Collection 2010-1 - J. Marion Gutnayer Architectural Collection

Identity area

Reference code

2010-1

Title

J. Marion Gutnayer Architectural Collection

Date(s)

  • Bulk, 1984-1989 (Creation)
  • 1951-1989 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

18.0 Folders

Context area

Name of creator

(1911 - 2004)

Biographical history

J. (Josef) Marion Gutnayer (Gutnajer) was born in Poland. After surviving the Holocaust, Gutnayner studied in the Ecole des Beaux Arts in France where he had an architecture studio with his brother, Henry. While in France, the Gutnayer brothers worked on a house for Jacques Lipschitz and a home and studio for painter Robert Helman. After WWII, Gutnayer worked on reconstruction in Poland and in 1945 he came to America as a Displaced Person where he worked with Henry in New York City. Gutnayer became the first faculty member of University of Illinois Chicago's architecture department while the campus was on Navy Pier. Ne left UIC in the early 1950s and began work on wide range of projects including single-family houses on the North Shore and in Chicago, a motel, high-rises on Lakeshore Drive, Marine Drive and Sheridan Road in Chicago, and a series of commercial designs for a builder called NAMCO in Evanston. His work evolved from avant garde to 'builder vernacular' as he practiced until the 1990s. Alice, his wife, was a French teacher at New Trier High School and led abroad programs to France. The couple had three children; Jerry, Glenn (also an architect), and Steven. They were sophisticated art collectors: J. Marion's family in Europe had sizeable collection and he bought and sold many pieces. Throughout his life, Gutnayer worked to help return artwork stolen from Jewish people during WWII.

Archival history

The J. Marion Gutnayer Collection was donated in April 2010 by artist Anne Hayden Stevens. Stevens and her family discovered the collection while renovating the Gutnayer home in Wilmette, Illinois and donated materials to other institutions in the Chicagoland area.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Anne Hayden Stevens.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

The J.Marion Gutnayer Collection consists of 18 folders, the bulk of which are architectural drawings and plans. The collection spans two segments of Gutnayer's long career and focus on projects near and around Highland Park, Illinois. The collection consists of residential projects from the early to mid-1950s, residential homes for the early to mid-1980s, and several multi-dwelling buildings from the late 1980s. A large portion of the collection documents the McDaniel Square complex, a multi-unit dwelling built throughout the 1980s. The collection contains architectural plans, sketches, schedules, topography surveys, as well as legal correspondence and promotional materials related to McDaniel Square.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

The J. Marion Gutnayer Collection was donated in April 2010 by artist Anne Hayden Stevens. Stevens and her family discovered the collection while renovating the Gutnayer home in Wilmette, Illinois and donated materials to other institutions in the Chicagoland area.

System of arrangement

The collection was arranged as it was gifted and consists of both flat J. (Josef) Marion Gutnayer (Gutnajer) (1911 - 2004) was born in Poland. After surviving the Holocaust, Gutnayner studied in the Ecole des Beaux Arts in France where he had an architecture studio with his brother, Henry. While in France, the Gutnayer brothers worked on a house for Jacques Lipschitz and a home and studio for painter Robert Helman. After World War II, Gutnayer worked on reconstruction in Poland and in 1945 he came to America as a Displaced Person where he worked with Henry in New York City. Gutnayer became the first faculty member of University of Illinois Chicago's architecture department while the campus was on Navy Pier. Ne left UIC in the early 1950s and began work on wide range of projects including single-family houses on the North Shore and in Chicago, a motel, high-rises on Lakeshore Drive, Marine Drive and Sheridan Road in Chicago, and a series of commercial designs for a builder called NAMCO in Evanston. His work evolved from avant garde to 'builder vernacular' as he practiced until the 1990s. Alice, his wife, was a French teacher at New Trier High School and led abroad programs to France. The couple had three children; Jerry, Glenn (also an architect), and Steven. They were sophisticated art collectors: J. Marion's family in Europe had sizeable collection and he bought and sold many pieces. Throughout his life, Gutnayer worked to help return artwork stolen from Jewish people during WWII. drawings and rolled plans. Original order was maintained as well as original folders constructed by Gutnayer to house oversized materials.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

None.

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Per the donor's blog, additional materials were gifted to Chicago Art Institute Ryerson and Burnham Libraries; Evanston History Center; Wilmette Historical Museum; Glenview History Center; and Glencoe Historical Society. http://gutnayer.blogspot.com/2010/04/archive-moves-to-new-homes.html

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

Script(s)

Sources

Archivist's note

Processed by Jami Thompson, 2011.

Accession area

Related people and organizations

Related genres

Related places

Physical storage

  • Box: 1