Form & Function

Architecture is on display everywhere you look—literally. Everything from houses, storefronts, hotels, apartment buildings, and cathedrals to bridges, public libraries, and botanical gardens are all designed and styled in a certain way with specific goals in mind. Look at the bigger picture and you’ll start seeing common themes as architects and designers started establishing their signature styles, making a name for themselves with every new structure. This aspect of urban and residential planning isn’t new, either. Architecture as a process has been around for millennia, best understood in the context of architectural marvels we still appreciate today.

For instance, construction of the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, began under Emperor Vespasian in 72 C.E. and was completed in 80 C.E. under his successor, Titus. It remains the largest amphitheater ever built to this day, historically able to hold an estimated 50,000 to 80,000 spectators to watch gladiatorial contests and other public spectacles. It is a renowned symbol of imperial Rome with emblematic ties to the Catholic Church. The Sagrada Família in Barcelona, Spain, is the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world, designed by Francisco de Paula del Villar and Antoni Gaudí in a combination of Gothic revival, art nouveau, and modernist styles. Structures like these stand as a representation of the eras in which they were built, reflecting social and economic moments in history told through the creative lens of their architects.

You don’t have to go overseas to get a glimpse of such architectural wonder, either. The U.S. is dotted with stellar structures, built across an array of styles and time periods, that groups can visit and marvel at their size, detail, and structural prowess. American architect Frank Lloyd Wright famously designed more than 1,000 buildings over the course of 70 years, playing a key role in the shaping of architectural movements and trends throughout the 20th century. Much of his work harmonized humanity and the environment, resulting in what he called “organic architecture,” which emphasizes curved and free forms, replicating natural shapes and using environmentally friendly materials.

From mansions of the Northeast to California bridges and Northwestern botanical gardens, the architectural landscape here in the U.S. is rich and abundant, providing a plethora of sites to fill your group tour itinerary.

DESIGNS OF OLD

President Thomas Jefferson called Monticello home in Charlottesville, Virginia, for most of his adult life after concluding his second presidential term in 1809, living there until his death in 1826. For the main house, Jefferson originally emphasized neoclassical design principles pioneered by Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio—although in the years following the initial construction, he redesigned the home several times to incorporate trends and styles he saw prominently in Europe. A variety of group tours of the property is available to select from, and visitors can also consider a grounds ticket to explore Monticello’s historic mountaintop and nearby gardens.

Down in the Lone Star State, the Driskill Hotel in downtown Austin has been in operation for more than a century. The hotel displays a Romanesque design with Richardsonian-style arches and is the oldest operating hotel in the city, originally designed by Austin architects J.N. Preston & Son. If groups are in the area, perhaps taking a city tour of downtown Austin, they can make a pit stop at the hotel along with a tour of the nearby Texas Capitol building.

To the north you’ll find another historic lodging property on Michigan’s Mackinac Island, the Grand Hotel. Designed by Detroit architects Mason and Rice in the Queen Anne style, the expansive property opened in 1887 and features a lengthy porch framed by towering white columns. Several tour options are available that can bring groups to the property, whether on bike or by foot—or via horse-pulled carriage.

Located outside downtown Asheville, North Carolina, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Biltmore Estate is a National Historic Landmark and a magnificent 250-room French chateau. “Biltmore is a fantastic destination for group tours, offering a rich blend of history, art, and architecture that will captivate everyone in your group,” says Marissa Jamison, senior public relations manager for the Biltmore. The property encompasses 8,000 acres with curated gardens, forests, expansive farmland, and a working vineyard. Designed by the Vanderbilt family’s longtime architect Richard Morris Hunt, the Biltmore displays a blend of European chateau design and innovative construction techniques. Heavy influence was pulled from the chateaus of France’s Loire Valley, specifically the 16th-century castles of Blois, Chenonceau, and Chambord.

“Inspired by the grandeur of European country estates he had visited during his travels,” Jamison adds, “George Vanderbilt envisioned creating his own majestic home that would blend the splendor of the old world with the endless possibilities of new-world construction.”

Notable features include the estate’s elegant stair towers and steep, pitched rooflines, and breakthrough technology of the time, including complete electricity, two electric elevators, water, heating, and power generation. In a similar fashion, Casa Loma in Toronto, Ontario, was once the largest private residence in Canada. It took 300 people nearly three years to complete the 200,000-square-foot property. The castle was designed by architect E.J. Lennox in a striking Gothic revival style, embodying European elegance and splendor. Groups can arrange tours of the property and its gardens, and exhibits throughout the castle display remnants of early Toronto and Canadian history.

While the building itself is newer, opened in 2000, The Archway in Kearney, Nebraska, showcases a collection of historical exhibits that details the route along the Platte River—once called the Great Platte River Road—and its significance as a migratory pathway since the Oregon Trail era of U.S. history. The museum is located at Exit 275 along Interstate 80 and encompasses an enclosed, arched bridge branching over the freeway with an exterior color palette inspired by the hues of a Midwest sunrise.

MODERN FEATS

Sometimes, grand architecture has a way of making viewers feel indescribably small in comparison—and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California, certainly stands tall enough to do just that. The bright-red suspension bridge has become a calling card for the city, carrying traffic from San Francisco to Marin County. Today, it is recognized by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the “Seven Wonders of the Modern World,” spanning 4,200 feet in length and standing at 746 feet tall. Joseph Strauss was the chief engineer in charge of the bridge’s design and construction; however, the final suspension and art deco design was championed by Leon Moisseiff, who also engineered the Manhattan Bridge in New York City. San Francisco City Guides offers free walking tours of the bridge, and private tours are required for groups of eight people or more.

Human creativity is on full display at the VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver, British Columbia. The building is both LEED Platinum- and Living Building Challenge Petal-certified, with an architectural design inspired by the physical form of an orchid. “The VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre is known for its sustainable design and innovative architecture,” says Ema Tanaka, garden director at VanDusen. “The City of Vancouver initiated this project to demonstrate leadership in sustainability by building city-owned facilities to align with the Greenest City Action Plan. This project was one of the first commercial buildings in North America designed to be fossil fuel free and achieve net-zero energy performance using renewable energy.”

The garden’s Visitor Centre, completed in 2011 and designed by Perkins + Will, is largely appreciated for iconic features such as the green roof, solar chimney, and orchid-inspired shape—all of which serve form as well as function. Beyond the center, the botanical gardens feature 7,500 plant species across 55 acres of land complemented by a hedge maze and wildlife-viewing opportunities that lend well to group tour itineraries.

World-renowned architect Frank Gehry made a big splash in Los Angeles when he designed the Walt Disney Concert Hall in the late 1990s, catching eyes with its stark stainless-steel exterior. Opened in 2003, the venue is part of the Los Angeles Music Center and home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra and the Los Angeles Master Chorale. There are several tour outfitters in the Los Angeles area that can take groups to the concert hall to see its magnificence up close.

Up in Seattle, Washington, a glass and steel building stands starkly against the downtown skyline—the Seattle Central Library. The venue is the flagship library of the Seattle Public Library system, stands 11 stories tall, and was designed by architects Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Prince-Remus. Inside, visitors will find some half a million books and other materials, and groups can arrange a guided tour of the property.

“While people associate Chicago’s architecture with our beautiful downtown skyline, the city’s architectural story extends far beyond the Loop,” says Eleanor Gorski, president and CEO of the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC). “Our 77 neighborhoods are home to incredible buildings and landmarks that showcase Chicago’s cultural and design diversity. Exploring these areas gives visitors a more comprehensive understanding of the city.” The CAC itself provides a collection of permanent and rotating exhibits spotlighting the Windy City’s architectural history and how design has played a pivotal role in Chicago’s story.

Additionally, the center offers a series of walking, bus, and boat tours to see some of the most notable structures in the area, from icons such as the Willis Tower to new additions like Jeanne Gang’s Aqua Tower. “Our flagship ‘River Cruise Aboard First Lady’ was voted USA Today’s ‘No. 1 Boat Tour in North America,’” says Gorski. “It’s a 90-minute boat tour through the Chicago River that reveals fascinating stories behind Chicago’s majestic buildings. Daily departures are from March through November—morning, afternoon, and evening.”

By Amanda Christensen

Main Image: Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina; Credit: The Biltmore Co.