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4 pages/≈1100 words
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3
Style:
MLA
Subject:
History
Type:
Essay
Language:
English (U.S.)
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Topic:
History of Architecture
Essay Instructions:
Art History 118: History of Architecture
Second written assignment – due by Wednesday, January 31 at 11:59 pm
Write a double-spaced, 3 - 4 page description of McKim, Mead and White’s Pennsylvania Station
in New York (1906-1910) based upon the images in this pdf. This paper will familiarize you with
the way buildings are represented by studying plans and photographs. This is a looking exercise
that asks you to use these documents to draw conclusions about what you can observe in the
manner of an architectural historian. Indeed, since the station was demolished in 1963 and you
never can visit it, these images and plans are the only surviving evidence!
You can also find information about Pennsylvania Station in our textbook. This is a
looking exercise, so you don’t have to do additional research, but if you do use any
information from the textbook – or any other source– it must be cited with a numbered
footnote located at the bottom of the page or points will be deducted. Points are taken off
for using the Wikipedia. For each footnote, you must provide the author, name of the
book, publisher, date published, page number, etc. The footnote function is part of your
word-processing program. Putting a page number in parentheses is not adequate. If you
are unsure about how to footnote, consult The Chicago Manual of Style, The Modern
Language Association (MLA) Handbook or your teaching assistant.
Your 3 - 4 paper should be written as separate answers to the following questions. Number the
pages. Refer to the images by using the numbers in the pdf file (figure 1 etc.). Discuss all the
images. You do not need to attach the images when you hand in your paper. Put your teaching
assistant’s name on your paper (see list of teaching assistants on Moodle).
1) Using figure 1, describe the station’s relationship to its site. How is the station different
from the buildings around it? How does it relate to the train tracks in the lower left hand
corner of figure 1. The large rectangular building in the foreground of fig. 1 is a post
office also designed and built by McKim, Mead and White in a style similar to the
station. Think about how mail might have been delivered in those days. Why was it
efficient to locate the post office on top of the railroad tracks?
2) Describe the exterior of the station (fig. 2). Is it humble, monumental etc.? Compare it to
the buildings discussed in recent lectures, which can be found in our textbook. What style
of architecture from the past was the station inspired by? What type of impression were
the architects trying to make?
3) Looking at fig. 7 & 8, describe the similarities and differences between the general
waiting room and the concourse in terms of structure, materials, decoration or the absence
of it. Clearly, the building is based upon historical precedents. Do you think the use of
such precedents is appropriate for a 20
th century train station? Be sure to express your
opinions.
Essay Sample Content Preview:
HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE: PENNSYLVANIA STATION
Student Name
Institution
Professor Name
Course
Date
History of Architecture: Pennsylvania Station
Question 1: Station's Relationship to Site and Post Office Placement
McKim, Mead, and White envisioned and crafted Pennsylvania Station as an architectural wonder that moved beyond mere functionality into the realm of excellent grandeur and innovation in its urban setting. The elevation of the station over the train lines, depicted in the bottom left corner of Figure 1, indicated an intersection of transport systems and reinforced its role as a critical locus for movement and information exchange in Manhattan.
Pennsylvania Station was quite remarkable due to its Beaux-Arts architecture that differed from the buildings around it. The grandiosity of the station was reflected in its spectacular arches and towering domes that made it different from other buildings that lack delicate touches as well as gigantic scales. The post office across from the station was similar in style but smaller. However, its position above the train lines not far from the station was a forward-thinking strategy of efficient logistics.[Gregory Bilotto, The Rise and Fall of Pennsylvania Station (Google Books. Arcadia Publishing, 2021), 9. https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=-2cJEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA6&dq=Pennsylvania+Station+New+York+(1906-1910)&ots=NJEdtkpq7L&sig=UKAZFNZGDzfxAqlAeMsr8rfVKAk&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false]
The post office and station were also situated to facilitate convenient mail handling and distribution. During those times, postal mail was mainly sent and received by rail. Therefore, placing the post office on the far side of the tracks from where it could quickly dispatch and receive mail made delivery perfectly coordinated with the train schedule. This deliberate design choice showed a creative fusion of transport facilities and postal services that instilled efficiency and speed in the transmission mobility of individuals, as well as mail.
Pennsylvania Station’s unique layout in its architectural beauty and the fact that it was a multipurpose facility highlights the creative genius of McKim, Mead, and White. The juxtaposition of this building with the post office atop the railway lines showed how several activities could be conducted in a single urban area. It embodied an efficient model of urban planning and intermodal connection. Pennsylvania Station, with its sheer architectural grandeur and innovative design choices, encapsulated the spirit of an era dominated by ambitious urban development and forward-thinking infrastructure. It left an indelible mark on the New York City landscape before becoming razed to the ground in 1963.
Question 2: Exterior of Pennsylvania Station (Fig. 2) and Architectural Style
Figure 2, representing Pennsylvania Station’s exterior, is a majestic piece of architectural magnificence indicative of an interior style similar to Beaux-Arts. This enormous building is remarkable for its intricate details, grandeur proportions, and classical traits and is different from the more superficial or functional shapes of regular constructions. There are striking similarities in the historic structures of Grand Central Terminal and the Library of Congress, linking recent lectures and the textbook. Strong Corinthian columns hold up the entablature of the facade decorated with rich carvings and statues.[Eric J. (Eric Jay) Plosky, “The Fall and Rise of Pennsylvania Station: Changing Attitudes toward Historic Preservation in New York City.”...
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