Cass Gilbert (1859 – 1934)
Best known for his Gothic Revival skyscraper, the Woolworth Building, Cass Gilbert had enormous influence on the development of architecture in the United States.
Although Cass Gilbert’s name is rarely mentioned today, he exercised enormous influence on the development of architecture in the United States. He is perhaps best known for his Gothic Revival skyscraper, the Woolworth Building, which was the world’s tallest building at the time. Combining modern technologies with historic ideas, Gilbert designed many public buildings. He was a consulting architect for the George Washington Bridge, which crosses the Hudson River in upper Manhattan, New York City.
Cass Gilbert was highly regarded by politicians and other luminaries of the day. President Theodore Roosevelt made him chairman of the Council of Fine Arts, and President Wilson reappointed him. Gilbert received many gold metals in the United States and Europe.
By the 1950s, Gilbert’s name slipped into obscurity. Modernism, which idealized sleek, unornamented forms, became fashionable and Gilbert’s buildings were often dismissed or ridiculed. Today, however, a new appreciation for architecture based on historic themes has reawakened interest in his work.
Notable Buildings:
1900: Broadway Chambers Building, New York City
1902: Essex County Courthouse, Newark, New Jersey
1905: Minnesota State Capitol, St. Paul
1907: US Custom House, New York City
1913: Woolworth Company Building, New York City
1917: Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin
