Walter was asked to design a library for a university in India. Marion joined him in 1936 and soon took over the office. She oversaw the design of many buildings there. Sadly, less than a year later, in February 1937, Walter died from an infection. Marion then closed the office, leaving many projects unfinished, and returned to Australia.

Marion Mahony Griffin helped spread the Prairie Style to two other continents, far from where it began. She believed that Louis Sullivan was the true inspiration for the Prairie School philosophy. She thought Wright's habit of taking all the credit for the movement led to its early end in the United States.

Later Life and Legacy

Marion Mahony Griffin did not stay long in Australia after Walter's death. She was in her late 60s and returned to the United States. After that, she mostly retired from her architecture career.

She spent the next 20 years working on a huge book called "The Magic of America." It was 1400 pages long with 650 illustrations. It described her and Walter's work lives. This book has not yet been officially published. A copy of the book was given to the Art Institute of Chicago around 1949 and has been available online since 2007.

In 2006, the National Library of Australia bought a large collection of the Griffins' work. This included drawings, photos, silk paintings, and other items.

Marion Mahony Griffin died in 1961 at the age of 90. She is buried in Graceland Cemetery in Chicago.

In 2015, a beach in Rogers Park, Chicago was named in Marion Mahony Griffin's honor. She had lived near this beach when she returned to the United States in 1939. The Australian Consul-General attended the dedication of the beach. This showed how important she was in designing Australia's capital.

A few of Marion's works that still exist in the United States include a small mural in George B. Armstrong elementary school in Chicago. There are also several homes in Decatur, Illinois.

The Australian Institute of Architects, NSW Chapter, honors her work with an annual award. The Marion Mahony Griffin Prize is given to a female architect for her important work in architectural education, writing, research, or building design.

Exhibitions of Her Work

1998-1999: The Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences in Sydney held an exhibition called "Beyond Architecture: Marion Mahony and Walter Burley Griffin."
2013: To celebrate Canberra's 100th birthday, the National Library of Australia held an exhibition. It was called "The Dream of a Century: the Griffins in Australia’s Capital." Her drawings were shown for the entire year.
2015: Some of her work was shown at the Block Museum of Northwestern University, Illinois, USA.
2016-2017: An exhibition was held at the Elmhurst History Museum, Illinois, USA.
2020-2021: An exhibition at the Museum of Sydney was called "Paradise on Earth."
2022: An exhibition at the National Archives of Australia in Canberra was titled "Marion: the other Griffin."

Architectural Works

All Souls Church (demolished), Evanston, Illinois – 1901
The Gerald and Hattie Mahony Residence (demolished), Elkhart, Indiana - 1907
David Amberg Residence, 505 College Avenue SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan - 1909
Edward P. Irving Residence, 2 Millikin Place, Decatur, Illinois - 1909
Robert Mueller Residence, 1 Millikin Place, Decatur, Illinois - 1909
Adolph Mueller Residence, 4 Millikin Place, Decatur, Illinois - 1910
Niles Club Company, Club House, Niles, Michigan - 1911
Henry Ford Residence "FairLane" (unbuilt initial design; 1913)
Koehne House (demolished 1974), Palm Beach, Florida - 1914
Cooley Residence, Grand St. at Texas Avenue, Monroe, Louisiana
Fern Room, Cafe Australia, Melbourne, Australia - 1916
Pholiota, 23 Glenard Drive, Eaglemont, Victoria (the Griffins own house) - 1920
Capitol Theatre, Swanston Street, Melbourne, Australia – 1921-1923
"Stokesay", residence of Mr. and Mrs. Onians, 289 Nepean Highway, Seaford, Victoria, Australia - 1925
Ellen Mower Residence, 12 The Rampart, Castlecrag, Sydney - 1926
Creswick Residence, Castlecrag, Sydney, Australia - 1926
S.R. Salter Residence (Knitlock construction), Toorak, Victoria, Australia - 1927
Vaughan Griffin Residence, 52 Darebin St., Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia - 1927