Sullivan Sketches

Tonight I fly out and leave L.A. behind.  This weekend I'll be in Atlanta for ATLOSCON, where I'll give a talk about the origins of modern architecture.  One of the central figures of my talk, and indeed of modern architecture itself, is Louis Sullivan.  Frank Lloyd Wright is also in my talk as is Eugene Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc.  I greatly admire all three, but I have a special place in my heart for Sullivan these days.

Why is that?  It seems that Sullivan finally formulated the fundamental theories that Viollet-le-Duc was just beginning to shed light on.  Wright wouldn't have been possible without Sullivan.  Wright applied and perhaps expanded upon Sullivan's ideas, but he didn't particularly revolutionize architectural thinking like Sullivan did.

I'm not sure anyone has since.

So today I bring you a few sketches in Sullivan's own hand.

Were I rich, I would collect the originals of these, greedily.

Then I would share them with the world.