New York Terracotta

Abstract

Traces the development of terracotta in the USA, by particular reference to its use in buildings erected in New York. The influence of architectural developments in England utilizing terracotta during the 1860s and early 1870s is recognized, and the transfer of British craft skills and manufacturing expertise to the USA are described. The role played by terracotta in the development of fire resisting construction, and its subsequent widespread use as a cladding for the early iron and steel framed skyscrapers is examined. Representative examples of the use of terracotta in New York, and especially Manhattan, are described and illustrated for the period from 1850 to the decline in its use with the onset of World War II.

Citation

Swallow, P.G. (1994), "New York Terracotta", Structural Survey, Vol. 12 No. 4, pp. 31-34. https://doi.org/10.1108/02630809410066465