Dankmar Adler | |
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| Born | (1844-07-03)July 3, 1844 Stadtlengsfeld,Thuringia, Germany |
| Died | April 16, 1900(1900-04-16) (aged 55) |
| Occupation | Architect |
Dankmar Adler (July 3, 1844 – April 16, 1900) was aGerman-born American architect and civil engineer. He is best known for his fifteen-year partnership withLouis Sullivan, during which they designed influential skyscrapers that boldly addressed their steel skeleton through their exterior design: theWainwright Building inSt. Louis, Missouri (1891), theChicago Stock Exchange Building (1894), and theGuaranty Building inBuffalo, New York (1896).[1]
Adler was born inStadtlengsfeld, Germany; his mother, Sara Eliel,[2] died when he was born. In 1854, he came to the United States with his fatherLiebman Adler, a rabbi.[3] They took up residence inDetroit, and Liebman became the rabbi ofCongregation Beth-El. Subsequently, they moved to Chicago. Adler had some elementary-level education in the City of Detroit, andAnn Arbor, before leaving school to become a draftsman.
Adler served in the Union Army during the Civil War withBattery "M", 1st Illinois Light Artillery Regiment.[4] He was a private.[5] He did engineering work in the Chattanooga and Atlanta Campaigns.
After the war, he worked as an architect in Chicago,[6] working first with Augustus Bauer and next with Ozias S. Kinney.[7] In 1871, Adler formed a partnership withEdward Burling that ultimately created more than 100 buildings.[8]
Adler eventually started his own firm. He hiredLouis Sullivan as a draughtsman and designer in 1880, and made him a partner three years later.[9]
Adler's partnership with Sullivan was short-lived; due to a slump in their architectural practice brought on by the Panic of 1893, and Adler's desire to bring his two sons into the firm, there arose a rift with Sullivan, the result of which was that Adler left the partnership to join an elevator firm as engineer and salesman. After a short period, Adler returned to architecture, in partnership with his two sons, but never regaining the prominence he had with Sullivan.
Adler and Sullivan'sAuditorium Building (1889) is an early example of splendid acoustical engineering, as is theirKehilath Anshe Ma'ariv Synagogue.[10] Both drew upon the fine acoustics in Adler's earlierCentral Music Hall. Adler was an acclaimed expert in acoustics, yet he was unable to explain fully the excellent acoustic properties of his buildings.[11]
With his partner Burling and thereafter, as a partner inAdler and Sullivan, Adler was instrumental in rebuilding much of Chicago following theGreat Chicago Fire. Adler is considered a leader in theChicago school of architecture. In addition to their pioneering accomplishments withsteel-framed buildings and skyscrapers, Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan were early employers and mentors of architectFrank Lloyd Wright, whose consistent praise for Adler ("the 'American Engineer' my 'Big Chief'")[12] surpassed even that which he reserved for Sullivan, whom he called his "lieber meister".
The last major building Adler designed was Temple Isaiah.
On June 25, 1872, Adler married Dila Kohn (July 5, 1850 – December 3, 1918).[13] Their children include: Abraham K. Adler (September 13, 1873 – October 30, 1914), Sidney Adler (June 26, 1876 – November 25, 1925) and Sadie Adler (born 1878).[14]
Adler died in Chicago, and is buried there at Mount Mayriv Cemetery.[4]
Photographs and other archival materials are held by theRyerson & Burnham Libraries at theArt Institute of Chicago. The Dankmar Adler Collection of letters, papers, and photographs also includes an autobiography.
The first group of buildings were created in partnership with Edward Burling:
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