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Warren D. Warner, 1929-2012, was a former Rhode Island School of Design instructor and the architect credited with redesigning Providence and revitalizing the waterfront. Warner and fellow RISD professor Friedrich St. Florian used a restaurant table napkin to sketch their vision for a re-imagined downtown Providence waterfront. Warner’s enduring legacy is Providence’s River Relocation and
"War must not be glorified, but war must be remembered." Friedrich St. Florian set out to do just that. His design of the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. remembers not only the sacrifices of American fighting men and women in that war, but the home front contributions to victory as well. The
Humble origins have been the hallmark of many American and Rhode Island success stories. Not many can match the saga of the Gilbane Brothers and the establishment of the multinational Gilbane Building Company. The Irish potato famine of the1840’s sent myriads of Hibernian refugees to North America. And so it was with Thomas and Bridget
Greene, John Holden, 1777-1850 John Holden Greene was a carpenter-architect who moved from his native Warwick to Providence in 1794 and designed his first major Providence structure, the Sullivan Dorr House, in 1809. Embracing the Neo-classical style known as Federal architecture, many of his homes were distinguished by roof and portico balustrading. Greene designed
Russell Warren, 1783-1860, was a Tiverton-born carpenter who became one of Rhode Island’s leading architects. The first phase of his career (1800-1823) was marked by residence in Bristol where he designed mansions for that town’s prosperous merchants. His move to Providence in 1826 allowed him to design (with James C. Bucklin) such important structures as
Stanford White (1853-1906) found in Rhode Island the perfect social and natural setting for his artistic talents. In Stanford White, Rhode Island found the architectural genius that perfectly captured the spirit of its “Gilded Age”. While one without the other would have been noteworthy, the combination truly exemplified one of the greatest epochs in American
Ade Bethune, 1914-2002, of Newport, whose world-renowned expertise in liturgical architecture and iconography led her to a distinguished career as a much sought-after consultant for church planning. She held special concern for less fortunate parishes, as well as community efforts to include low-income housing, solar heating, and energy efficiency. A recipient of six Honorary Degrees
Hunt, Richard Morris, 1827-1895 Richard Morris Hunt (1827-1895) was the noted American architect of such Newport Mansions as Marble House, The Breakers, Ochre Court, Belcourt Castle, and Griswold House, now the Newport Art Museum.
Mason, George C. (George Champlin), 1820-1894 George Champlin Mason, Sr. was a noted Newport architect, real estate developer, editor of the Newport Mercury, prolific historian of Newport, and a founder of the Newport Historical Society. Among his significant architectural designs are Chepstow, the 1860-61 Italianate villa just off Bellevue Avenue, Newpor; Eisenhower House, at 1
“Nothing makes me happier than an impossible space and an impossible project,” says renowned theater set designer Eugene Lee. When Lee designs a set, he will often reconfigure the theatre, repositioning exits, technical booths, even walls, to accommodate the play. His audiences frequently find themselves inside, on top of, or under sets that don’t stay
Raymond Hood was a pioneer architect in American modern architecture. Born in Pawtucket, he attended Brown University before enrolling at MIT, later becoming internationally recognized for his skyscraper designs. Among the buildings for which he was architect are the Rockefeller Center, McGraw-Hill, the Hotel Dupont, and most of the structures at the University of Brussels.
McKim, Charles Follen, 1847-1909 Charles F. McKim, a native of Pennsylvania, was the son of an abolitionist father and a Quaker mother. The radical politics of his parents had little impact on McKim, who became a cosmopolitan architect who traveled in the company of wealthy and prominent businessmen and politicians. After study at Harvard, McKim
Born in Dayton, Ohio on October 31, 1930, the daughter of Theodore and Margaret (Burke) Suman, Marjorie received her B.Sc. in Business/Psychology at Kentucky’s Bowling Green University. Her early years gave little indication that she would become the most prolific artist ever of Rhode Island’s architectural, or built, landscape. Eventually Marjorie discovered her natural talent
Humble origins have been the hallmark of many American and Rhode Island success stories. Not many can match the saga of the Gilbane Brothers and the establishment of the multinational Gilbane Building Company. The Irish potato famine of the1840’s sent myriads of Hibernian refugees to North America. And so it was with Thomas and Bridget
It is not unusual in Rhode Island that talent and accomplishment run in many of the state’s long-established families. A case in point is the La Farge family. Christopher Grant La Farge was the son of a noted architect of the same name, grandson of John La Farge, a nationally prominent artist and stained glass
Malcolm Grear is a renaissance man in the most complete sense of the word: he understands the human values involved with the arts, and has educated himself to appreciate and deliver beauty in our daily lives. He also has taken upon himself to educate others about good design as well. Although Malcolm’s main discipline
James Burrill Angell had a remarkably diverse career– Brown University graduate, professor of languages, newspaper editor, university president, and diplomat. He is best known as the longest-serving president of the University of Michigan where he aspired to provide an ‘uncommon education for the common man.’ Born on January 7, 1829, in Scituate, Rhode Island, Angell
Peter Harrison, 1716-1775, of Newport, was the foremost architect of colonial America, having designed the Redwood Library (1748), Brick Market (1761), Christ Church, Cambridge (1761), and Touro Synagogue (1762-1763). According to architectural historians, it was because of Harrison’s ability to adapt and interpret two-dimensional English drawings into three-dimensional colonial reality that Newport’s public colonial buildings
Barnaby Evans is the creator, founder, and executive artistic director of WaterFire Providence. He is an artist who works in a multitude of mediums including site-specific sculpture installations, photograph, film, garden design, architectural projects, writing and conceptual works. His original training was in the sciences, but he has been working exclusively as an artist for more than
Joseph Brown, 1733-1785, was one if the five famous Brown brothers of 18th century Providence. He was a successful entrepreneur, a respected scientist and astronomer, as well as an accomplished architect whose buildings include the First Baptist Church, the Providence Market House, University Hall and the John Brown House. Photo of Joseph Brown House by
Arthur Robbins is widely known as a highly creative, intelligent, skillful, and successful hotel developer. He is also recognized by all for his generous, caring, and humanitarian spirit. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1932, Arthur grew up and went to school in Woonsocket and then at Wilbraham and Monson Academy. He received a BA in
Records say that architect James C. Bucklin was a native of Pawtucket, but in view of his family’s Rehoboth origins, the place of his birth on July 26, 1801, was probably on the east side of the Blackstone, an area not acquired by Rhode Island until 1862. His parents were James and Lorania (Pearce) Bucklin.