Wallace Harrison facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wallace Harrison
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Wallace Kirkman Harrison
September 28, 1895 Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S.
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| Died | December 2, 1981 (aged 86) New York City, U.S.
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| Alma mater | École des Beaux-Arts |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Awards | AIA Gold Medal (1967) |
| Practice | Harrison & Abramowitz |
| Buildings | United Nations headquarters Exxon Building |
| Projects | Rockefeller Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts |
| Design | Trylon and Perisphere |
Wallace Kirkman Harrison (September 28, 1895 – December 2, 1981) was a famous American architect. He helped design many big projects in New York City. He worked closely with Nelson Rockefeller, a well-known leader. Harrison designed important places like Rockefeller Center and the United Nations headquarters.
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Wallace Harrison's Amazing Buildings
Wallace Harrison loved architecture from a young age. He studied engineering and architecture. He even went to a famous art school in Paris, France. Early in his career, he joined a firm called Corbett, Harrison & MacMurray. They worked on the huge Rockefeller Center in New York City.
Working with Nelson Rockefeller
Harrison had a very important connection with Nelson Rockefeller. Rockefeller's daughter was married to Harrison's brother-in-law. This connection helped Harrison become a trusted adviser to Rockefeller. He designed many buildings for Rockefeller, especially when Rockefeller was the governor of New York.
Harrison & Abramowitz
In 1941, Harrison teamed up with Max Abramowitz to create their own firm, Harrison & Abramowitz. Together, they designed many buildings for universities and companies. Some of their famous designs include the Time & Life Building and the Socony-Mobil Building. Both of these are now important landmarks in New York City.
Iconic Projects in New York
Harrison was the main architect for many well-known buildings. He designed the Metropolitan Opera House at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. He also worked on the Empire State Plaza in Albany, New York. Harrison was even the Director of Planning for the United Nations complex. This huge building was built on land given by the Rockefeller family.
Harrison also helped plan big projects on Long Island. He was the master planner for the World's Fairs of 1939 and 1964. He also worked on LaGuardia and JFK airports.
His Unique Home and Art
Harrison's designs were often very practical and clear. But his own home showed his more creative side. In 1931, he built a summer house in West Hills, New York. This house was an early example of the International Style, which used simple, clean lines. His home became a meeting place for famous architects, artists, and politicians.
One cool part of his house was a 32-foot circular living room. People say it was a test design for the Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center! He also had two other circular rooms. Famous guests like Nelson Rockefeller, Marc Chagall, and Le Corbusier often visited.
Harrison loved art and collected works by artists like Alexander Calder and Fernand Léger. He even asked them to create new art for his buildings. Léger painted a mural at the bottom of Harrison's swimming pool! Calder's first art show is said to have happened at Harrison's home.
Clinton Hill Co-ops
Between 1941 and 1943, Harrison designed the Clinton Hill Co-ops. These were 12 buildings in Brooklyn, New York. They were built to house workers from the Brooklyn Navy Yards during World War II.
Awards and Recognition
Wallace Harrison was a very respected architect. He was part of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts from 1955 to 1959. In 1967, he received the AIA Gold Medal. This is one of the highest honors for an architect in the United States.
Personal Life
Wallace Harrison married Ellen Hunt Milton in 1926. They had a daughter named Sarah. They lived in Manhattan and also had a home in Seal Harbor, Maine.
Major Projects
- 185 Montague Street (1929–1930)
- Rockefeller Center, as part of the main architects, 1931–1971
- The Rockefeller Apartments (with J. André Fouilhoux), 1936
- Trylon and Perisphere for the 1939 New York World's Fair
- 10 Rockefeller Plaza (formerly the Eastern Airlines Building), part of Rockefeller Center, 1939
- The Clinton Hill Co-ops, Brooklyn, New York, 1941–43
- The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York, 1951
- Sophronia Brooks Hall Auditorium, Oberlin, Ohio, 1953
- The First Presbyterian Church ("The Fish Church"), Stamford, Connecticut, 1958
- 1271 Avenue of the Americas (formerly the Time-Life Building) at Rockefeller Center, New York City, 1959
- The Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York, his last big project, 1959–1976
- Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College, 1962
- Lead architect for the headquarters of the United Nations, working with designers from around the world, 1952
- Erieview Tower, Cleveland, Ohio, 1963
- The New York Hall of Science at the 1964 New York World's Fair, New York City, 1964
- Air traffic control tower, LaGuardia Airport (1964) (no longer standing)
- Hilles Library, Harvard University, 1965
- Metropolitan Opera House and the master plan for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, 1961–1966 (The Opera House opened in 1966)
- Master plan for Battery Park City, New York City, 1966
- 1221 Avenue of the Americas (formerly the McGraw-Hill Building) at Rockefeller Center, 1969
- 1251 Avenue of the Americas (formerly the Exxon Building) at Rockefeller Center, 1971
- The National City Tower, Louisville, Kentucky, 1972
- Jasna Polana Mansion, Princeton, New Jersey, about 1975
See also
