T-Square Club

T-Square Club. The T-Square Club was a social club founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1883 by a group of University of Pennsylvania students, including Frank Furness, William L. Price, and Frank Miles Day. The club's members were primarily architects, engineers, and artists from the Philadelphia area, such as John Stewardson, Horace Trumbauer, and Julian Abele. The club's activities were often reported in local newspapers, including the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Public Ledger.

● History

The T-Square Club was established in 1883 as a social organization for professionals in the fields of architecture, engineering, and art. The club's early members included notable figures such as Frank Furness, who designed the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts building, and William L. Price, who designed the Wanamaker's department store in Philadelphia. The club's history is closely tied to the development of the University of Pennsylvania's School of Architecture, which was founded in 1868 with the help of Frank Furness and other prominent architects in the city, including John McArthur Jr. and Theophilus Parsons Chandler. The club's meetings and events were often held at the University of Pennsylvania's College Hall, which was designed by Thomas Webb Richards and Addison Hutton.

● Membership

Membership in the T-Square Club was limited to professionals in the fields of architecture, engineering, and art, and was often by invitation only. The club's members included many notable figures, such as Louis Kahn, who designed the Esherick House in Philadelphia, and Paul Philippe Cret, who designed the Barnes Foundation building. Other notable members included Robert Venturi, who designed the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery in London, and Denise Scott Brown, who designed the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.. The club's membership also included many prominent engineers, such as Ralph Modjeski, who designed the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia, and Othmar Ammann, who designed the George Washington Bridge in New York City.

● Activities

The T-Square Club's activities included regular meetings, lectures, and social events, which were often held at the club's headquarters in Philadelphia. The club also sponsored various competitions and exhibitions, including the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts' annual exhibition, which featured works by artists such as Thomas Eakins and Mary Cassatt. The club's members were also involved in various charitable activities, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art's Fund for the Arts, which was established by Fiske Kimball and John D. Rockefeller III. The club's activities were often reported in local newspapers, including the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Public Ledger, and were also covered by national publications, such as the New York Times and Architectural Record.

● Notable_Members

The T-Square Club had many notable members throughout its history, including Frank Lloyd Wright, who designed the Fallingwater house in Pennsylvania, and Le Corbusier, who designed the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. Other notable members included Mies van der Rohe, who designed the Seagram Building in New York City, and Eero Saarinen, who designed the TWA Terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The club's members also included many prominent artists, such as Wharton Esherick, who designed the Wharton Esherick Museum in Pennsylvania, and Alexander Calder, who designed the Mobile sculpture in Philadelphia. The club's notable members also included engineers such as Gustav Lindenthal, who designed the Hell Gate Bridge in New York City, and Joseph Strauss, who designed the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

● Legacy

The T-Square Club's legacy can be seen in the many notable buildings and structures designed by its members, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art's Rocky Steps, which were designed by Julian Abele and John Windrim. The club's legacy can also be seen in the many architects, engineers, and artists who were influenced by its members, including Robert A.M. Stern, who designed the Museum of the American Indian in Washington,.C., and Michael Graves, who designed the Portland Building in Portland, Oregon. The club's legacy is also preserved through the many archives and collections of its members' work, including the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library at Columbia University and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.. The club's legacy continues to be celebrated through various events and exhibitions, including the Philadelphia Festival of the Arts and the National Building Museum's annual exhibition in Washington, D.C.. Category:Social clubs