Louis A. Simon
Louis A. Simon | |
---|---|
Supervising Architect of the United States | |
In office 1934–1939 | |
Preceded by | James A. Wetmore |
Succeeded by | Position abolished |
Personal details | |
Born | Baltimore | May 1, 1867
Died | May 11, 1958 Washington, D.C. | (aged 91)
Profession | Architect |
Louis A. Simon
Life and career
Louis Adolphe Simon was born May 1, 1867, in
In 1915 James A. Wetmore, a lawyer who had worked with the office since 1896, was appointed acting supervising architect. As Wetmore was not an architect, Simon became the de facto director of design for all of the work produced by the office during Wetmore's administration. During this period Simon served on the board which planned the Federal Triangle, and obtained for the office the design of the Internal Revenue Service Building, construction of which began in 1928 and was completed in 1931. Other large projects designed by the office during this period include the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau, completed in 1931, the United States Post Office and Courthouse in Baltimore, completed in 1932 and the Federal Office Building in Seattle, completed in 1933. Wetmore retired in 1934, one year after a large scale reorganization of the Treasury Department by president Franklin D. Roosevelt, and was succeeded by Simon.[2]
Though the office under Simon was responsible for the design and construction of many large buildings, he is often remembered for the introduction of standard, easily extendible plans which could be quickly executed for smaller communities. These would then be dressed in an architectural style thought appropriate for the region, whether
Simon was unwavering in his defense of what he considered a "conservative-progressive" approach to design in which he saw "art, beauty, symmetry, harmony and rhythm".[3] Simon was credited by the AIA with raising the standard of design for federal buildings, especially since his appointment in 1934. For his efforts and for his long involvement with the AIA, Simon was elected a Fellow in 1937, the only supervising architect to be so honored.[2]
In the face of AIA criticism and Simon and Morganthau's desire for quality public architecture, in 1938 a system of public design competitions was adopted to select architects for important buildings. A few of these competitions were carried out, including for
In addition to his AIA involvement, Simon was a member and president of the Association of Federal Architects and a member of the
Personal life
Simon was a parishioner of All Souls Church and a member of the Cosmos Club.[5] Simon was married to Theresa B. McConnor. They had three daughters, all of whom died young. Simon died May 11, 1958, in Washington.[1]
References
- ^ a b "Louis A. Simon (1857-1958)," AIA Historical Directory of American Architects, no date. Accessed February 4, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Antoinette J. Lee, Architects to the Nation: The Rise and Decline of the Supervising Architect's Office (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000)
- ^ American Architect and Architecture (August, 1937), vol. 151, p. 51.
- ^ Michael Zipp, "Architectural Chronology," Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, no date. Accessed February 4, 2023.
- ^ a b "Simon, Louis Adolph" in American Architects Directory (New York: R. R. Bowker Company, 1956): 507.