Natalie de Blois Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Natalie de Blois

Born	(1921-04-02)April 2, 1921 Paterson, New Jersey
Died	July 22, 2013(2013-07-22) (aged 92) Chicago, Illinois
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Columbia University
Occupation	Architect

Practice	Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Buildings	Union Carbide Building, Lever House, Pepsi Cola Headquarters, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company Headquarters

Natalie Griffin de Blois (born April 2, 1921 – died July 22, 2013) was an amazing American architect. She started her career in 1944. Natalie de Blois became one of the first important women in a job mostly done by men.

She worked for many years as a partner at the famous company Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM). Some of her most well-known buildings include the Pepsi Cola Headquarters, Lever House, and the Union Carbide Building in New York City. She also designed the Equitable Building in Chicago. Other projects include parts of the Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan and the Connecticut General Life Insurance Company Headquarters in Bloomfield, Connecticut.

Many buildings designed by Natalie de Blois are among the tallest buildings ever designed by women. Later in her life, she taught architecture at the University of Texas from the 1980s to the 1990s.

Early Life and Education
A Pioneering Architect
- Work in Chicago
- Later Career and Teaching
Key Projects
Awards and Recognition
Gallery
See also

Early Life and Education

Natalie de Blois was born in Paterson, New Jersey. Her family had engineers for three generations. She was interested in architecture from a very young age. In 2004, she said, "I was chosen to be the one who would go into art. I told my father I wanted to be an architect from age ten or twelve."

She went to the Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio. In 1944, she earned her architecture degree from Columbia University. While studying at Columbia, she worked during the summer at Babcock & Wilcox. She also worked for Frederick John Kiesler.

A Pioneering Architect

De Blois started her career at a New York firm called Ketchum, Gina, and Sharpe. However, she soon joined the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM). At SOM, Natalie de Blois became known as a "pioneer." This meant she was a leader as a female architect in a field mostly dominated by men.

She designed many big business buildings on Park Avenue in New York City. These include the Pepsi building and the Union Carbide Building. The Union Carbide Building is now known as the Chase Building. She worked with Gordon Bunshaft on the Pepsi building, which was finished in 1960. Critics praised this building for its beautiful, shiny glass and aluminum walls.

Work in Chicago

In 1962, Natalie de Blois moved to SOM's main office in Chicago. She continued to work on tall buildings there until 1974. While in Chicago, she started the Chicago Women in Architecture group. Richard Tomlinson, a managing partner at SOM's Chicago office, thought this was a great idea. De Blois was promoted to associate partner in 1964. Her work in Chicago includes the Equitable Building.

Later Career and Teaching

In 1974, de Blois joined another firm called Neuhaus & Taylor in Houston. Later, in 1980, she began teaching at the University of Texas School of Architecture. She taught there until 1993. Natalie de Blois passed away at age 92 in Chicago. Her ashes were scattered on Lake Michigan.

In 2014, Natalie de Blois was honored for her work. She won an award from the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation. This award recognized her designs for the Pepsi Cola World Headquarters and the Union Carbide Building. Beverly Willis said that "There wasn't anybody in the country quite like Natalie." This was because no one else worked for a firm as big as Skidmore, Owings and Merrill.

Key Projects

Here are some of the important buildings Natalie de Blois helped design:

Union Carbide Building (now Chase Building), New York – Completed 1960, she was the Senior Designer.
New York State Building, New York – Designer of the 1946 renovation.
Terrace Plaza Hotel, Cincinnati, Ohio – 1948, she was the Design Coordinator.
Lever House, New York – 1952, she was the Design Coordinator.
Pepsi Cola Headquarters, New York – She was the Senior Designer.
Emhart Manufacturing Company Building – 1962, she was the Senior Designer.
Connecticut General Life Insurance Company Headquarters, Bloomfield, Connecticut – 1957, she was the Senior Designer.
Equitable Building, Chicago.

Awards and Recognition

Natalie de Blois received several important awards for her work:

She earned a Fulbright fellowship to study architecture in France.
She won the Edward J. Romieniec Award. This award recognizes excellent architectural educators.
A scholarship at the University of Texas at Austin was named after her.
She became a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 1974. This is a high honor for architects.