Architectural Design Techniques of Urban Buildings in the Late 19th and Early 20th Century

I'm very excited to present a new paper I've written titled:

Architectural Design Techniques of Urban Buildings in the Late 19th and Early 20th Century

This illustrated essay explores specific physical design techniques employed by architects during this golden period of city-building to achieve their remarkable results.

It has just been published by Periodica Polytechnica Architecture (a peer reviewed scientific journal published by the Faculty of Architecture of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics).

[Click HERE to access the full essay in free pdf form]

Urban buildings constructed in historic city centers of Europe and America in the late 19th and early 20th Century demonstrate a remarkable consistency of architectural excellence and harmony which can be observed from the large urban forms down to minute details. 

The comprehensive system of design principles employed by architects of the time in the creation of these buildings has resulted in urban environments that achieve a very high degree of functionality as well as adaptability to the evolving needs of their modern populations.

(Note: For those who are interested in delving even deeper, Section 3 of the essay focuses on the rediscovery of lost classic architectural design instructional texts and contains a recommended reading list). 

A Water Tower Can Be A Delightful Landmark?

Here's an example!

Budapest's Margaret Island sits in the middle of the Danube River as it runs through the City.  The island was once settled during the Medieval period as a religious center, but during more recent history has evolved into a verdant reprieve - filled with parks, gardens, recreation and cultural facilities utilized by the whole city - similar to New York's Central Park.

One of the main landmarks of Margaret Island is its famous water tower. Constructed in 1911, it was designed in a stunning Art Nouveau / Secessionist style by the Hungarian architect Rezső Vilmos Ray.  Ray remarkably achieved both the functional utility of reliable water supply to the island, while also creating a breathtakingly beautiful lookout tower designed to give visitors sweeping views:

The 187 foot (57 meter) high water tower has a capacity of 158,503 gallons (600,000 liters), and was remarkably also the first building in Hungary to make use of reinforced concrete, a new technology at the time.  

The beauty of the architectural expression of the water tower has made it a universally cherished local landmark. It has been incorporated into a marvelous new open air theater and underwent a renovation in 2012.  It is open to visitors to this day as a lookout tower.