The American Architect
The ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW
VOL. CXXIV
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1923 NUMBER 2435 UNION COLLEGE and the JACKSON GARDEN
BY RICHARD SCHERMERHORN, Jr., Fellow, American Society of Landscape Architects
U
NION COLLEGE in Schenectady, New York, was founded in 1797 and is one of
the twenty oldest colleges in the United States and the second oldest in New York State. It is the home of American College Fraternities, Kappa Alpha the oldest of these fraternities having been founded there in 1821; Apart from these natural distinctive features and its high reputation as a seat of learning, it possesses two other distinguishing characteristics, especially interesting to art lovers, architects and landscape architects. These have to do with the architectural and landscape features of the college campus and building layout, and the old-time garden that still remains there, known as the “Jackson Garden.”
There are few colleges in this country whose growth was considered and studied so far in advance as to result in the early formation of a “Group Plan.” Such a plan was produced for Union as early as 1813, and most of the characteristics of this plan have since been followed in providing for the natural growth of the college. In the year above mentioned, a French architect, Joseph Jacques Ramée was retained by the college authorities to design certain of the college buildings and to prepare a general plan which would take into consideration future needs. Ramée was
an architect of distinction and had come to America in 1811, remaining here until 1816. During this period he executed many commissions for a well-to-do clientele, and it would appear that his special line was concerned with country houses and their grounds. He planned the estate of Janie ; Duane in Duanesburgh, and another large estate by name of “Calverton” in Maryland. He also made plans for the development of an entire island in the St. Lawrence River, where at this period a number of wealthy New Yorkers maintained exténsive estates. Copies of these plans are still in existence. The Union College buildings and grounds still remain as a mark of his work and have been a source of pride to Union and of great interest to architects and those appreciating superior architectural design and old-time atmosphere. Ramée’s plan has not been followed in all details and neither have all buildings erected in the past two or three generations followed the spirit of the original architectural treatment. Some of the later buildings unfortunately followed the taste of that all too sadly recognized age of architectural and general art atrocities, known as mid-Victorian, and opportunities for Union being superlatively renowned as the possessor of a college group of perfect, artistic merit were lost. But the fact remains
(Copyright, 1923, The Architectural & Building Press, Inc.)
SOUTH COLONNADE
The ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW
VOL. CXXIV
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1923 NUMBER 2435 UNION COLLEGE and the JACKSON GARDEN
BY RICHARD SCHERMERHORN, Jr., Fellow, American Society of Landscape Architects
U
NION COLLEGE in Schenectady, New York, was founded in 1797 and is one of
the twenty oldest colleges in the United States and the second oldest in New York State. It is the home of American College Fraternities, Kappa Alpha the oldest of these fraternities having been founded there in 1821; Apart from these natural distinctive features and its high reputation as a seat of learning, it possesses two other distinguishing characteristics, especially interesting to art lovers, architects and landscape architects. These have to do with the architectural and landscape features of the college campus and building layout, and the old-time garden that still remains there, known as the “Jackson Garden.”
There are few colleges in this country whose growth was considered and studied so far in advance as to result in the early formation of a “Group Plan.” Such a plan was produced for Union as early as 1813, and most of the characteristics of this plan have since been followed in providing for the natural growth of the college. In the year above mentioned, a French architect, Joseph Jacques Ramée was retained by the college authorities to design certain of the college buildings and to prepare a general plan which would take into consideration future needs. Ramée was
an architect of distinction and had come to America in 1811, remaining here until 1816. During this period he executed many commissions for a well-to-do clientele, and it would appear that his special line was concerned with country houses and their grounds. He planned the estate of Janie ; Duane in Duanesburgh, and another large estate by name of “Calverton” in Maryland. He also made plans for the development of an entire island in the St. Lawrence River, where at this period a number of wealthy New Yorkers maintained exténsive estates. Copies of these plans are still in existence. The Union College buildings and grounds still remain as a mark of his work and have been a source of pride to Union and of great interest to architects and those appreciating superior architectural design and old-time atmosphere. Ramée’s plan has not been followed in all details and neither have all buildings erected in the past two or three generations followed the spirit of the original architectural treatment. Some of the later buildings unfortunately followed the taste of that all too sadly recognized age of architectural and general art atrocities, known as mid-Victorian, and opportunities for Union being superlatively renowned as the possessor of a college group of perfect, artistic merit were lost. But the fact remains
(Copyright, 1923, The Architectural & Building Press, Inc.)
SOUTH COLONNADE