Preliminary Section of the Smithsonian Institution Building's South Tower

Summary

• This drawing, drafted by architect James Renwick, Jr., depicts a cross section of the Smithsonian Institution Building. At one time the architect considered an octagonal plan for the south tower and he developed interior and exterior elevations of the design. This drawing shows the profiles of major interior spaces inside the tower. The drawing is made in pencil on paper.
• James Renwick, Jr., began his design of the Smithsonian Institution Building with a Gothic castle and eventually reworked it into a Romanesque castle. This later scheme won him the competition in 1846 to appoint an architect for the design of the Smithsonian's first building.

Subject

• Renwick, James 1818-1895
• Smithsonian Institution Building (Washington, D.C.)
• Smithsonian Institution Building South Towers
• Smithsonian Institution Building Competition

Category

Historic Images of the Smithsonian

Contained within

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 92, Item 296

Contact information

Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu

Date

1846

Restrictions & Rights

No restrictions

Topic

• Design
• Engineering
• Architecture
• Architecture, Romanesque
• Drawings
• Architecture, Gothic
• Buildings
• Architectural drawing
• Architecture--Design and plans
• Architectural design

Form/Genre

• Paper
• Drawing

ID Number

SIA2012-1150

Physical description

Number of Images: 1 Color: Color Size: 7w x 10.5h ; Type of Image: Architectural Drawing Medium: Paper

Full Record

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