Early life and career Howard Van Doren Shaw

shaw worked jenney & mundie in top floor of home insurance building in chicago

shaw studied @ harvard school boys in hyde park township. accepted yale university, graduating bachelor of arts in 1890. while @ yale, shaw lead editor of yale record, world s oldest humor magazine. admitted massachusetts institute of technology (mit) later year. mit 1 of few architectural schools in country @ time, closely following rules set forth École des beaux-arts. shaw completed two-year program in 1 year. shaw use elements of georgian, tudor, , neoclassical design learned mit in of later works.

after returning chicago in june 1891, joined jenney & mundie firm. william le baron jenney emerging innovating designer, creating first skyscrapers. firm gaining reputation training ground new architects, such daniel burnham , louis sullivan. shaw worked directly emerging architects james gamble rogers, alfred hoyt granger, , d. everett waid. shaw received first commission wife s parents, desired new house in lakeville, connecticut.

after completion of wells house, traveled europe study endemic architecture. visited spain, southern france, italy, austria-hungary, germany, , england. shaw spent 2 months in england before returning chicago. rejoined jenney & mundie in 1893, , on april 20, married francis wells. chicago architecture receiving new recognition success of white city @ world s columbian exposition. shaw worked on 1 last commission firm, snitzler house, in 1894.

in 1894, shaw established own practice while finishing work jenney & mundie in father s attic on calumet avenue. first solo commissions father, wanted 1 house daughter , son-in-law, , newlywed shaws. these 2 adjacent houses featured combination of queen anne, tudor, , romanesque styles. incorporation of indiana limestone set these houses apart neighbors. shaw received 5 other requests buildings in hyde park neighborhood. hyde park, annexed chicago, fastest-growing neighborhood, opened university of chicago. shaw received commissions individuals familiar father , family.

shaw s first major commission richard r. donnelley, cofounder of lakeside press. donnelley s son thomas classmate of howard s @ yale , admired architecture. shaw agreed design new printing plant company in 1897. lakeside press published high-quality works, necessary reflect in building s design. printing press buildings of age built wooden support machines. however, shaw decided use more fireproof design, concrete floors , reinforcement columns. building great success lakeside press, , shaw later received several more commissions donnelly, including 1902 addition building. shaw s business grew, moved offices montauk building.

the lakeside press building shaw s first major commission. today recognized national park service historic place.

in 1897, shaw bought one-third share of 53-acre (21 ha) farm on green bay road in lake forest. lake forest had been rural community north of chicago, becoming retreat site wealthy following completion of onwentsia club in 1895. shaw built house family on farm, , built houses dr. william e. casselberry , dr. nathan smith davis, jr., other 2 owners of property. these houses exhibited shaw s first forays arts , crafts movement. shaw s house, ragdale, today considered 1 of best examples of arts , crafts architecture , listed on national register of historic places. shaw became interested in movement after holding joint exhibition chicago architecture , arts , crafts designers @ art institute of chicago. although movement characterized designs on world, shaw focused on american , english styles. shaw meet other arts , crafts architects, including frank lloyd wright, in lunch group known eighteen, version of prairie school. however, shaw grew alienated prairie school firm believer in value of old european architecture eschewed other architects.

another commission shaw rebuilding of sanctuary of second presbyterian church (chicago, illinois) following devastating fire in march 1900. shaw had been baptized , raised in church , 31 @ time of commission. design of sanctuary reflects shaw s interest in arts , crafts movement , today remains 1 of intact religious arts , crafts interiors in country.