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Richard Morris Hunt has left an important and imposing legacy on American architecture. The pedestal of the Statue of Liberty, perhaps the most prominent symbol of America; the Biltmore Estate, the largest home in the country; the Breakers, home of one of the richest men in America—these still survive. One of his most imposing buildings no longer stands, demolished to make room for the Brooklyn Bridge.
The New York Tribune Building is a prime example of what architects of the time strove for. It was the beginning of the age of skyscrapers, and clients demanded that their architect one-up their competitors. In the Tribune Building, Hunt used the common solution for the problem at the time—he stuck a tower on top of the habitable storeys. This may seem ridiculous in architectural theory, but Hunt made the most of it.
Unlike the contemporary Western Union Building by George B. Post, the tower in Hunt’s original design looks integrated into the building. The lines continue downward from the tower straight into the ground, and the walls appear much thicker, with one column of windows emphasizing the tower’s verticality. The tower looks like it could stand on its own, independent of the building of which it is part, but at the same time is an integral part of the composition. In contrast, the Western Union tower sits back from the façade, stuck on the roof like a decoration on a birthday cake.
In the original design, Hunt called for a simple red façade, devoid of the garish stripes and decorations popular at the time. The simplicity of the façade, along with the diminishing size of the windows and the increasing height of their arches, emphasized the verticality of the building, making its extraordinary height seem even greater.
Unfortunately, Hunt’s original scheme was not approved by his clients. They wanted something more of the times, and the approved design adheres to the 1870s’ stylistic guidelines. The colors are much more garish, making for a busy façade. The horizontal striping hurts the vertical effect of the building, making it appear far shorter. It is no longer a vertical mass, but instead a layer-cake of short stories.
The effect of the tower in the approved design is also diminished. It gets lost in the hubbub of the façade, its two columns of windows blending in with their surroundings. The massive appearance it once had is gone, and its impression is no longer that of an independent tower—it appears to stop halfway down the building.
Fortunately, Hunt was able to save some of the integrity of his original design. The arches at ground level progress into gables at the roof, giving it a more vertical appearance, and the top of the tower retains most of its original appearance. However, the New York Tribune Building did not have the incredible effect that the original design might have had. Only now, with the benefit of hindsight, can architects see how ahead of its time the original Hunt design was, and what effect it might have had on the architectural style of the late 19th century and even architecture today.
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