John Yeon
Encyclopedia
John Yeon was an American
architect in Portland, Oregon
, in the twentieth century. He is regarded as one of the early practitioners of the Northwest
Regionalist Style of Modernism
. His output was limited, but was influential on later generations of Portland architects.
and Elizabeth Mock Yeon. The elder was a timber businessman and oversaw the building of the Columbia River Highway. The younger Yeon was raised in Portland and attended Allen Preparatory School in that city before leaving for California
to attend Stanford University
. Yeon attended the college for a single semester before leaving to learn less formally, and never became a licensed architect.
(1937) and the Portland Visitors Information Center
(1949), both of which were featured in exhibits at the Museum of Modern Art
in New York City
. The Watzek house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. The John Yeon Speculative House
(1939), one of the most well-preserved of his nine "speculative house" series, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in August 2007. Yeon also designed museum exhibitions, including those for the Portland Art Museum
, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
, Asian Art Museum
in San Francisco, and the Palace of the Legion of Honor.
In 1956, Yeon was awarded the Brunner Prize for architecture by the National Institute of Arts. The University of Oregon
awarded him a Distinguished Service Award in 1977, and Lewis & Clark College
gave him their annual Aubrey Watzek Award in 1980.
John Yeon died on Sunday, March 13, 1994, in Portland of congestive heart failure.
A gift on behalf of the estate of John Yeon was made to the University of Oregon School of Architecture and Allied Arts, which established the John Yeon Center for Architecture and the John Yeon Preserve for Landscape Studies. The John Yeon Center sponsors a John Yeon Lecture Series, Faculty Grant Program, Yeon Graduate Teaching Fellowship, and Advisory Board for architecture and historic preservation. The Yeon Center includes the Aubrey Watzek House, the Cottrell House (1950) and Yeon's personal landscape architecture property, The Shire, in Skamania County, Washington which looks across the Columbia River, facing Multnomah Falls.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
architect in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, in the twentieth century. He is regarded as one of the early practitioners of the Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
Regionalist Style of Modernism
Modern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
. His output was limited, but was influential on later generations of Portland architects.
Early life
John Yeon was born in Portland on October 29, 1910, the son of John B. YeonJohn B. Yeon
Jean Baptiste Yeon was a Canadian-born timber magnate who was a prominent citizen of Portland, Oregon, United States.He financed the construction of the Yeon Building in Portland....
and Elizabeth Mock Yeon. The elder was a timber businessman and oversaw the building of the Columbia River Highway. The younger Yeon was raised in Portland and attended Allen Preparatory School in that city before leaving for California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to attend Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. Yeon attended the college for a single semester before leaving to learn less formally, and never became a licensed architect.
Architecture
Notable works include the Aubrey R. Watzek HouseAubrey R. Watzek House
The Aubrey R. Watzek House is a historic house located in Portland, Oregon, United States, built in 1936. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is now part of the University of Oregon's John Yeon Center for Architecture...
(1937) and the Portland Visitors Information Center
Visitors Information Center (Portland, Oregon)
The Visitors Information Center, also known as the Rose Building, is a historic building located in Portland, Oregon, United States. Built in 1948, it is noted as a prominent product of its architect John Yeon...
(1949), both of which were featured in exhibits at the Museum of Modern Art
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...
in 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...
. The Watzek house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The John Yeon Speculative House
John Yeon Speculative House
The John Yeon Speculative House is a historic house located in Portland, Oregon, United States, built in 1939. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of a series of speculative houses by native Oregon architect and conservationist John Yeon following the critically...
(1939), one of the most well-preserved of his nine "speculative house" series, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in August 2007. Yeon also designed museum exhibitions, including those for the Portland Art Museum
Portland Art Museum
The Portland Art Museum in Portland, Oregon, United States, was founded in 1892, making it the oldest art museum on the West Coast and seventh oldest in the United States. Upon completion of the most recent renovations, the Portland Art Museum became one of the twenty-five largest art museums in...
, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is an art museum in Kansas City, Missouri, known for its neoclassical architecture and extensive collection of Asian art....
, Asian Art Museum
Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco is a museum in San Francisco, California, United States. It has one of the most comprehensive collections of Asian art in the world....
in San Francisco, and the Palace of the Legion of Honor.
In 1956, Yeon was awarded the Brunner Prize for architecture by the National Institute of Arts. The University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
awarded him a Distinguished Service Award in 1977, and Lewis & Clark College
Lewis & Clark College
Lewis & Clark College is a private institution of higher learning located in Portland, Oregon. Made up of an undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences, a School of Law, and a Graduate School of Education and Counseling. Lewis & Clark is a member of the Annapolis Group of colleges with athletic...
gave him their annual Aubrey Watzek Award in 1980.
John Yeon died on Sunday, March 13, 1994, in Portland of congestive heart failure.
A gift on behalf of the estate of John Yeon was made to the University of Oregon School of Architecture and Allied Arts, which established the John Yeon Center for Architecture and the John Yeon Preserve for Landscape Studies. The John Yeon Center sponsors a John Yeon Lecture Series, Faculty Grant Program, Yeon Graduate Teaching Fellowship, and Advisory Board for architecture and historic preservation. The Yeon Center includes the Aubrey Watzek House, the Cottrell House (1950) and Yeon's personal landscape architecture property, The Shire, in Skamania County, Washington which looks across the Columbia River, facing Multnomah Falls.
Further reading
- Bosker, Gideon, and Lena Lencek. Frozen Music: A History of Portland Architecture. Portland: Oregon Historical SocietyOregon Historical SocietyThe Oregon Historical Society is an organization that encourages and promotes the study and understanding of the history of the Oregon Country, within the broader context of U.S. history. Incorporated in 1898, the Society collects, preserves, and makes available materials of historical character...
, 1985. - Placzek, Adolf K., ed. "Yeon, John." Macmillan Encyclopedia of Architects. New York: Free Press, 1982.
External links
- http://boundless.uoregon.edu/cdm4/results.php?CISOOP1=all&CISOFIELD1=CISOSEARCHALL&CISORESTMP=results.php&CISOVIEWTMP=item_viewer.php&CISOMODE=thumb&CISOGRID=thumbnail%2CA%2C1%3Btitle%2CA%2C1%3Btitlea%2CA%2C0%3Btitlev%2C200%2C0%3Bnone%2CA%2C0%3B20%3Btitle%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone&CISOBIB=title%2CA%2C1%2CN%3Btitlea%2CA%2C0%2CN%3Btitlev%2C200%2C0%2CN%3Bnone%2CA%2C0%2CN%3Bnone%2CA%2C0%2CN%3B20%3Btitle%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone&CISOTHUMB=20+%285x4%29%3Btitle%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone&CISOTITLE=20%3Btitle%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone&CISOHIERA=20%3Btitlea%2Ctitle%2Cnone%2Cnone%2Cnone&CISOSUPPRESS=0&CISOBOX1=John+Yeon&CISOROOT=%2Farchpnw&Submit=SearchJohn Yeon images in Building Oregon: Architecture of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest] (from the University of OregonUniversity of Oregon-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
Libraries) - New York Times obituary of Yeon
- John Yeon Lecture Series from the University of OregonUniversity of Oregon-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
School of Architecture & Allied Arts