Harold van Buren Magonigle (1867–1935)
Entry 7
New York, USA
Magonigle began his design career at age 13, working as a student draftsman
for Vaux & Radford. With Frederick Law Olmsted, Calvert Vaux had won
the competition to design New York’s Central Park. Magonigle moved
to Charles C Haight, and then in 1887 to McKim, Mead and White. There he
was awarded the gold medal of the Architectural League of New York. In
1891 he moved to Boston to work for Rotch and Tilden. And in 1894 he received
the Rotch fellowship to travel abroad to draw and sketch in Europe. When
he returned he rejoined McKim, Mead and White, and had two short-lived
partnerships. He won many architectural competitions, and designed memorials,
schools, residences and churches. A talented sculptor and artist, he wrote
on art and architecture, and collaborated with his wife, Edith Marion Day – an
accomplished painter – on at least one commission, the Liberty
Memorial in Kansas City. He was active in many professional associations,
and received
many honours.
Magonigle’s federal capital plan has a clear theme. Its north and
south portions centre on spiderweb street systems. A great central axis
connects three major groups of buildings, each of which provides a strong
focal point for its surrounding district. Parliament occupies the most
prominent site, and its building terminates the views from eight radial
thoroughfares.
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