Fitch, James Marston.

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James Marston Fitch developed the academic field of historic preservation through his prolific career as a writer, architectural scholar, activist, and educator. Fitch was born in Washington, D.C., in 1909. He grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and attended the University of Alabama and Tulane in New Orleans. During the Depression he worked as a researcher at the Tennessee Planning Commission and as a low-cost housing analyst at the Federal Housing Authority. In 1936 he moved to New York City and began his career as an editor at Architectural Record, where he worked until joining the Air Force as a meteorologist in 1941. Following World War II, Fitch became an early proponent of the importance of the environment in architectural design while continuing his career in publishing at Architectural Forum (1945-1949) and House Beautiful (1949-1953). At House Beautiful he oversaw the Climate Control Research Project, which investigated environmental criteria for residential architecture.

From 1954 to 1977, Fitch served as a professor of architecture at the Graduate School of Architecture and Planning at Columbia University. At Columbia, Fitch founded the graduate program in restoration and preservation, which later became the masters program for historic preservation. He maintained close correspondence with many graduates of the program who went on to direct programs throughout the world to promote the preservation and study of historic architecture.

Upon his retirement from Columbia, Fitch became the director of preservation at the architectural firm of Beyer Blinder Belle in New York City, contributing to the restoration of Ellis Island, Grand Central Station, and South Street Seaport. He was also appointed the preservator of Central Park and established methods for the park to accommodate modern uses. As an activist, he was the colleague and friend of Jane Jacobs and Margot Gayle in their efforts to identify and preserve historic districts throughout New York.

Fitch was a founding member and active participant in several national and international preservation organizations, including the Association for Preservation Technology (APT) and Victorian Society in America. He was a fellow of United State Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and organized many symposia on architecture for various organizations. He established the James Marston Fitch Charitable Foundation to promote historic preservation. Among his published works are a biography of Walter Gropius (1960), American Building: The forces that shape it (1948), Architecture and the Esthetics of Plenty (1961), American Building: The environmental forces that shaped it (1972), and Historic Preservation: Curatorial Management of the Built World (1982). Among his numerous awards are five honorary degrees, including one from the Tulane School of Architecture in 1997. Fitch died in New York City in 2000.

From the description of James Marston Fitch papers, 1933-2000. (Columbia University In the City of New York). WorldCat record id: 472465601

James Marston Fitch developed the academic field of historic preservation through his prolific career as a writer, architectural scholar, activist, and educator. Fitch was born in Washington, D.C., in 1909. He grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and attended the University of Alabama and Tulane in New Orleans. During the Depression he worked as a researcher at the Tennessee Planning Commission and as a low-cost housing analyst at the Federal Housing Authority. In 1936 he moved to New York City and began his career as an editor at Architectural Record, where he worked until joining the Air Force as a meteorologist in 1941. Following World War II, Fitch became an early proponent of the importance of the environment in architectural design while continuing his career in publishing at Architectural Forum (1945-1949) and House Beautiful (1949-1953). At House Beautiful he oversaw the Climate Control Research Project, which investigated environmental criteria for residential architecture.

From 1954 to 1977, Fitch served as a professor of architecture at the Graduate School of Architecture and Planning at Columbia University. At Columbia, Fitch founded the graduate program in restoration and preservation, which later became the masters program for historic preservation. He maintained close correspondence with many graduates of the program who went on to direct programs throughout the world to promote the preservation and study of historic architecture.

Upon his retirement from Columbia, Fitch became the director of preservation at the architectural firm of Beyer Blinder Belle in New York City, contributing to the restoration of Ellis Island, Grand Central Station, and South Street Seaport. He was also appointed the preservator of Central Park and established methods for the park to accommodate modern uses. As an activist, he was the colleague and friend of Jane Jacobs and Margot Gayle in their efforts to identify and preserve historic districts throughout New York.

Fitch was a founding member and active participant in several national and international preservation organizations, including the Association for Preservation Technology (APT) and Victorian Society in America. He was a fellow of United State Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and organized many symposia on architecture for various organizations. He established the James Marston Fitch Charitable Foundation to promote historic preservation. Among his published works are a biography of Walter Gropius (1960), American Building: The forces that shape it (1948), Architecture and the Esthetics of Plenty (1961), American Building: The environmental forces that shaped it (1972), and Historic Preservation: Curatorial Management of the Built World (1982). Among his numerous awards are five honorary degrees, including one from the Tulane School of Architecture in 1997. Fitch died in New York City in 2000.

From the guide to the James Marston Fitch papers, 1933-2000, (Columbia University Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Department of Drawings & Archives, )

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Aalto, Alvar, 1898-1976. Institute of International Education, Kaufmann Conference Rooms architectural drawings and papers, 1961-1966. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Gropius, Walter, 1883-1969. Papers, 1925-1969 (bulk: 1937-1969) Houghton Library
referencedIn Meeks, Carroll L. V. (Carroll Louis Vanderslice), 1907-1966. Carroll L. V. Meeks papers, 1928-1966 (inclusive). Yale University Library
referencedIn Haskell, Douglas Putnam, 1899-1979. Douglas Putnam Haskell papers, Series I: Pending correspondence, 1949-1964. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Institute of International Education, Kaufmann Conference Rooms architectural drawings and papers, 1961-1966. Columbia University. Avery Architecture and Fine Arts Library. Department of Drawings and Archives.
referencedIn James Marston Fitch : vertical file. Centre canadien d'architecture, | Canadian Centre for Architecture | CCA
referencedIn Carroll L. V. Meeks papers, 1928-1966 Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
referencedIn Columbia University. Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation : Centennial (1881-1991) Archive, 1954-1982, (bulk 1980-1981) Columbia University. Avery Architecture and Fine Arts Library. Department of Drawings and Archives.
referencedIn Houghton Mifflin Company correspondence, 1881-1981 (inclusive), 1940-1979 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Mildred Constantine Papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf Isaacs, Reginald R., 1911-1986. Walter Gropius centennial celebration : documents, 1983. Centre canadien d'architecture, | Canadian Centre for Architecture | CCA
creatorOf Fitch, James Marston. View of Camp Dick Robinson. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
creatorOf James Marston Fitch papers, 1933-2000 Columbia University. Avery Architecture and Fine Arts Library. Department of Drawings and Archives.
creatorOf Fitch, James Marston, 1909-. Letters, 1934-1983, to Lewis Mumford. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Fitch, James Marston. James Marston Fitch papers, 1933-2000. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Aalto, Alvar, 1898-1976. person
associatedWith American Academy in Rome. corporateBody
associatedWith Association for Preservation Technology. corporateBody
associatedWith Beyer, Blinder, Belle, P.C. corporateBody
associatedWith Bobenhausen, William, 1949- person
associatedWith Chatfield-Taylor, Adele. person
associatedWith Chermayeff, Serge, 1900-1996. person
associatedWith Clark, Carol A. person
associatedWith Columbia University. corporateBody
associatedWith Columbia University. Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation. person
associatedWith Columbia University. Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation. Historic Preservation Program. corporateBody
associatedWith Columbia University. Preservation Alumni. corporateBody
associatedWith Constantine, Mildred person
associatedWith De Long, David Gilson, 1939- person
associatedWith Erder, Cevet person
associatedWith Erder, Cevet. person
associatedWith Feilden, Bernard. person
associatedWith Foerster, Bernd. person
associatedWith Gayle, Margot. person
associatedWith Gropius, Walter, 1883-1969. person
associatedWith Harris, Harwell Hamilton, 1903- person
associatedWith Haskell, Douglas Putnam, 1899-1979. person
correspondedWith Houghton Mifflin Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Hrůza, Jiří. person
associatedWith Hrůza, Jiří. person
associatedWith International Council of Monuments and Sites. corporateBody
associatedWith Jacobs, Jane, 1916-2006. person
associatedWith Katonah Gallery. corporateBody
associatedWith Kiley, Dan (Dan Urban) person
associatedWith Meeks, Carroll L. V. (Carroll Louis Vanderslice), 1907-1966. person
associatedWith Municipal Art Society of New York. corporateBody
associatedWith Neutra, Richard Joseph, 1892-1970 person
associatedWith Polshek, James Stewart. person
associatedWith Polshek, James Stewart. person
associatedWith Prudon, Theodore H. M. person
associatedWith Prudon, Theodore H. M. person
associatedWith Shulman, Julius. person
associatedWith Shulman, Julius. person
associatedWith Silver, Nathan. person
associatedWith Silver, Nathan. person
associatedWith Society of Architectural Historians. corporateBody
associatedWith Stubbs, John H. person
associatedWith VDL Research House I (Los Angeles, Calif.) corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Czechoslovakia
Central Park (New York, N.Y.)
Central Park (New York, N.Y.)
Ecuador
Haiti
New York (State)--New York
Subject
Architectural design
Architectural journalism
Architectural writing
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture and society
City planning
Columbia University
Historic buildings
Historic buildings
Historic buildings
Historic buildings
Historic districts
Landscape architecture
Tourism and city planning
Urban ecology (Sociology)
Urban renewal
Vernacular architecture
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1909-05-08

Death 2000

Colombians

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