Emery Roth
Encyclopedia
Emery Roth was an American architect
who designed many of the definitive New York City
hotels and apartment buildings of the 1920s and 30s, incorporating Beaux-Arts and Art Deco
details. His sons continued in the family enterprise, largely expanding the firm under the name Emery Roth & Sons.
, Austria-Hungary
(now Slovakia
) to a Hungarian Jewish family, he emigrated to the United States
at the age of 13 after his family fell into poverty upon his father's death. He began his architectural apprenticeship as a draftsman in the Chicago
offices of Burnham & Root
, working on the World's Columbian Exposition
of 1893. There he met Richard Morris Hunt
, who was impressed with his skills and invited Roth to work in his office in New York. Following Hunt's premature death in 1895, Roth moved to the office of Ogden Codman, Jr.
, a designer and decorator with a Newport
clientele. In the interwar years
, the firm of Emery Roth delivered some of the most influential examples of architecture for apartment houses in the at the time fashionable beaux art-style, especially in Manhattan
. In 1938, Roth included his sons Julian and Richard as partners.
_by_david_shankbone.jpg)
in New York and contributed substantially in changing the appearance of Midtown
and Lower Manhattan
. In that particular period of time Emery Roth & Sons designed dozens of speculative office buildings, mostly with curtain wall
facades, which soon became a ubiquitous feature of the city. Beginning in the mid-1960s, the firm was also hired as associate architects in large-scale projects like the Pan Am Building
(1963), the World Trade Center
(1966–1973) and the Citicorp Center
(1977). In the early 1960s, Richard Roth's son, Richard Roth, Jr. (b. 1933) became the third generation to join the firm, eventually rising to chief architect and shareholder. As the firm expanded and diversified over six decades, it remained a family business through the 1990s. Richard Roth was replaced as the company's CEO in 1993 by Robert Sobel, Roth's cousin. But only three years later, in 1996, the firm ceased to operate, apparently because of financial distress
. Emery's great-grandson Richard Lee Roth is currently employed in the architectural profession and resides in South Florida.
The extensive architectural records and papers of both Emery Roth and Emery Roth & Sons are now held in the Department of Drawings & Archives at the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library
at Columbia University
.
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
who designed many of the definitive New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
hotels and apartment buildings of the 1920s and 30s, incorporating Beaux-Arts and Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
details. His sons continued in the family enterprise, largely expanding the firm under the name Emery Roth & Sons.
Biography
Born in SečovceSecovce
Sečovce is a town in the Trebišov District in the Košice Region of south-eastern Slovakia.-History:The town was first mentioned in year 1255 in the list of king Béla IV of Hungary. In 1494 was built Roman Catholic church in Gothic architecture style. Since 15th century started gradual development...
, Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
(now Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
) to a Hungarian Jewish family, he emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at the age of 13 after his family fell into poverty upon his father's death. He began his architectural apprenticeship as a draftsman in the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
offices of Burnham & Root
Daniel Burnham
Daniel Hudson Burnham, FAIA was an American architect and urban planner. He was the Director of Works for the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. He took a leading role in the creation of master plans for the development of a number of cities, including Chicago and downtown Washington DC...
, working on the World's Columbian Exposition
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
of 1893. There he met Richard Morris Hunt
Richard Morris Hunt
Richard Morris Hunt was an American architect of the nineteenth century and a preeminent figure in the history of American architecture...
, who was impressed with his skills and invited Roth to work in his office in New York. Following Hunt's premature death in 1895, Roth moved to the office of Ogden Codman, Jr.
Ogden Codman, Jr.
Ogden Codman, Jr. was a noted American architect and interior decorator in the Beaux-Arts styles, and co-author with Edith Wharton of The Decoration of Houses , which became a standard in American interior design....
, a designer and decorator with a Newport
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
clientele. In the interwar years
Interwar period
Interwar period can refer to any period between two wars. The Interbellum is understood to be the period between the end of the Great War or First World War and the beginning of the Second World War in Europe....
, the firm of Emery Roth delivered some of the most influential examples of architecture for apartment houses in the at the time fashionable beaux art-style, especially in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. In 1938, Roth included his sons Julian and Richard as partners.
Work by Emery Roth
|
Emery Roth & Sons
Despite the fact that Roth's sons, Julian and Richard, had joined the firm many years earlier, it was not until 1947 that the firm's name was changed to Emery Roth & Sons, approximately one year before Roth's death. Julian (1901–1992) specialized in construction costs and building materials and technology, while Richard (1904–1987) was named the firm's principal architect. In the 1950s and 1960s Emery Roth & Sons became the most influential architectural firmArchitectural firm
An architectural firm is a company which employs one or more licensed architects and practices the profession of architecture.- History :Architects have existed since early in recorded history. The earliest recorded architects include Imhotep and Senemut . No writings exist to describe how these...
in New York and contributed substantially in changing the appearance of Midtown
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
and Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the City of New York...
. In that particular period of time Emery Roth & Sons designed dozens of speculative office buildings, mostly with curtain wall
Curtain wall
A curtain wall is an outer covering of a building in which the outer walls are non-structural, but merely keep out the weather. As the curtain wall is non-structural it can be made of a lightweight material reducing construction costs. When glass is used as the curtain wall, a great advantage is...
facades, which soon became a ubiquitous feature of the city. Beginning in the mid-1960s, the firm was also hired as associate architects in large-scale projects like the Pan Am Building
MetLife Building
The MetLife Building, originally called the Pan Am Building, is a skyscraper located at 200 Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.-History:...
(1963), the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
(1966–1973) and the Citicorp Center
Citicorp Center
Citicorp Center can refer to several skyscrapers named after banking conglomerate Citigroup.* Citigroup Center , formerly Citicorp Center* Citigroup Center , formerly Citicorp Center...
(1977). In the early 1960s, Richard Roth's son, Richard Roth, Jr. (b. 1933) became the third generation to join the firm, eventually rising to chief architect and shareholder. As the firm expanded and diversified over six decades, it remained a family business through the 1990s. Richard Roth was replaced as the company's CEO in 1993 by Robert Sobel, Roth's cousin. But only three years later, in 1996, the firm ceased to operate, apparently because of financial distress
Financial distress
Financial distress is a term in Corporate Finance used to indicate a condition when promises to creditors of a company are broken or honored with difficulty. Sometimes financial distress can lead to bankruptcy...
. Emery's great-grandson Richard Lee Roth is currently employed in the architectural profession and resides in South Florida.
The extensive architectural records and papers of both Emery Roth and Emery Roth & Sons are now held in the Department of Drawings & Archives at the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library
Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library
The Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library is one of twenty-five libraries in the Columbia University Library System and is located in Avery Hall on the Morningside Heights campus of Columbia University in the City of New York. It is the largest architecture library in the world...
at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
Work by Emery Roth & Sons
|
Further reading
- Steven Ruttenbaum Mansions in the Cloud: The Skyscraper Palazzi of Emery Roth (1986) ISBN 978-0917439094