Philadelphia as a Postmodern City

Sorry this is late! Life happens!

In the 20th Century Philadelphia’s domestic architecture demonstrates a shift as the boundaries of the urban area incorporate more and more territories. Chestnut Hill, a railroad suburb on the designated Chestnut Hill West line, evolves into a demographic of white Protestant residents who enjoy developments engineered by landlords Henry Houston and his son-in-law, George Woodward. In contrast, after World War II, the Oxford Valley/Langhorne area developed in the 20th century as an automobile suburb fed by the “Super Highway” (Route 1 Bypass) and I-95. One of the great real-estate entrepreneurs, William Levitt, developed Levittown along Route 1 applying the ideas of efficiency and standardization that had been practiced in Philadelphia’s factories during the industrial era. Watch this video, “A History of Levittown Pennsylvania” posted by UWF Public History for a concise overview of the building process!

Philadelphia was an important center of Postmodernism, especially after the controversy around building the Society Hill Towers and the construction of I-95 along the waterfront, dividing lower-income neighborhoods from their traditional core with the construction of I. M. Pei’s luxury apartments. Nestled near Pastorius Park in Chestnut Hill Robert Venturi’s house for his mother becomes an icon of Postmodernism amidst all the 19th and 20th century properties developed by Houston and Woodward. It also faces Louis Kahn’s Wharton Esherick House. Watch PBS 10-Buildings that Shaped America to learn about Venturi’s very influential house.

We closed the session with a discussion of the growth of universities and health-related industries as the sites of some of the most significant architecture of the late 20th and early 21st century. Below are some of the photos—with captions—from the University of Pennsylvania. One of the things I discovered in my research is that there is a sculpture by Jaume Pensa in the Singh Center for Nanotechnology, Endless III (2010). He was one of my favorite discoveries during travels in 2018!

Philadelphia: Workshop of the World

For a 2-week series, we will look at the development of Philadelphia as an industrial center in relationship to its showcase as an urban center for the Philadelphia Centennial. This marks a time where the infrastructure shifts, where the balance tips away from agriculture and to industry and where many of the key businesses emerge that will become synonymous with Philadelphia. We also consider how architects like Frank Furness make their mark in Philadelphia and what types of changes in lifestyle accompanied the city. Finally, we will move to the plans for a new, more elegant and healthier city put forward by the City Beautiful Movement.

Places you might want to visit—Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion, in Germantown, opens March 1. The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, which offers tours of the landmark building and permanent collection Thursday, Friday and Saturday, at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. In 2019, Thomas Eakins’s Gross Clinic is on view in PAFA’s Landmark building. Take a walk into the Curtis Publishing building and spend some time admiring the joint work of Maxfield Parrish (illustrator) and Louis Comfort Tiffany (mosaics) and the Dream Garden.

Philadelphia Religious Freedom

Philadelphia’s position as an important mid-Atlantic east coast city meant it was an important center in the development of Protestantism. Many developments in American Presbyterianism, for instance the founding of Princeton Theological Seminary from Log College, and the divides that arose with the Great Awakening led to the construction or demise of church buildings in the area. However, in this session, we will focus instead thematically on issues that are central to Philadelphia’s identity. One issue was the impact of the American Revolution on the Quakers, the faith of William Penn. The issue of whether to forego pacifism in support of the patriots divided the Quakers early in the 18th century and the establishment of Free Quakers. Despite the utopian vision of a diverse society, white hostility mounted as talented preachers, such as Richard Allen, attracted larger and larger congregants of color. Allen and Absalom Jones started their own churches rather than abide by the segregationist restrictions for when and where in the church they could worship and pray. Allen founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church (1787) that would become Mother Bethel; Jones, the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas (1794). Mikveh Israel’s establishment of religious space followed a similar path of other religions—first being granted space for a cemetery, then organizing the funds and site to build, and finally relocating as demographics shifted. Perhaps most interesting at the present moment, the nativist, “Know-Nothing” riots of the 1840s not only led to the destruction of important Catholic meeting places, but also affected the architecture of the Cathedral Basilica SS. Peter and Paul, the Renaissance Revival masterpiece begun in 1846, but not completed until 1894.

Consider visiting: The Skyspace at Chestnut Hill Meeting ; Mother Bethel church; The Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul

Designing the City in the new America

The American Revolution brought significant changes to Philadelphia. The extant city, dominated in design by William Penn’s plan, now needed to wrestle with its size and diversity and to design facilities that would accommodate growth. This lecture looks at the institutions of the late 18th and 19th century that promoted general welfare; accommodated the local, state and federal government; accommodated and encouraged increased trade and manufacturing; reflected the elite status of the merchant class; and began to develop the promise of Philadelphia as a city with parks and green space. Suggested visits in Philadelphia: Fairmount Water Works designed by Frederick Graff (1815), Congress Hall (1787-1789); William Strickland’s Merchant Exchange (1832-1834); and the Powel House (1765). Please note that as the Federal Government is shut down as I post this, that neither the Congress Hall nor the Merchant Exchange are open for visitors.

From Colony to Capital

Most stories of Philadelphia architecture begin with William Penn and his dream for a utopian community. This vision certainly impacted the layout of the city. This session, however, focuses on the ethnic diversity of settlements. In addition to Penn’s attention to the needs of the Welsh and German immigrants, there was a pre-existing Swedish community. The “Swedish” log cabins that dotted the colonial landscape were largely the product of conscripted Finns and other Baltic peoples whose knowledge of logging was useful to the new colony. British and Swedish churches by the late colonial period employed brick masonry techniques most closely associated with the Dutch. Several ethnic groups seem to have been erased from the built environment. The Lenape did not establish permanent structures, believing that land ownership was fluid. The vast majority of people of African descent arrived in Philadelphia as slaves. Their buildings will be more evident from the Revolutionary period through the 19th century. Although Penn envisioned a gentleman’s settlement, at the time of the uprising, Philadelphia was increasingly a mercantile city. You might want to visit the American Swedish Historical Museum for history of Sweden or the Chew Family’s Cliveden—where you can also learn more about slaves living there.