Crawford Manor Dossier

I. GENERAL INFORMATION
Project Name: Crawford Manor
Alternative Name: George Crawford Manor
Architect(s): PaulRudolph
Location: United States of America, Connecticut
Address: North Frontage Road and Park Street, New Haven, Connecticut
Building Type: High-rise multi-residential
Design/Construction Dates: Design = 1962, Construction= 1962 - 1966
Completion Date: 1966
Client(s): U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Size: 72, 577 square metres in area, 15 floors and 82.57 metres high
Budget/construction costs: $1,525,000.00
Collaborators: Local Council of the City of New Haven (public housing sector)

II. BACKGROUND/ BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT:

Often referred to as the perfect contemporary example of Robert Venturi’s “duck”, this particular building signifies Rudolph’s interest in creating vernacular architecture. Rudolph was perhaps one of the most famous architects of his town, however his fame did experience a decline during the design phase of the Crawford Manor. Rudolph was not only the Dean of Art and Architecture at Yale, but also previously worked on several projects within the same district; making him the perfect candidate for designing this development. It was built at a time when the architecture world was experiencing a shift from modernism to post-modernism and was needed to serve as a residential high-rise building for the elderly community of Connecticut. Catering for the elderly meant that conditions for disabled seniors needed to be considered, as well as accessibility to surrounding vicinities and local services. The building was named in honor of George Williamson Crawford; a high profile black lawyer who was active in the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People, to symbolize how he rose above differences, mistreatments and inequalities. (MA)

The building exemplifies Rudolph's interest in the rough and raw materiality of concrete. The pre-cast cement blocks that make up the exterior were not only a stylistic exploration, but were also cheap and available in bulk. From a distance the building is easy to spot, but the scale begins to disintegrate at a closer view. The exterior is made up of an entirely concrete facade and cantilevered balconies that jut out in an alternating pattern from the bottom to the top, making individual apartments easily identifiable. As a residential building it comprises many typical facilities such as laundries, bedrooms, studios, security surveillance and community garden spaces. (JK)

III. INTENTIONS OF THE ARCHITECT

Rudolph sought to utilise a material that was cost-effective so that expenditure could be minimised and the budget would fit into the strict economic limits placed on public housing at the time. He was also interested in enhancing the quality of the concrete, and the precast concrete he used would allow for better quality control as there would be a team of specialists closely monitoring the curing process off-site. Rudolph intended to satisfy the demands of the Department of Housing and Urban Development as time-efficiently as possible. The underlying rigid steel framing system is fast, accurate and easy to build, and the precast blocks themselves are very time-friendly. He also wanted to use a material that could maintain itself in a public setting where environmental threats such as rot, mould and weathering are more prominent. At the same time, Rudolph intended to explore the aesthetic qualities of this type of concrete, an experiment he developed and improved in many of his concrete buildings he had designed and constructed during the mid 20th century. (JK)

Rudolph was largely concerned with combining the sculptural qualities of Le Corbusier’s work and the flow of space seen in Frank Lloyd Wright’s work in his designs. By using various arrangements of concrete as the material of choice, Rudolph was able to adopt Le Corbusier’s brutalist style. The visual appearance of the façade in terms of its height and materiality, makes the building seem as though it were carved out of a big block, which in turn produce a certain sculptural quality about the building. Rudolph also wanted to create a visually satisfying building and the sheer scale of it proved to be an issue. To overcome this, he integrated alternating, thrusting balconies into the design. The fact that they were at 90⁰ angles to each other helped break down its scale whilst also providing a particular dynamic to the building through light and shade. By examining the floor plans, it is clear that there is a certain inverted area on the south façade. This was purposely recessed in order to create an exterior front courtyard. This relationship between interior and exterior was considered because the psychological effect that a building had on its everyday users, was of value to Rudolph. (MA)

IV. DRAWINGS
Site plan:


Site Plan (Maholy-Nagy 1970, 192) (MA)

Building plans:




Typical Upper Floor Plan (Spade 1970, 58) (MA)




Ground Floor Plan (Spade 1970, 58) (MA)

Other (sketches, details, models, etc.):

Sketch of form (Maholy-Nagy 1970, 21) (JK)

Sketch of facade (Maholy-Nagy 1970, 194) (JK)

V. PHOTOGRAPHS
Exterior:

North facade (Spade 1970, 59) (MA)

West facade (Maholy-Nagy 1970, 194) (JK)

East facade (Spade 1970, 61) (JK)

Exterior of a balcony on the top floor (Maholy-Nagy 1970, 194) (MA)

Precast blocks for the surfacing of the building (Maholy-Nagy 1970, 195) (MA)

Interior:

Entrance of building (Spade 1970, 62) (JK)


VI. CONSTRUCTION
Construction system(s): Rigid frame structural system with pre-cast material blocks

Materials used
a) exterior:
- Ribbed poured-in-place concrete blocks stacked on top of each other to create the façade. These blocks were individually designed by Rudolph to suit specific areas of the building such as the balconies and the flat walls.
- Reinforced concrete slabs used for the 15 floors
- 44 glass windows used for each level
- Dark colored brick used in some areas of the exterior facade
- Ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) roof
(MA)

b) interior:
- Fluted concrete blocks
- Smooth concrete
- Polished concrete floors
(JK)

Environmental Systems:
- Elevator system to cater for the needs of the elderly, whether they may be disabled or on a wheelchair. Elevator is accessed from one point on every floor and there are two elevators to cater for the demands of all the residents
- Central heating/cooling for the individual rooms
- The choice of concrete as the main material was conveniently cheap, easily accessible, absorbs noise, and is resistant to weathering and bacteria
(MA) (JK)

VII. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE/ INNOVATIONS INTRODUCED:

The Crawford Manor was the first high-rise residential building to be built in New Haven, which is partly the reason as to why Rudolph insisted on creating such a monumental and significant building. However, that aside, the most common historical association with the Crawford Manor is its association with the ‘duck’ and ‘decorated shed’ theories. The building was used as the prime example of the architectural ‘duck’. This notion of the ‘duck’ is described through a roadside stall in Long Island which takes the form of a duck, which further informs viewers of the fact that poultry is sold inside the stall. This specific building was chosen to represent the ‘duck’ as it does not feature any sort of ornament. The balconies are not just attached to the building but rather integrated into it. It was said to be a straightforward building, meaning that its form dictates what it actually is and it is not trying to be something that it is not. The Crawford Manor was placed in comparison with the Guild House which was said to be the ‘decorated shed’. Seeing as both buildings had very similar briefs, Crawford Manor became the subject of much critique, and Rudolph was questioned as to whether or not he should’ve used the ‘decorated shed’ approach. Also, whether his choice of balcony design made the building seem too ornamental.

Coincidently, these critiques occurred at a time when Rudolph’s career began to decline. Crawford Manor stands as a symbol of how Rudolph was perceived as an older generation of architects who were imposing on the visions of the newer generation of architects, whom many of the critics belonged too. (MA)

Paul Rudolph became a pioneer for concrete, demonstrating that the once basic construction material is something that can also serve function and aesthetics. The Crawford Manor is an example of the attention to detail that Rudolph pays towards the look and finish of concrete, whether it be the smooth polished concrete of the interior, or the ribbed patterning on the exterior. The building marks a shift away from rectilinear silhouettes which were typical of high-rise residential buildings at the time. The building also utilises a new technique using "fluted" concrete which he began developing since he started working in New Haven in 1962. This technique, which is evident in the exterior, aimed to enhance the surface quality of concrete, which he wouldn't have been able to achieve to such a degree using more conventional techniques. Thanks to the care he took in using the most effective construction techniques and choice of materials, the building has been well preserved and has managed to avoid any decay and disintegration and is more or less in the same state now as when it was built, which is more than can be said for other similar buildings which have not done so well in surviving the test of time. (JK)

VIII. ANALYTIC DIAGRAMS
Parti diagram:

Parti diagram of Crawford Manor (MA)

Parti diagram showing division of rooms and main walkway (JK)

Program diagram:


Program diagram of a typical floorplan and a close-up of an individual apartment (MA)

Floor layout and room program (JK)

Structure diagram:

Structure diagram of a balcony in Crawford Manor (MA)

Basic structure of exterior walls (JK)

Tectonics diagram:

Tectonics diagram of Crawford Manor (MA)

Tectonic detail texture diagram (JK)

Ornament diagram:


Diagram showing lack of ornament (MA)

Structural elements as ornament (JK)

Site/Context diagram:


Diagram of site (MA)

Diagram of context (JK)

IX. ANNOTATED REFERENCES

Books:

Brown, Elizabeth Mills.1976. New Haven, a guide to architecture and urban design. New Haven: Yale University Press.

The author discusses how New Haven, at that time, was developing into an incredible urban community, of which Crawford Manor contributed to. (JK)

Rudolph, Paul and Rupert Spade. 1970. Paul Rudolph. London: Thames and Hudson.

A collection of projects by Paul Rudolph, including drawings, sketches and brief descriptions. (MA)

Rudolph, Paul. 1970. The architecture of Paul Rudolph; introduction by Sibyl Moholy-Nagy, commentries to the works by Paul Rudolph, captions by Gergard Schwab. London: Thames &Hudson.

A series of the most successful and influential works by Paul Rudolph. All the entries are accompanied with commentary by Sibyl Maholy-Nagy (MA)

Rudolph, Paul. 2008. Writings on Architecture. London: Yale School of Architecture.

One of the very few pieces of writings that were written by Paul Rudolph and actually published. In it, he discusses his architectural theories and beliefs which influence his work. (MA)

Stern, Robert A. M. 1979. New direction in American architecture. New York: Braziller.

An architect discusses a collection of the first generation, post-modern architects. Paul Rudolph is mentioned amongst these architects. (JK)

Venturi, Robert, Denise Scott Brown and Steven Izenour. 1977. Learning from Las Vegas. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.

Husband and wife Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown dedicate a whole chapter to how the Crawford Manor is the perfect example of the ‘duck’ in comparison to the Guild House which is seen as the perfect example of a ‘decorated shed’. The book also discusses several other notions about architecture which they themselves developed. (MA)

Venutri, Robert. 2011. Complexity and contradiction in architecture. New York: Museum of Modern Art.

This book is an exploration of the differences and changes that occurred during the shift of modernism to post – modernism. It includes many photographs of works which he uses as examples. (MA)

Articles:

Groat, Linda. 1982. "Meaning in post-modern architecture: An examination using the multiple sorting task". Journal of Environmental Psychology (Volume 2):3-22

The meaning behind architecture and particularly post-modern architecture is spoken of in the article. It is looked at from a psychological perspective. (MA)

Muirhead, Thomas. 2003. "Rudolph's rebirth: this study of Paul Rudolph's work is a delightful visual experience highlighting the designs of this once unfashionable architect". Building Design (1594):19

This short piece was written about Paul Rudolph, and almost acts as a short biography of his life and career as an architect. (JK)

Reinhold, Martin. 2006. "Architecture's Image Problem: Have We Ever Been Postmodern?". Grey Room (22):29

A conversation about whether there is truly a differentiation between modernism and post-modernism or whether post-modernism is just a sub style. (MA)

Unknown. 1967. "The Elderly". Progressive Architecture (48):148-128.

An article on housing for the elderly and the different ways in which different architects have tackled this type of architecture over time. (JK)

Unknown. 1971. "Housing for the aged". Werk (54.3):125-147.

Another article on housing for the elderly and how it presents as a problem in terms of architecture. (JK)

Venturi, Robert and Scott-Brown, Denise. 1971. "Ugly and ordinary architecture, or, the decorated shed". Architectural Forum (135.4):64-67

This article speaks of the comparative methods, the ‘duck’ and ‘decorated shed’ in terms of the Guild House and the Crawford Manor. (MA)

Websites:

Emporis, "George Crawford Manor" http://www.emporis.com/building/george-crawford-manor-new-haven-ct-usa

A collection of brief facts about the Crawford Manor. (MA)

Elm City Communities, "George Crawford Manor"http://www.elmcitycommunities.com/PropertyDisplay.aspx?PropertyID=George

Information about becoming a resident in the Crawford Manor. (MA)

X. LINKS

http://www.paulrudolph.org/ (MA)

http://paulrudolph.blogspot.com.au/ (JK)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/73172555@N00/5109619020/in/photostream/ (MA)

-- AriSeligmann? - 2014-02-13