Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Papers of Louis J. Halle, 1948, Accession #10603-f, Special Collections, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

This addition to the Louis J. Halle, Jr. Papers was given to the Library by Kenneth W. Thompson , Director of the Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia , on July 20, 1987 .

Funding Note

Funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Scope and Content

This seven-item addition to the papers of Louis J. Halle, Jr. , July-August 1948, consists of two copies of a memorandum prepared by Halle for Mr. Walter A. Taylor , Director of the Department of Education and Research, The American Institute of Architects , and related correspondence, concerning the effects of the architecture of public buildings on government personnel and the public.

Louis J. Halle, Jr. 's memorandum unfavorably compares the architecture of the then new State Department building with the "Old State Department" building across the lane from the White House. According to Halle, the "Old State Department" building embodied the democratic ideal of the closeness of government officials to the people, while the new State Department building was designed to isolate top officials from any contact with the rank and file of the Department or the common people.

Based upon Winston Churchill 's admonition that "We shape our buildings and afterwards our buildings shape us," Louis Halle warns American architects not to indulge in inappropriate architectural pretentiousness just because it is the current fashion.

The correspondence was generated by State Department personnel in response to Walter Taylor 's request to quote Louis J. Halle 's memorandum, which they considered inadvisable.