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Thomas Jefferson (Gold Medal 1993) designed the Virginia State Capitol while still in Paris, basing it on Maîson Carée, an ancient Roman temple in Nîmes, France. In this, and all his buildings, he displayed his devotion to the principles of classical architecture. In 1870, during a crowded court hearing, a newly built floor collapsed, killing 62 people and injuring hundreds more.
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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on February 6, 2007 7:36 AM.
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Comments (1)
If I am not mistaken, I believe this was the first building in America designed as a government building; and was the first building in America designed in the classic style. As such it became a prototype for county courthouses and other state capitols across America--as well as banks, libraries and churches!
Jefferson had a little help with the design from French Architect Charles-Louis Clerisseau. While in Paris he had a model made of the design and sent it to Virginia. The model was made from--what else, but--plaster of Paris!
Posted by Vernon Reed, FAIA | February 12, 2007 3:59 PM
Posted on February 12, 2007 15:59