Glazed architectural terra-cotta

Glazed architectural terra-cotta is a masonry building material popular in the United States from the late 19th century until the 1930s and still one of the most common building materials found in U.S. urban enviroments. Glazed terra-cotta , a sturdy and relatively inexpensive material which could be molded into richly ornamented detail, played a significant role in architectural styles such as the Chicago School and Beaux-Arts architecture.

Related Topics:
Masonry - Building material - United States - 19th century - 1930s - Glaze - Terra-cotta - Architectural style - Chicago School - Beaux-Arts architecture

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The material, sometimes referred to as architectural ceramics, was closely associated with the work of Cass Gilbert, Louis Sullivan, and Daniel H. Burnham, among other architects. Buildings incorporating glazed terra-cotta include the Woolworth Building in New York City and the Wrigley Building in Chicago. It is also used in the open-air Bridgemarket under the Manhattan side of the Queensboro Bridge.

Related Topics:
Cass Gilbert - Louis Sullivan - Daniel H. Burnham - Woolworth Building - New York City - Wrigley Building - Chicago - Bridgemarket - Manhattan - Queensboro Bridge

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Variations in the color and pattern of the glaze made it possible for buildings contructed with the material to look like they were finished with granite or limestone; this flexibility was part of the reason the material was so attractive to architects at the time.

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