The Future via 1930

Ferriss 01


Hugh Ferriss
(1889 - 1962) was an American delineator (one who creates perspective drawings of buildings) and architect. According to Daniel Okrent, Ferriss never designed a single noteworthy building, but after his death a colleague said he 'influenced my generation of architects' more than any other man. Ferriss also influenced popular culture, for example Gotham City (the setting for Batman) and Kerry Conran's "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow". "Just Imagine" (movie from 1930), strongly influenced by Hugh Ferriss's book, Metropolis of Tomorrow (1929), takes the archetype vision of the future city as defined by a Manhattan-like skyline, and portrays it in all its beauty and majesty.

Interested? Pick up his book of illustrations at Amazon. More drawings after the jump.

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7 Comments

The main and second illustrations remind me of the SC Johnson bulding.. and the tower there looks like 2 IFC in Hong Kong!

The main and second illustrations remind me of the SC Johnson bulding.. and the tower there looks like 2 IFC in Hong Kong!

Frank Lloyd Wright created Wingspread, the house for the owner of Johnson Wax (see building). He was invited to dinner by the Johnsons. As they were retired in the living room in conversation, little drips started coming down between the glass rods of the ceiling. They all ignored them at first, but when the drips turned into plunks, it became unignorable. Mrs. Johnson finally asked the great master what they could do to remedy the problem. Mr. Wright asked Mrs. Johnson whether she had trash pails. She gave him two or three, which Wright promptly placed under the drips. Through the ker-plunks, Mr. Wright said, "there your are. The problem's fixed."

Nice. Looks awesome.

6th photo looks like the United Nations Headquarters in NYC, constructed in 1950, architect was Wallace Harrison.

Rooted in Italian Futurism...the romantic idea of the metropolis...much like the 5th Element played with...or...Antonio St. Ella- Batman like for sure.

I just found your blog through a google search for 3D wall treaments...nice to have stopped by!

Michelle

With the exception of the disk-and-spire one, these aren't too far off. Kudos 1930's.

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