Background
John Augur Holabird was born in 1886 at Evanston, Illinois, United States.
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Other Work
333 North Michigan in the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois
(an Art Deco skyscraper. Holabird & Roche/Holabird & Root)
an Art Deco skyscraper. Holabird & Roche/Holabird & Root
Palmolive Building t 919 N. Michigan Avenue in Chicago.
(Built by Holabird & Root, it was completed in 1929 and wa...)
Built by Holabird & Root, it was completed in 1929 and was home to the Colgate-Palmolive-Peet corporation.
JOHN AUGUR HOLABIRD
Edit ProfileEducation
educated at the Hill School, Pottstown, Pa. Following the example of both his father and grandfather, the youth entered the U. S. Military Academy at West Point in 1903, and after graduating in 1907 was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U. S. Corps of Engineers.
he successfully passed the entrance examinations to the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, and after four years of study received his diploma.
Career
Returning to Chicago, Holabird entered his father's office, the firm of Hola¬bird & Roche, serving as draftsman there until the start of the first World War in 1917, when he rejoined the U. S. Army. Sent to France as Colonel of the Field Artillery of the Second Division, he was promoted to the rank of Major before his discharge in 1919, and awarded the Distinguished Service Medal and the Croix de Guerre. Re-entering the office of Holabird & Roche in Chicago, the young man saw his father failing in health and Mr. Roche disinclined to take full charge. Shortly after with the assistance of John W. Root, a friend and fellow-draftsman, Mr. Holabird assumed leadership in the office and during the busy years of the 1920’s proved his skill and ability in carrying into execution the numerous and varied commissions received by the firm. With the death of William Holabird in 1923 and Martin Roche's decease four years after, the old partnership was terminated, and the new firm of Holabird & Root established.
As the years passed many large and important commissions came into the office, and the firm s drafting force was augmented by an adequate staff of architects and engineers, with Mr. Holabird continuing as the architectural designer. Among the public and commercial works of the firm built in Chicago were Grant Park Stadium in Soldiers' Field (won in a competition); Illinois Bell Telephone Building; the Chicago Temple, 1922; the new Palmer House 1927; Stevens Hotel, 1927; Women's City Club, 1928; Daily News Building, 1928; Palmolive Building; No. 333 Michigan Avenue, an office building; Passevant Hospital; Michigan Square Building, together with Diana Court; new Chicago Board of Trade Building, 1933; International House at the University of Chicago, 1933; Chrysler Building at the 1939 World’s Fair; additions to the Art Institute, and the Trumbull Housing Project of which Mr. Holabird was Chief Architect.
Of other buildings designed by the firm and erected outside of Chicago, the most important were: Central National Tower in Battle Creek, Michigan- Ramsey County Court House and City Hall, St. Paul, Minn.; Rand Tower! Minneapolis; Office Building for the Bell Telephone Company at Springfield Ill.; Lafayette Building at Washington, D. C.; Federal Agency Building at Washington, A. R. Class, Associate Architect; and the Statler Hotel in Washington
Works
Other Work
Membership
A member of the Chicago Chapter, A. I. A. since 1921, and elected to Institute Fellowship in 1926. He was also active in civic affairs, and had served as a Trustee of the Art Institute, Newberry Library and the John Crear Library. In 1940 he was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to the Commission of Fine Arts in Washington. Later he was a member of the Smithsonian Competition Jury, which gave its approval to Saarinens’ plans for the structure.
Connections
- Father:
- William Holabird
- Friend:
- John W. Root
- coworker:
- Martin Roche
With the assistance of John W. Root, a friend and fellow-draftsman, Mr. Holabird assumed leadership in the office Holabird & Roche (his father's office)
Holabird entered his father's office, the firm of Holabird & Roche, serving as draftsman.
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Born
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Died
May 1, 1945 (aged 58) -
Nationality
American
Career
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1917
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1917
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1927
Awards
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Gold Medal, United States
Mr. Holabird's professional achievements were recognized by national awards of many kinds, including the Gold Medal of the Architectural League of New York.Mr. Holabird's professional achievements were recognized by national awards of many kinds, including the Gold Medal of the Architectural League of New York.