Louis Henry was born on Sept. 3, 1856 in Boston in a family originally from Ireland, Patrick Sullivan and daughter of Swiss immigrants Andrin Francois Liszt. The family had artistic tradition: his grandfather Louis was a little-known Irish painter, his father - a dance teacher, and her mother plays the piano. Irish grandfather, an artist, probably lacked a sense of responsibility, because one day, walking with his son Patrick on the fairgrounds, managed to get lost in the crowd and since then has not made itself felt. His father, Luis, in contrast, was the person responsible and considered it his duty to raise her son a dignified member of society, and so strenuously taught it to the Spartan way of life: rise at 5 am, jogging, throwing cold water at the town pump, jumping and throwing stones. The mother tried to teach it to the world of beauty and called her son in the French manner - Louis-Henri. Luis grew up an energetic and inquisitive child: in Boston, he studied every street and in school quickly learned thieves slang and habits of hooligans. However, sooner originated desire to build homes are not allowed to join Luis on a wrong path.
After a fire in 1871 Chicago was a paradise for architects
At age 16, Louis entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and enthusiastically took up the study of architecture. I studied it for a while, because soon realized that the institute would rather craftsmen who know how to build on a template, than these masters of their craft. Luis dreamed of the Paris School of Fine Arts, but before you go to Europe, he decided to podnakopili experience. He left the institute, having studied only one year, but thought himself already grounded in theory. Proud of his knowledge, Louis Sullivan, was in the office of Frank Furnace - one of the best architects of those days. Mr. Furnace, after listening to Sullivan's story about his success in school, laughed at him, calling him an idiot, and all scientists - donkeys, announced that the knowledge gained at the institute, have no value, and took Louis to work. From Furnace Sullivan learned that there are no "architecture in general" or "building itself, but there are specific tasks that must be addressed with the help of cash.
Another teacher, Sullivan became famous later William Lebaron, Jenny - a retired major Corps of Engineers, who organized the project office in Chicago. Luis arrived in Chicago, which represented at that time a large ashes, formed after the fire of 1871. Scorched desert, which has become the city was a real paradise for architects - one year after the fire in the urban development has been invested more than $ 4 million, which represented at that time astronomical sum, and the designers were overwhelmed with orders. In the future, William Lebaron, Jenny created the first Chicago high-rise building with an external metal frame, and therefore there is no doubt that Sullivan while working in his office not in vain.
High-rise buildings were able to build and to Sullivan, but they were no skyscrapers, but rather a very high home
Finally in 1874 by Luis had enough experience and money to fulfill his dream - he went to France and entered the famous Ecole des Beaux Arts - Paris School of Fine Arts. However, the most important principle, which he learned in France and the faithful who kept all his life, had taught him not in school. Preparing to enter, Sullivan hired a tutor in math - a certain Monsieur bugs, which, looking at a textbook on descriptive geometry, Luis advised to immediately throw it in the trash. Poking in the textbook, Monsieur Klop said: "Look, here's a rule, with five exceptions, but the theorem to the three special cases: one is general exceptions and special cases ... Our principles must be so broad as to exclude any exceptions." Since then, Sullivan was convinced that for any class of problems we can choose one universal solution that will always lead to success, calling it "the principle of Bedbug. Learn in Paris was not easy, if only because that instruction was in French. Nevertheless, the young Sullivan showed a lot of perseverance, diligently doing 18 hours a day. In the end, he not only learned French, but once mastered cannot - this time in Paris clochards, which helped him gain respect among fellow students. Before finalizing the year in Paris, Sullivan, as usual, decided that he knows everything, and returned to Chicago.
While in Chicago continued construction boom, Luis disappointed: local architects are not thrilled about his French diploma and did not give him the post above the ordinary draftsman.
In the architects at that time there were no shortage, America did not have enough of another - architecture. "Free people on free land, enjoy the fruits of American democracy, in those days a lot less free from complexes before the Europeans, who were less civil rights, but it was more historical and cultural heritage. At the end of XIX century, American millionaires have built themselves mansions in the Roman style, bought the estate of the British Lords, doplachivaya heirlooms for ghosts, and bought in Europe for export "entire castles and abbeys: medieval buildings were dealt with by brick, and then collected the drawings on the other side Ocean.
Sullivan was a real esthete constantly invent new designs.
Americans love anything "historical" manifested in an unprecedented eclecticism that filled American cities. Houses with Greek porticos adorned with Egyptian ornaments and married Gothic turrets. Skeptics styled buildings of that time "cranky carpenter", but even opponents of eclecticism rather advocated for the purity of historical styles, than to create something of his - the American. Among architects it was widely believed that post-Renaissance architecture in general ceased to exist, because nothing new has come up with is simply impossible, and in educational institutions, whether the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and School of Fine Arts in Paris, taught mainly how to play the classic designs.
Chicago was no exception: the most beautiful building in the city was considered the Crosby Opera House, which is described in guidebooks as "Italo-Byzantine structure in the Franco-Venetian spirit with Norman windows. Also in Chicago flourished in Victorian Gothic style, borrowed from England, the Italian Gothic style, amazing for an abundance of arches and fantastic shapes of roofs, "a true Norman style, follow the contour of European castles with gloomy donjon and lancet windows, loopholes, as well as Greco-Roman classicism, tschivshiysya give buildings similar to the Parthenon.
Nevertheless, in Chicago were the architects who are ready to violate the established canon, and one of them was the owner of the architectural bureau Dankmar Adler, who in 1879 invited the young and promising Louis Sullivan place draftsman. In Adler was at the hands of a contract for the construction of the Central Music Hall, and he needed the labor. Since Sullivan's hands but there was still a head stuffed with ideas, a year later, when the Central Music Hall was put into operation, Adler offered him a full partner in his business. And Dankmar Adler was not mistaken in his choice.
Thanks to the ideas of Sullivan's windows were wider and the walls - thinner
Companions perfectly complement each other. In Adler was an excellent business acumen, brilliant engineering skills and developed business relations throughout the city - which, incidentally, is not surprising, since his father was a highly respected Chicago rabbi. Sullivan on youth relations have not yet had, and in general was a poor businessman, but he had the talent to combine their ideas in a constructive innovation and original artistic solutions. In addition, Luis was a real esthete - a great admirer of Wagner's music and paintings by Michelangelo, as well as a born decorator: he is constantly inventing new designs, which had no analogues in the "historical" styles.
Meanwhile, the demand of time became the construction of tall buildings. After the civil war in the United States began an economic boom that boosted demand for office space. Each developer wanted to deliver as many offices as close as possible to the center of the city, using as small as possible piece of land. Under the high-rise buildings in the second half of the XIX century to understand all the buildings above six storeys. The fact that architects are not without reason to believe that nobody will want to climb the ladder further. Psychological barrier was broken only in 1874, when New York started a ten-New York Tribune Building, which in good working elevators.
The first skyscrapers were, in fact, no skyscrapers, but simply a very tall buildings. Eight-ten-story building built on a massive one-piece foundation and held by very thick walls, reaching a thickness 3-3,5 m. The windows in the houses were small and "drowned" in the thickness of the walls, but because the lighting was very topical issue. Interior space is also lost due to the thickness of the walls, and thus lost, and real money that could be derived from its use. In view of that time, too few high-rise skyscrapers reminded today: in spite of its height, they seemed heavy and squat.
The partners could not afford to lose a promising market, and the first firm Adler & Sullivan office building was Borden block. Sullivan set himself the task to achieve better lighting and more space while maintaining high-rise. It was devised as follows: the weight of the building will be supported by external supports, each of which rested on its own stand-alone foundation. Since the building was held by the supports, the thickness of the walls can be significantly reduced. In addition, the opportunity to make a large window, which immediately solve the problems of lighting and ventilation. Borden-block was built, the customer was satisfied, and the firm Adler & Sullivan successfully moved into new office on the top floor of a new skyscraper. The idea of using external supports to the individual foundation started for Sullivan thus "the principle of Bedbug, which he later used whenever something had to build multistory.
Sullivan formulated the five principles neboskrebostroeniya, and they were first used in the construction of Wainwright Building in St. Louis.
Since it was a lot of orders, the company flourished. Louis quickly got a taste of its role of free artist and generator of ideas. He lived alone and loved the solitude and tranquility and yet features a combination of artistic abstraction and arrogance of a recognized genius, whose thoughts soar away from the contemptible vanities of the world that it was quite natural, given that practical matters dealt with Adler. Good attitude to staff Sullivan understood rather peculiar. He could start a conversation with a subordinate, and soon forget about who said what, and, carried away by the flight of his own thought. Sometimes, he began to sing the theme from the operas of Wagner, whose music drew inspiration while trying to explain to the people who are Wotan and Nibelungs.
During the first five years of cooperation Adler and Sullivan to build four large office buildings, reconstructed several theaters and built dozens of factory buildings, warehouses and private homes. The architects received a percentage of construction costs and the cost was considerable - one of only a reconstruction of the Grand Opera House cost $ 55 thousand, and at times the amount reached $ 300 thousand and above.
Experience in construction of the Central Music Hall and the renovation of several theaters in Chicago allowed the company to obtain a contract, the dreams of the architects of Chicago and who glorified Sullivan and Adler on the whole country.
In 1885, in Chicago, hosted an opera festival, which had been brought the best tenors, basses and baritones of all the countries where they were. The festival was held at the cheers, and the chief sponsor of the event millionaire Ferdinand Peck planned to build in a permanent opera house. Naturally, the room was supposed to be in the American great, and even more enormous than the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Since Mr. Peck was a man of business, it was easy to calculate that by selling tickets to the opera is so grandiose building itself does not pay for. Therefore it was decided to make the building more grandiose: Under one roof with a temple of art be located hotel, restaurants and office space, which will be rented. Peck issued shares at $ 2 million and bonds for $ 900 thousand, attracted reputable investors and announced a tender for construction.
The contract went to Adler and Sullivan, and more difficult to wish good luck. Construction began on June 1, 1887, when two-thirds allocated to the construction areas have not even been redeemed by their owners. The project had to constantly revise, as investors' plans are constantly changing, for example in the course of construction it became clear that next to the hotel should be a huge banquet hall. At the construction site employs 200 workers, with the work did not stop at night, while continuing to light the electric lamps. As a result, by March 1888 Chicago received the most ambitious building of all that has ever had.
The contract for the construction of the Chicago Auditorium was the highest achievement of commercial genius Dankmara Adler and Sullivan, he brought not only money but fame
Auditorium, as he called the colossus, is a very complicated structure, which crowned 17-storey tower. The concert hall of 4232 seats was that, to the delight of Chicagoans, it was by 1200 more than in the Metropolitan Opera. Area of the building was about 20 thousand square meters. meters and the height is not known equal in the city. Construction cost investors at a record $ 3.145 million, but no one complained, because the result surpassed all expectations.
Now the name of Sullivan knew all the states, and the company has received orders from Buffalo, St. Louis, Seattle, New Orleans and Salt Lake City. The new office of Adler & Sullivan is on the top floor of the Tower Auditorium, and Sullivan could now look down not only their employees, but also the entire city.
At last Louis Sullivan had a free hand - he wanted to build something extraordinary, and customers were willing to give him the money. In 1891, in St. Louis to complete construction Wainwright Building, which if it was not the first in the history of the building, then at least, was the first skyscraper of modern species.
By the beginning of construction Wainwright Building Sullivan already knew how to build high-rise buildings, and he knew how to do it. But it was Louis Henry Sullivan realized that the high-rise building requires more than new engineering solutions - they need an ideology, a common engineering and aesthetic vision that would enable them to become something more than a conglomeration of one floor to another.
"What is the main feature of high-rise office buildings? - Asks Sullivan in his article, written after the Wainwright Building, and immediately replied: - The fact that they are very high." The architect felt that the very height should be "dominant chord", the central aesthetic idea of the tower is being built, and added that the construction should be "strength and power of the height of glory and pride of exaltation." Truly, this man is not in vain had memorized the whole of Wagner.
Louis Henry Sullivan outlined his principles neboskrebostroeniya extremely accurately, and these principles architects followed until now. First - Skyscrapers need a basement, which will house boiler, power plants and other devices that provide the building energy and warmth. The second - the first floor should be given to banks, shops and other establishments that need a large space, lots of light, bright display and easy access from the street. The third - the second floor must have no less light and space than the first because it is easily reachable with the help of ladders. The fourth - between the second floor and thus should be in the upper countless offices, which can in no way differ from each other in planning. The fifth - the uppermost floor, as well as the underground, to be technical. Here are the ventilation system.
Louis Henry Sullivan has contributed to the development of Orthodox architecture. Trinity Church became one of the most Russian buildings Chicago
The five principles were used in the construction of Sullivan, Wainwright Building. In addition, its expression was the main principle of the whole new architecture, the architect who formulated this way: "The form with the intent. The annex to the other buildings Sullivan, this principle would mean that the factory buildings do not necessarily have Corinthian columns, and the station - Gothic steeples. In the case of a skyscraper functionality understood in a special way. In Sullivan's understanding of the main function of the skyscraper is to be a skyscraper, because the idea of force and freedom, which are embodied in this type of buildings, value in themselves and are consistent with American national spirit. Therefore, to be a skyscraper, the building should soar and explode upward. To emphasize the "soaring", Sullivan refused to horizontal division facade, replacing it with the vertical. Props that serve the outer frame, were used to highlight the aspirations of the building in the sky, and the large windows between the pillars create a sense of airiness. Facing been kept in black and red colors with the use of Missouri granite and sandstone.
Inside the building housed 9 stores and more than 200 offices, but it was not the point. First skyscraper was understood as a special type of building with its own aesthetics, and in America got its own architectural style.
Zenith glory Louis Henry Sullivan came in 1893, when Chicago hosted the World Kolumbovskaya exhibition. Space allocated under the pavilions would be divided among the six leading architectural offices, and the biggest part went to Adler & Sullivan for the construction of the pavilion transport.
True to his principle of the subordination of the form requirements of functionality, Sullivan designed the pavilion, which combined the cheapness and pomposity, necessary for the temporary buildings, created only for the sake of exposition. While other pavilions were trying to seem something of the ancient temples, pavilions transport made no secret of what it actually is - and he was very colorful tent, which should be enough space and the public, and exhibits.
Transport Kolumbovskoy pavilion at the World Exhibition in Chicago was like at the same time at the station and painty farce. For this he liked Americans and
The shape of the pavilion looked like a huge elongated hangar equipped with galleries on each side with Romanesque arches. Architectural minimalism offset by the bright coloring of the walls that were painted in red, blue, orange, yellow and green. Especially liked the audience "golden door" - a gilded arch served as the entrance to the pavilion, as well as white alabaster angels with banners on which were written the names of famous scientists. In short, the pavilion was somewhere between the station and the farce of angels, but people liked it, and the glory of Sullivan from a purely professional has become a national. However, subsequent events have made it possible biographers say that the sun of his glory "had gone down in the brilliance of 'Golden Door'."
In 1893, the economic boom gave way to crisis and stagnation, the construction of new buildings slowed down, and fewer orders. Fame played with the firm Adler & Sullivan cruel joke: a prestigious, and hence expensive architects and no one wanted to communicate. Between companions were disagreements. Apart from the fact that most of the glory of going to the Sullivan suddenly turned out that the money he earns more, because they designed several skyscrapers were considered only his own child, not Adler. In 1895 Adler left the firm and the last five years of his life working on his own projects.
Without a grasp of the Adler's case went to Sullivan's much worse, because he was used in all business matters to rely on the senior partner. If over 15 years of co-brand Sullivan has built more than a hundred buildings, from 1895 to 1924 (the year of his death) he designed only 20.
In 1909, Louis Henry was forced to leave the luxurious office in the tower Auditorium and choose cheaper accommodation, and a year later he resigned from the prestigious Chicago club. In 1889, he (the first time in my life) married Margaret Hattabou some, but in the 1907-meters, she left him, because he could not provide her usual standard of living. Sullivan sold under the hammer on its rich library, sold the mansion and art collection. But the debt grew larger, and pay them there was no chance.
Management of the Bank in Sydney, Ohio, demanded from Sullivan to attach to the building columns. Fortunately for the building, the architect said no
First time to stay afloat helped fame, which sometimes bring unexpected orders from customers, such as the Orthodox community of Chicago, for which he built the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity on North Leavitt Street. There was probably no more or less representative of the professional association of architects, wherever Sullivan was not the chairman or honorary member. He himself suffered from the disease in the stellar enough severe. People talked about him as a man who "in the manner of dress and conversation was an aristocrat not less than the old Bourbon. Sullivan now and then invited to speak before the assembly of more or less related to architecture, and soon he began to feel not just a brilliant architect, but a major thinker on a national scale, designed to teach and educate. His performances were turned into prose poems, filled with not very appropriate pathos. Thus, at a meeting of architects Sullivan spoke with something of a panegyric entitled "Inspiration," which had a very indirect relevance to professional practice and consisted of three parts: "Growth - a song of Spring," "The Decline - reverie fall" and "Eternity - the song depth.
Realizing its responsibility towards society as a genius, Sullivan began to write a rambling treatise on democracy and the American soul. Idea was to ensure that the world has two fighting began - democracy and feudalism, and when they fight, wins that one, then another. Modernity, which, as the melting of accounts in banks seemed increasingly bleak, clearly inclined toward the triumph of feudalism. It is instructive and a cri de coeur: "Democracy must not betray their dreamers.
In his declining years at the Sullivan were grounds to consider themselves loyal - customers began to teach him how to build a house! In 1917, he ordered to build a branch of the People's Bank borrowing and loan association in the town of Sidney, Ohio. Draft submitted by Sullivan, was truly magnificent. Building was conceived to combine the miniature size and dignity, solidity and elegance, but its design was for that time is very unusual. Director returned the draft, expressing regret that the building no columns. Enraged by the genius snatched the drawing from the hands of bankers, and said that with the columns can build any fool, and that such fools of thousands in each city, but is building what he thought of more to build beyond the power of anybody. Director reluctantly allowed to build without columns, but withheld $ 1 thousand of his fee, believing apparently that is not pririsoval columns, architect fairly easier to take the trouble. Cases Sullivan did not go so well, to refuse to work even with such explicit humiliation, and Sydney was probably his only attraction.
In his later years Sullivan major contracts almost disappeared. The last thing he built was a small music shop
Louis Henry Sullivan, getting old, and the habit of living in a big way, not worrying too much about the future, bad impact on his savings. The worst thing was that for 1920 years it was almost forgotten. Remembered him by accident: in 1923, Tokyo was destroyed by an earthquake, but one still standing - it was the Imperial Hotel, built by Paul Muller, an engineer from the office of Adler & Sullivan. Press talked about the "Chicago school of architecture" and was surprised to find that its founder was alive. By the time Sullivan has not worked. After 1922, when he built in Chicago, a small music shop for some of Wilhelm Krause, he built nothing, and April 14, 1924, died in poverty.
Among American architects there is a perception that Sullivan was more a decorator and designer, rather than the actual architect. Creator of the first skyscraper and is not Sullivan, and William Lebaron, Jenny, who built the first building with an external metal frame. Nevertheless, it was Sullivan created the skyscraper as a symbol and the idea. He believed skyscraper embodies the spirit of American democracy, and this with him still disagree as its supporters and enemies. Wonder in 54 years after the death of Sullivan, Jean Baudrillard called "invulnerable omnipotence sverhznakami system is skyscrapers - the Twin Towers World Trade Center.
