Archives: Architecture Collections

Special Collections has many architecture-related collections that document the St. Louis-area, such as:

• files from notable architects, many whom attended or taught at Washington University
• original plans for buildings formerly owned by the Terminal Railroad Corporation: Eads Bridge and St. Louis Union Station

Several collections go beyond St. Louis, and include national and international coverage:

• 19th century photographs collected by Russel Sturgis
• urban planning work of Harland Bartholomew & Associates (HBA). 
• school and public buildings by the Ittner Firm 

And numerous documents on WashU architectural history, including:

• records about the College of Architecture (now a part of the Sam Fox School)
• drawings, photographs, and records for campus buildings and design.

Please note: Collection inventories (finding aid) are linked below, however most materials are in original (paper) format and not available online.  Contact the Department of Special Collections by phone or email to access the collections.

Terminal Railroad Corporation: Eads Bridge & St. Louis Union Station

National and International focused collections

History of Architecture Education

The Washington University School of Architecture was originally part of the School of Engineering and Architecture. The program was first housed in the Cupples I building, and the first professor of architecture was Frederick M. Mann.

In 1910, the School of Architecture separated from the engineering program and became its own school. It is one of the 10 founding members of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture. Twenty years later, Joseph Givens, whose father was the architect of the university’s first (downtown) campus, donated money for the construction of a new School of Architecture building -- Givens Hall, which opened in 1932. Since then, deans of the school have included Alexander Langsdorf, Joseph Murphy, and Constantine E. Michaelides, who served in that position from 1973 to 1993, becoming one of the longest-serving dean at the university. In 2005 the College of Architecture joined with the Art program as part of the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts.

For more history see:

Finding Aids: College of Architecture and related programs

Finding Aids: about Washington University campus architecture

• We may have your house plans IF it was designed by one of the architects in our collections. 
• Many architects designed homes for St. Louis -- only firms with a connection to WashU (they studied here, taught here) are archived at Special Collections.

If you are not sure where to start, try:

• Many books, including rare materials, are available at the Art Library. The storage location is noted in the catalog record if items are at Special Collections or the Kranzberg  Art and Architecture Library.
• Space for physical storage at the Art and Architecture Library is limited, and archive collections are cared for at Special Collections, as part of the Local History or University Archives collecting areas.