Guided Tour: Architects of the New York City Subway - Heins and LaFarge and the Tradition of Great Public Works

Summary: Architects of the New York City SubwayHeins amp LaFarge and the Tradition of Great Public WorksGeorge Lewis Heins and Christopher Grant LaFarge were friends, MIT classmates, brothersinlaw, and business partners. For 21 years, their architectural firm Heins amp LaFarge undertook prestigious building commissions both public and private in the Northeast, including the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and the Astor Court buildings at the Bronx Zoo. But none would be more visible than their work on New York Citys first subway. From 1901 to 1908, the firm designed the underground station interiors, elevated stations, control houses, and entry kiosks for the Interborough Rapid Transit Company or IRT subway.Like many public works, the first concern in building the subway was function, but aesthetics were also important. The original IRT contract specified that the subway embody attractive design, even beauty. Heins amp LaFarge brought a strong BeauxArts sensibility to the subway. This style popular in both the United States and Europe stressed classical influences. To this end, Greek and Roman architectural motifs and materials were incorporated into this most modern of projects. With strict limits of space, budget, and time, Heins amp LaFarge made a simple and versatile element color the centerpiece of the firms work. Using colorful ceramics, the architects satisfied the IRT contracts insistence that the stations be bright and cheerful, while giving each one a distinctive look. Though Heins amp LaFarge designed less than fifteen percent of the stations in use today, their impact on the New York City subway is unmistakable. Their stations in the citys great public work are stunning examples of BeauxArts architecture and design, setting the standard for decades of subway architects to come.