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Arthur T. Brown

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Arthur Thomas Brown (April 20, 1900 – October 24, 1993) was an American architect who is remembered as “Tucson’s pioneer of solar design.”[1]

Biography

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Brown was born in Tarkio, Missouri, and studied at Ohio State University, graduating in 1927. He worked at the Century of Progress exposition in Chicago in 1932 and 1933. Both a fine art painter and trained architect, Brown arrived in Tucson in 1936 and opened his own architectural firm by 1941. He was a member of the exclusive Tucson Palette and Brush Club and the Tucson Fine Arts Association. He is recognized as a "pioneer" in the development of passive solar heating and passive cooling.[2][3]

His buildings have only recently gained recognition. Many of his works have been lost including: Tucson General Hospital, Tucson Biltmore Motor Hotel and Tucson's Carnegie Free Library (Tucson Children's Museum) wall. His residential projects are scattered throughout Tucson's post World War II mid-century expansion district.

Many of his buildings remain in Tucson including: the First Christian Church at 740 E. Speedway Boulevard, Faith Lutheran Church, 5th street. Delectables Restaurant on N 4th Avenue is also Brown's. It was built in 1945 for the Ingham and Ingham Harley-Davidson dealership. The changes made were primarily interior. He also designed the RON-Tel Hotel ("remain over-night" hotel for pilots) at Tucson International Airport, remodeled in 1976 as airport personnel offices, and a newly demolished (late 2016) airport restaurant, The Tower Grill, which showcased Brown's imaginative "folded plate" roofline.

Buildings

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  • 1946: Rosenberg House (Tucson)[4][5][6][7]
  • 1947: Clifford Goldsmith House (Tucson)
  • 1948: Rose Elementary School (Tucson)[8]
  • 1949: Faith Lutheran Church (Tucson)[9]
  • 1949: Hirsch house (Tucson)
  • 1950: Ball-Paylore House (Tucson)[10]
  • 1952: Tucson Chamber of Commerce building
  • 1953: G.C. Trego house[11]
  • 1956: 4535 N. Osage Drive, Edmonson house (Tucson)
  • 1959: 2928 N Orlando Avenue (Tucson)
  • 1963–70: Tucson General Hospital (later destroyed)[12]
  • 1966: 4315 N. La Linda Rama (Tucson)

Awards and honors

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Patents

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References

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  1. ^ Nequette, Anne M.; R. Brooks Jeffery (2002). A Guide to Tucson Architecture. Tucson: University of Arizona Press.
  2. ^ Denzer, Anthony (2013). The Solar House: Pioneering Sustainable Design. Rizzoli. ISBN 978-0847840052. Archived from the original on 2013-07-26.
  3. ^ Denzer, Anthony; Novikova-Kinney, Polina, "Arthur T. Brown: Pioneer of Passive Solar Architecture" (PDF), 2010 ASES National Solar Conference, archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-04-28
  4. ^ Progressive Architecture, June 1947 {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ Progressive Architecture, October 1948 {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ^ House and Garden, July 1956 {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ^ Fine Homebuilding, October–November 1982 {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ^ Architectural Record, August 1956 {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. ^ "Mid-century modern church celebrates 75th diamond jubilee". KGUN 9 Tucson News. 2024-01-15. Retrieved 2024-02-06.
  10. ^ http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt0s20289g/ [dead link]
  11. ^ Arizona Highways, September 1953 {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. ^ "Tucson General Hospital by Peg Price".
  • Wayne, Kathryn M., Arthur T. Brown, FAIA, Vance Bibliographies, 1987.
  • Tucson Home Magazine, Arthur T. Brown, Architects of Influence, 2008.
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