Walter A. Netsch (February 23, 1920 – June 15, 2008) was an Americanarchitect based inChicago. He was most closely associated with thebrutalist style of architecture as well as with the firm ofSkidmore, Owings & Merrill. His signature aesthetic is known as Field Theory and is based on rotating squares into complex shapes. He may be best known as the lead designer for theUnited States Air Force Academy inColorado Springs, Colorado and its famousCadet Chapel. The Cadet Area at the Academy was named aNational Historic Landmark in 2004. He was afellow of the American Institute of Architects.
After graduating fromThe Leelanau School, aboarding school inMichigan, Netsch studied at theMassachusetts Institute of Technology, and then enlisted in theUnited States Army Corps of Engineers. He earned his bachelor of architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1943 and began his career as an architect working for L. Morgan Yost inKenilworth, Illinois. In 1947, he joined Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, which initially assigned him to work inOak Ridge, Tennessee. Later he became a partner for design in SOM and remained with the firm until 1979. He began his own practice in 1981.[1]
Following his work on the Air Force Academy, Netsch led the team which designed the original University of Illinois Circle Campus. The campus design grouped buildings into functional clusters and now constitutes most of the east campus buildings at theUniversity of Illinois at Chicago.[2] During his career, Netsch designed 15 libraries, as well as academic buildings for colleges and universities in the United States and Japan, includingNorthwestern University,Miami University,Wells College,Illinois Institute of Technology,Sophia University,Texas Christian University,University of Chicago, andUniversity of Iowa. He did the initial design for theInland Steel Building in Chicago; built circa 1956-1957, this was the firstskyscraper built in theChicago Loop after theGreat Depression.[3] He also designed the east wing of theArt Institute of Chicago.[4] Netsch designed several buildings atNorthwestern University and the campus and buildings ofMontgomery College in Takoma Park, Maryland, and was the focus of an exhibit at theNorthwestern University Library in February–March 2006[5] as well as a monograph,Walter A. Netsch, FAIA: A Critical Appreciation and Sourcebook, published in May 2008.[6]
Netsch taught at several universities, received numerous awards and honorary degrees, and served as a trustee at theRhode Island School of Design and a member of the Board of Governors at Northwestern University Library. From 1986 to 1989, he served as Commissioner of theChicago Park District, appointed by MayorHarold Washington.[7] He was elected to the College of Fellows of theAmerican Institute of Architects in 1967. He was affiliated with the Art Institute of Chicago and theLandmarks Preservation Council of Illinois. He served on theU.S. Commission of Fine Arts from 1980 to 1985.[8] In 1995, Netsch was interviewed for the Chicago Architects Oral History Project.[4]
Netsch was a collector and patron of the arts, along with his wife,Illinois politicianDawn Clark Netsch, whom he married in 1963. The couple's art collection has been exhibited several times.
Netsch maintained a private consulting practice and was viewed as a mentor by many architects.
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