Architecture
Historical Context
The profession of architecture was
in a transitional period at the time the Ruffinis began their careers.
Prior to 1875, there was no real distinction made by most Americans
between the term architect
and builder, although
"architect" did connote higher status. The individuals who
practiced architectural design were called master
builders or master
craftsmen. After 1830, master builders did begin to
refer to themselves as architects.They made this distinction in view
of their possession of superior design skills as opposed to those
of builders.
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Ernst
Ruffini kept a cartoon titled “Ecce Architectus!!” by Boston
architects George Tilden and William Preston that satirized
an English publication’s praise of the architectural contributions
of craftsmen. The cartoon showed a group of people paying homage
to a poorly-dressed craftsman and his ramshackle building.
In the background, well-dressed architects wearing frock coats
and top hats, carrying their portfolios, slink off to the Asylum
for Educated Architects.
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The first permanent professional
organization dedicated to the architectural profession,
the American Institute of Architects (AIA) was established in New
York City in 1857, with very few members through the end of the century.
And it was not until 1889 that Illinois became the first state to
mandate professional licensing. Historically, this meant that the
Ruffinis and their contemporaries struggled to establish themselves
professionally as a distinct group possessing specialized knowledge
and skills.
The Ruffinis were among the first
generation of professional architects in the United States. They trained
through the system of apprenticeship to a master builder. The generation
preceding theirs was composed of master builders or craftsmen with
no formal training. The generation following the Ruffinis attended
college to receive formal education in architecture. The University
of Texas in Austin was the first university in Texas to offer a degree
in architecture, beginning in 1902. Texas A & M University and
Rice University [then known as the Rice Institute] began their degree
programs shortly after, in 1905.
Architecture in Texas
A significant historical factor influenced
the development of the architectural profession in Texas. During the
1870s and 1880s the State Legislature appropriated funds to build
new institutions and to enlarge others statewide. These buildings
included expensive facilities such as prisons, asylums, and universities. An
architect could earn large fees for this work and also enhance his
reputation, which would make it easier for him to acquire county or
private work. Against this framework, Ernst and Oscar had to work
to establish their reputations as professionals. They were in direct
competition with builders, as evidenced in their business and personal
correspondence. Versatility was a key characteristic necessary to
establish and maintain a successful practice in Texas. Each brother
was able to diversify his business through his ability to design a
number of building types, including public buildings, churches, opera
houses, stores, office buildings, banks, lodge halls, and schools.
Ernst played a role in the design
or construction of a total of four institutions built by the State
of Texas – the East Texas State Penitentiary (1879), the Temporary
Capitol (1882), the Main Building of the University of Texas at Austin
(1882-89), and the Asylum for the Insane (1883-1884). Although Oscar
did not design or execute a state building personally, he did assist
his brother from 1878 to 1884 to prepare drawings and specifications
for several of Ernst’s projects.
Architectural Training
The Ruffinis, like their contemporaries,
were educated in their profession by following the apprenticeship
system. That is, they did not attend college to receive their training,
but worked for a period of time with a master builder, or craftsman,
to learn their trade. This training generally lasted several years,
and usually began at the age of 14.
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At
least three copies of the specifications were required – for
the client, contractor, and the architect. Since this was prior
to the invention of the typewriter, the format used to copy
specifications, or “specs”, was a letter press. A letter press
is a device that permitted a copy of the inked original to be
made using a wet paper technique. A special device was used
to press a newly written document against a dampened sheet of
copy paper. The dried copy was then placed in a letter press
book, which permitted a businessman to keep a record of all
transactions. |
During that time, an apprentice learned
skills considered essential for an architect. The main skill to be
acquired was drafting. An apprentice learned how to draft or draw
plans, elevations, and numerous details of construction and ornament
under the direct supervision of the architect or master builder. He
learned to write specifications by copying specs prepared by the master
by hand. This enabled him to understand the terms used in design,
building, and construction, and the practical skill of detailing all
of the materials to be used in the construction of a building.
Another essential skill for an apprentice
was the ability to draw and paint. The method of training used was
to examine and draw existing structures of all types – residences,
commercial buildings, churches, and institutional buildings. This
way, an apprentice became familiar with the architectural styles in
vogue as well as developing a skill he would use in his profession.
Usually, the apprentice practiced this skill on a Saturday, a regular
workday in nineteenth century America.
As a final step to becoming an architect,
the individual worked for other professional architects or master
builders. At this stage of his professional development, he would
be called a “journeyman” architect. This phase of architectural training
lasted several years. At the end of that time, the new professional
architect would generally go into practice for himself. Architectural
firms of two or more individuals were the exception at this period
of American history.
Architectural Terms
This
section includes architectural vocabulary/terms used in the section
on “Comparison of architectural styles” to provide readers of the
exhibition with a clearer understanding of the architectural building
elements being discussed.
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Ashlar
|
rectangular
stone masonry |
| Arch
|
a
curved member spanning an opening |
|
Aspe
|
the area
in a cruciform plan church which contains the altar
|
| Balloon
frame |
framing
system of vertical studs that extend the height of the structure,
joined by wire nails |
| Balustrade |
a
railing supported by a series of balusters, or short posts |
| Bargeboard
|
carved
board under the gable, also called vergaboard |
| Bay
|
a
repetitive division of a building based on openings or the structural
system |
| Bracket
|
a
support for an overhang or other projection |
| Belfry
|
a
small bell tower |
| Belt
course |
a
continuous molding on an exterior wall |
| Building
type |
a category of structures based on function [examples: residential,
commercial, ecclesiastical] |
| Cant
|
opening
set at a forty-five degree angle to the intersecting walls |
| Cornice
|
a
projecting member between the roof and the wall |
| Course
|
a
row of bricks or stones |
| Coursed
rubble |
broken
pieces of stone laid in courses |
| Cut
stone |
stone
dressed to a smooth surface |
| Delineator
|
an
apprentice or assistant who prepares plans, elevations, and perspectives |
| Eastlake
style |
popular
in the United States in the 1880s. Characterized by ornamental
spindle work and geometrical wood details. Also called stick style. |
| Elevation
|
an
architectural drawing to scale of a side of a building |
| En
eschelon plan |
a
plan of receding planes |
| Encaustic
tile |
a clay tile decorated with inlays and fired |
| French
Second Empire |
a
historical revival style popular in the United States from about
1865 to 1890. Characterized by Mansard roofs. Named for the French
Second Empire of Napoleon III. |
| Gable
|
a
triangular upper part of a wall under a pitched roof |
| Gothic
arch |
a
pointed arch |
| Gothic
revival |
a
historical revival style characterized by Gothic arches, trefoils,
quatrefoils, and other forms of thirteenth to fifteenth century
Europe. Popular in domestic architecture in the 1860s. |
| Hipped
roof |
a
sloping, four-sided roof |
| Hood
|
a
moulding above a door or window. |
| Jerkin
head gable |
apex
of the gable is clipped and slopes back to the hipped roof. |
| Italianate
style |
a
historical revival style popular in the United States from about
1850 to 1870. Characterized by low hipped roof, bracketed cornice,
and other elements from Renaissance Italy. |
| Mansard
roof |
a
roof with sides made of two sloping planes, one of which is steep
and the other low pitched. May incorporate concave or convex curves. |
| Modillions
|
a
series of horizontal brackets under the cornice |
| Neo-classical
|
a
historical revival style popular in the United States from the
mid-1890s to about 1920. Employs elements from Greek and Roman
architecture |
| Pavilion |
a projection from the dominant plane. Pavilion may also refer
to a major component or a large structure example: the center
pavilion of a large building). |
| Parapet
|
a
wall extending above the roof, sometimes called a false front |
| Pediment
|
usually
a triangular, or sometimes segmental, feature located above a
wall, wall opening, or colonnade |
| Perspective
|
an
architectural illustration showing two sides of a building |
| Pilaster
|
a
pier projecting from a wall, usually structural as well as decorative |
| Plan
|
refers
to the overall configuration or shape of a structure when viewed
from above. The most common plans are square, rectangular, L-shaped,
and T-shaped. The expression “in plan” refers to a measured drawing
of a plan showing the division of the interior space. |
| Renaissance
revival |
a
historical revival style popular in the United States from about
1870 to 1890. Often used in commercial architecture. Used decorative
vocabulary of the Renaissance. |
| Richardsonian
Romanesque |
a
historical revival style popular in the United States from about
1885 to 1905, using Roman arches and other forms of eleventh to
thirteenth century Europe, as interpreted by Henry Hobson Richardson. |
| Roman
arch |
a
semi-circular arch |
| Rubble
|
broken
pieces of stone |
| Rusticated
|
stonework
with beveled or abated edges emphasizing joints |
| Segmental
arch |
an arch with a curvature less than a semi-circle |
| Spindlework |
thin wood features turned on a lathe |
| Steeple
|
the
tower and spire of a church or public building |
| Stilted
arch |
a segmental arch with vertical members at each end |
| Tracery
|
interlocking
and repetitive curvilinear decorative work, usually in carved
wood or stone. Characteristic of Gothic Revival. |
| Uncoursed
rubble |
undressed
stone laid in a random fashion, not in courses. |
| Vernacular
|
building
based on traditional arrangement and use of space, proportions,
and textures passed on from one generation of builders to the
next. |
