FEDERAL BUILDING & U.S. COURTHOUSE

Milwaukee, WI

This massive granite edifice was built in response to the city's need for a more modern mail handling facility. The imposing Richardsonian Romanesque architecture presented a break from the classical style that dominated Government buildings for most of the nineteenth century. Architect Willoughby Edbrooke was inspired by Henry Richardson, whose use of the Romanesque Revival began to penetrate the Midwest during the 1880s.

The building features stone massing with heavy Roman arches. Walls of dark- and light-gray Mount Waldo granite rise to a steeply pitched hipped roof, pierced by a variety of gabled projections. A soaring tower is framed by pinnacles rising from the center of the facade, terminating in an arcaded belfry and a high pyramidal roof. The facade is broken into recesses and projections, creating a dynamic composition punctuated by Roman arches over the second- and third-story fenestration. Massive stone forms are relieved with fine decoration. The first story provides a great display of Romanesque ornamentation, featuring highly carved moldings and decorative stonework surrounding the main entrance. The building's corners are rounded by tall pinnacles with alternating bands of smooth and textured stone and are capped by conical roofs with layered trim. The upper-story walls are smooth, accented with thin, textured string courses, rising to gabled dormers that incorporate Romanesque leaf ornament, gargoyles, and finials. The east and west elevations are symmetrically balanced, prominently featuring a projecting gable with a variety of arched fenestration.

The occasion was another ballroom competition at the nearby Pfizer Hotel. I had to gauge the early morning sun angle to capture the best display of the facades. The character of the design is so impressive; sings from bottom to top, from end to end.