Architecture of Atlanta

An example of Post-modern architecture in Midtown Atlanta.

The city of Atlanta has seen works by most major U.S. firms and some of the more prominent architects of the 20th century, including Michael Graves, Richard Meier, Renzo Piano, Paul Rudolph, and Robert A.M. Stern. Atlanta's most notable hometown architect may be John Portman whose creation of the atrium hotel beginning with the Hyatt Regency Atlanta (1968) made a significant mark on the hospitality sector. A graduate of Georgia Tech's College of Architecture, Portman's work reshaped downtown Atlanta with his designs for the Atlanta Merchandise Mart, Peachtree Center, the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, and SunTrust Plaza.

Atlanta's reputation as a postwar American city is reflected in its architecture. It has often been the earliest, if not the first, to showcase new architectural concepts. However, Atlanta's embrace of modernism has translated into an ambivilance toward historic preservation, resulting in the destruction of notable architectural landmarks, including the Equitable Building (Atlanta's first skyscraper), Terminal Station, and the Carnegie Library. The city's cultural icon, the Fox Theatre, would have met the same fate had it not been for a grassroots effort to save it in the mid-1970s.

History

The 1853 Union Station shortly before Union troops destroyed it in 1864

Antebellum

See also: List of oldest structures in Atlanta

As Atlanta was a settlement that grew from a planned railroad terminus and later a railroad junction, rather than being planned in a grand manner, its antebellum architecture was unremarkable compared to Savannah or other older Southern cities. The town's most important buildings included Edward A. Vincent's Union Station (1853), the Atlanta, Trout House and Washington Hall hotels, and the Atlanta Bank. An 1859 industrial journal noted that:

"19 commodious brick stores were erected in 1858…besides a large number of fine residences, mostly of brick. Many of the new improvements are imposing structures, and would not suffer by comparison with the most elegant portions of our modern cities."

Not a single antebellum building from what was the town of Atlanta remains today. Remaining antebellum architecture inside the city limits consists of four houses that were well outside the city limits in the 19th century, as well as the Tullie Smith House which was moved to the Atlanta History Center from a location in North Druid Hills, an adjacent suburb. The oldest building in Downtown Atlanta is the Georgia Railroad Freight Depot (1869).

Postbellum

Hotel architecture, 1916

Victorian architecture in Inman Park

Most of Atlanta was burned during the Civil War, depleting the city of a large stock of its historic architecture. Yet Atlanta, architecturally, had never been particularly "southern." Because Atlanta originated as a railroad town, rather than a patrician southern seaport like Savannah or Charleston, many of the city's landmarks could have easily been erected in the Northeast or Midwest. In addition, unlike many other Southern cities, such as Richmond, Charleston, Wilmington, and New Orleans, Atlanta chose not to retain what remained of its historic antebellum architectural characteristics. Instead, Atlanta viewed itself as the leading city of a progressive "New South", and opted for expressive modern structures.

Notable Buildings

An example of John Portman's work in Atlanta.

Arts facilities have led the way for modernists in Atlanta architecture with the High Museum designed by Richard Meier with a 2005 addition by Renzo Piano. Also on the horizon is a new home for the Atlanta Symphony Center. Re-sited in 2008, the hall will not be designed by Santiago Calatrava as originally planned in 2005. A new architect will be selected and the hall will be built as soon as fundraising can be completed. A recent design competition resulted in Freelon Associates (in conjunction with HOK) being selected as the architect for the new $100 million dollar home of the Center for Civil and Human Rights. Michael Graves' post-modern style is exhibited in the Ten Peachtree Place office building in Midtown and the Michael C. Carlos Museum on the campus of Emory University. The 50 story One Atlantic Center was designed by Philip Johnson in association with John Burgee.

Atlanta also has its own Flatiron Building, built in 1897, five years before the more famous Flatiron Building in New York City (1902). The Atlanta-Fulton County Central Library, completed in 1980, was designed by Bauhaus member Marcel Breuer (though he didn't live to see its completion). Another historic building of architectural importance to Atlanta is the Fox Theatre, which was saved from the threat of demolition in 1974.

Architectural firms, institutions, and organizations

Atlanta is home to a number of progressive architecture firms, including the award-winning, internationally acclaimed Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects (formerly Scogin, Elam and Bray). Major commercial commissions are typically dominated by large corporate firms such as Heery International, Stevens and Wilkinson, Perkins and Will, Lord Aeck & Sargent, Smallwood Reynolds and Associates, and TVS (Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates). Smaller, contemporary practices include BLDGS, Lightroom, Dencity, G+G Architects, Houser Walker Architecture, plexus r+d, Square Feet Studio, and Rutledge Alcock Architects.

The Georgia Institute of Technology College of Architecture, located just west of midtown Atlanta offers both pre-professional undergraduate and professional graduate degrees in architecture, and hosts regular lectures and symposia of interest to students and professionals. Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta, a suburb of Atlanta, offers a five-year professional undergraduate degree and also hosts lectures and exhibits works in the architecture building's gallery space.

The Young Architects Forum of the Atlanta chapter of the American Institute of Architects sponsors open design competitions, exhibits, and lectures of interest to the profession and the general public. Modern Atlanta is an independent organization which presents the yearly MA tours of contemporary homes, special lectures, and design industry events.

Skyscrapers

Main article: List of tallest buildings in Atlanta

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  Bank of America Plaza, the tallest building in Georgia

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  SunTrust Plaza, the second-tallest building in Atlanta

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  One Atlantic Center, the third-tallest building in Atlanta

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  191 Peachtree Tower

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  The Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel

Rank	Name	Height ft (m)	Floors	Year	Notes
1	Bank of America Plaza	01.01,023 (312)	55	1992	42nd-tallest building in the world, 8th-tallest in the U.S. Has been the tallest building in Atlanta, Georgia and the Southern United States since 1992. Tallest building in any U.S. state capital.
2	SunTrust Plaza	02.0871 (265)	60	1992	77th-tallest building in the world, 25th-tallest in the U.S.
3	One Atlantic Center	03.0820 (250)	50	1987	125th-tallest building in the world, 38th-tallest in the U.S. Also known as the IBM Tower.
4	191 Peachtree Tower	04.0770 (235)	50	1990	200th-tallest building in the world, 57th-tallest in the U.S.
5	Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel	05.0723 (220)	73	1976	93rd-tallest building in the U.S. Stood as the tallest all-hotel building in the world from 1976 until 1977.
6	Georgia-Pacific Tower	06.0697 (212)	52	1982
7	Promenade II	07.0691 (211)	38	1990
8	AT&T Midtown Center	08.0677 (206)	47	1982	Also known as the BellSouth Building.
9	3344 Peachtree*	09.0665 (203)	48	2008	This building was topped out in October 2007, becoming the 9th-tallest building in Atlanta. Also known as the Sovereign.
10	1180 Peachtree	10.0657 (200)	41	2006	Formerly known as the Symphony Center.