Harris Courthouse Pargework ceiling

Tuesday and Wednesday of last week I finely got to see how the lead paint removal was going. They had completed the removal on the sixth floor and Matt Bailey of Vaughn Construction had called a meeting with all concerned to discuss the issues at hand and to insure we were proceeding correctly. After viewing the area on the sixth floor I was relieved that extreme care had been taken and no damage to the plaster decorations was apparent. We discussed the edges of the paint where the loose paint was removed and the bonded paint was still adhered. On the ornamental plaster this did not seem to be a problem for me as only minor areas will require attention to repair but the flat wall plaster was going to have to require some additional work to make it look acceptable. The lead abatement contractor stated that the sealer he is using was white not clear. That created a problem as I needed to document the pattered ceiling that was left on the top floor. He gave me permission as long as I did not scrape on any substance and remove any paint.

This ceiling was not a part of the original construction originally the sixth floor was not finished out. It was finished out around 1915. The ceiling is a suspended flat plaster ceiling with plaster ornamentations installed to create an intricate ceiling. This type of ceiling called pargework or some times called Jacobean was very popular in the early 1900's. Ornamentation was installed directly to a flat ceiling to create a patterned panel look. This ceiling was outlined by a straight frame 6" away form the edge of the crown molding and then a alternating diamond and "cloverleaf" (My word as I don't know what the correct word for this design is) connected with straight runs of the same plaster molding. The ceiling extended along one side of the rotunda walkway approximately 40 feet long and 16 ft wide. However only an area approximately 12 by 16 is left and that area is severely deteriorated. (see Photo) The metal lath has rusted and is barely holding the weight of the plaster

I previously removed one complete diamond shape and ½ of the cloverleaf shape before any work was started because of my fear that these elements might be lost and they were the only elements available to recreate the ceiling. They came off almost too easily and it reassured me that that was the best procedure and any vibration would have caused these to fall to the ground and thus destroying the elements. You can see where the plaster ornamentation was installed by the white "ghosting" outline. The original elements were stuck to the ceiling using molding plaster or Plaster of Paris and then painted. So when they fell or was removed it leaves a clear definition of where they were installed. On one side there is still a portion of the original crown molding in place and you can see in some places its "ghosting line on the ceiling continuing around the outside of the ceiling. When the loose lead paint was removed you could also see the original layout lines that the original craftsmen used.

I stuck a clear Mylar sheet across the largest area of the ceiling keeping it square to the edge (see Photo). This allowed me to draw the outline of the ghosting and also draw the layout lines. After completing this I removed the Mylar sheet and stored it safely in a tube keeping it for use when the new ceiling in installed. I feel confident now I can correctly reinstall the ceiling and keeping the original layout as close as possible.

Pargwork ceiling sometimes called Jacobean

Harris County courthouse corbel

Here is the corbel we were directed by the architect to remove and use to make a mold from. I removed it from the wall and shipped it to our shop in Lubbock Texas.

They documented all the inconsistencies in the piece. I documented some of them here. They did a much more detailed documentation using square lines and every object was measured off of these square lines but that documentation photo did not transfer well into this format. The reason for this documentation is to inform all parties involved what they are going to receive after we make a mold of the piece. Every inconsistency will be a part of the new cast that we will reproduce. It is somewhat normal for there to be some inconsistencies and most people will never notice them. The rubber alone for the mold is expensive so we want everybody to understand what we are copying before we spend the money to make the mold.

After we get the go ahead for the architect we will proceed with the mold making process.

matt

Cook County Courthouse- continued study of designs for Harris county courthouse

I was able to spend time yesterday talking with Gordon Marchant with Komatsu Architecture of Fort Worth Texas. He is the architect for the restoration of this courthouse in Gainsville Texas. I was able to talk to him about the designs at the courthouse. He provided me some photos of the plaster ornamentation. You can access them here. Just to remind this courthouse was designed by the same architectural firm and designer that worked on the Harris County courthouse.

You can see again the influence of Louis Sullivan in the plaster designs. You can see also the similarities of the capitals and the way they integrate into the skylight. I have seen this skylight in person also and it is stunning. Makes me a little apprehensive about seeing the Harris skylight after it is completed.

Description & History of the 1910 Harris County Courthouse

The 1910 Harris County Courthouse is one of the most significant historical buildings in Houston and is considered by some as one of the most significant historic courthouses in Texas. It is a classical domed building designed by a Dallas firm Lang and Wetchel. The firm was owned by Otto H. Lang and Frank O. Wetchel. They also designed two other Texas courthouses one the Cook County Courthouse in Gainesville and the other the Johnson County Courthouse in Cleburne Texas. The firm was a large, prolific and well respected firm located in Dallas at the turn of the century.

Otto Lang was born in Germany and trained as a structural engineer. Frank Wetchel, born in South Wales and completed his apprenticeship at the architectural firm Sanguinet and Staats alongside another famous Texas Architect, J. Reiley Gordon. However these two men were destined to play a back roll to one of their employees; Charles Erwin Barglebaugh, who trained with Frank Lloyd Wright in Oak Park and was a graduate of the Chicago School of Architecture.

The Six story building located in downtown Houston at the square outlined by Fannin, Congress, San Jacinto and Preston streets is a massive stone building complete with colonnades on each side. But in my option its true beauty lies almost in ruins inside the building.

The building had a marble lined center rotunda open from the first floor to the top of the building with massive plaster column capitals at the top and a skylight in the center. Around the rotunda at each level is a walkway that had plaster crown moldings and capitals. Unfortunately in the 1950's it was remodeled and the center opening was filled in at each floor. The remodeling caused massive damage to the plaster elements at each floor and especially at the top of the rotunda.

Most of the plaster elements in the building have at least one good piece that can be used to make a mold and cast the missing elements. However the center capitals at the top of the rotunda have the center missing at each one. Photos were solicited from every possible venue and some of the original drawings are available. It is going to be a monumental task to recreate these capitals. But we here at Professio are all about challenges.

The project also benefits from the experience of a historical architect Susan with Architexas in Austin who has diligently worked for several years trying to correctly identify the elements and create drawings to show the supposed design. Architexas is the largest preservation architectural firm in the state of Texas. The project also has the benefit of another very large architectural firm of PGAL who brings a nationwide expertise of courthouse construction and restoration to the mix. All of who have spent endless hours diligently researching this wonderful building.

When you look at the plaster ornamentation you can immediately see the influence of Louis Sullivan. Sullivan was very influential in the Chicago School of Architecture and taught Frank Lloyd Wright and as thus on to Charles Erwin Barglebaugh. Sullivan's designs were used all over the world. They are very identifiable because they are so complex and symbolic. The Art Institute's 2007 exhibition of Sullivan's ornamental designs reads "The drawings on view in this exhibition provide a rare glimpse of Sullivan's interpretation of the philosophical principles of ornament and its relationship to architecture and the natural world. Through the use of ornament, Sullivan believed, the architect could establish an organic connection linking the practical and rational aspects of building design and demonstrating the underlying similarities between the simple geometries of science and the curvilinear configurations of nature.." His use of stretched objects and complicated geometric designs stand out even today. Because of the ornamental plaster and terra cotta shops located in Chicago his designs ultimately were used all over the world in buildings that he had nothing to do with.

This is the second job where I have had to study Sullivan's designs. I was commissioned to recreate the courtroom in Brownsville Texas where most of the elements were missing. Only an old fuzzy photograph from the archives at the University of Texas shows the missing capitals. The photo was in focus on the subject that was in the center of the room unfortunately the column capitals were along the sides of the room and not part of the field of focus. This courthouse was designed my Altee B.Ayress. Mr. Ayress had also hired a designer George Rodney Willis that had worked with Frank Lloyd Wright. All the remaining plaster elements showed the same Sullivanistic style.

We are set to start recreating the elements in the near future. Drawings are now in progress, Rubber molds are being made of some of the elements that were removed and Matt Henson Sr. is scheduled to start making molds of the remaining elements on site soon. We will try and keep those of you who are interested in the progress of this challenging project abreast of the developments and progress photos will be uploaded to this site for your enjoyment.

Harris County Courthouse Photos

I have started a online photo album showing the Harris county courthouse. http://picasaweb.google.com/hensonplaster/HarrisCountyCourthouse?feat=directlink

It shows the existing conditions of the plaster elements. Of course there is only one photo or each different element each element is located all over each floor. So there is quite a bit of work ahead of us.

Harris county courthouse Architects rendering

Here is the rendering that Susan and her team at Architexas (http://architexas.com/) prepared for us. We will use it to start carving the center areas missing in the Capitals. Though the rendering is very well done it does not depict how much the element protrudes out from the wall. Remember this is a 3-D object and protrudes rather proudly from the wall plane. It is also not flat it will have deep recesses . They need to be deep because the element is extremely high and in order for the viewer to resister the details they need to be very prominent.

So now our work begins. In a few weeks I will be allowed on site. Right now construction crews are abating the lead paint and access is not allowed until the environmental consultant reports that it is safe to enter the building. I a little apprehensive as in the past damage to the plaster elements have occurred during this phase. We have cautioned all parties involved so we will see if they heed our warnings.

We will then set up scaffolding giving us close access to the object for the first time. We will then document further the element taking measurements and close up photographs. We will then make a rubber mold of the existing portions of the capital.

Then we will ship the mold to our shop in Lubbock Texas and our crew there will cast the elements. This will give us an accurate starting point to start creating the missing portion of the capital.

We will keep you posted of the time we will be onsite and update the blog with new photos as we get them.

matt

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