Descriptive Summary
Special Collections of the University Libraries at The Catholic University of America
1949(1979-1984)1987
Blake, Peter Jost (1920-2006)
Peter Jost Blake Papers
6.25 linear feet, 5 boxes
The Blake Papers document his early years as a professor in and later chairman of the then-Department of Architecture and Planning at The Catholic University of America from (DATES). The collection consists mainly of paper records in the form of correspondence; inter-departmental, school, and university documents; conferences and professional organizations Blake attended, was part of, or received information from during this time period; and oversize materials in the form of educational degrees and professional certificates/licenses.
367
English
Biographical Note
Peter Jost Blach was born in Berlin 1920, but was sent to England in 1933 by his parents (who followed later) after the Nazi regime came to power in Germany. In 1938, Blach began studying at the University of London, and one year later he became a student at the Regent Street Polytechnic School of Architecture in London. Blach would immigrate to the United States in 1940 and enroll in the University of Pennsylvania's architecture program. During his time in Philadelphia, he became a protégé of famed American architect Louis Kahn.
In 1944, Blach became a naturalized United States citizen and changed his name to Blake, subsequently enlisting in the U.S. Army and training at Camp Ritchie, Maryland, as an intelligence officer. Blake was sent to Europe and was among the first U.S. troops to enter Berlin following the death of Adolf Hitler. He would remain in the army until 1947, when he returned to New York and was named curator of architecture and design at the Museum of Modern Art in 1948. The following year, he would earn his bachelors degree in architecture from the Pratt Institute in 1949.
In 1950, Blake would become an associate editor with The Architectural Forum, eventually rising to the level of editor-in-chief before leaving in 1972 for a similar position at Architecture Plus. During these years, Blake would also continue to practice in the field, designing houses and other buildings while also authoring a number of books on architecture and became known as both a practitioner and a critic of Modernism in architecture.
In addition to his professional career, Blake also taught architecture at several colleges and universities, including courses at schools in Europe, Canada, Latin America, Asia, and Australia. In 1975, Blake accepted the position of chairman of the Boston Architectural Center, holding the position until he was offered a professorship in the Department of Architecture and Planning at The Catholic University of America in 1979. Blake would remain at CUA until his retirement in 1991, serving as chairman of the department from 1979 until 1986. During his term as chair and that of his predecessor, Blake oversaw the development of the Summer Institute for Architecture and the Master of Architecture for students with non-architectural degrees, as well as a pre-professional degree program.
Blake would move to Connecticut after his retirement and would continue to write articles and books, in addition to authoring a regular column for both New York magazine and Interior Design, prior to his death in 2006.
Scope and Contents
The Blake Papers document his time as a professor in the Department of Architecture and Planning at CUA (1979-1991), with the main focus on his years as chairman from 1979 to 1986. The materials are almost exclusively textual nature, including correspondence; administrative materials within the department, School of Engineering and Architecture, and CUA; materials related to professional organizations and conferences; oversize materials in the form of licenses, certificates, and degrees; and miscellaneous materials.
Series 1 is Administrative (1978-1986), and is divided into three subseries. Subseries 1.1 is material related to the Department of Architecture, including budgets, faculty meeting minutes, faculty correspondence, undergraduate and graduate committee papers, course information, and events related to the department. The material includes correspondence from and to professor and graduate program director Joseph Miller, as well as faculty member Peter Lizon and previous department chairman Forrest Wilson. Subseries 1.2 is related to the School of Engineering and Architecture and includes faculty and executive committee materials, correspondence with the dean and dean search materials. Subseries 1.3 is CUA-related materials, including university memos, Provost John Joseph Murphy memos, and Campus Design Review Committee and Service Center for Diocesan Architecture materials.
Series 2 is Correspondence (1979-1984). This series contains correspondence that Blake listed alphabetically, by date, and in two cases by name, with each letter/date/name receiving its own folder. Much of the correspondence is from or to Blake from colleagues or organizations outside of CUA, though there are some items from or to persons on campus.
Series 3 is Conferences/Organizations/Lectures (1973-1985). The series includes materials from organizations that Blake was part of or had some tangential relation to via his profession. This includes material from the International Design Conference in Aspen (IDCA) and American Institute of Architects (AIA). There are also materials from conference attended by Blake, and invitations for Blake to be a speaker at conferences or schools.
Series 4 is Clippings and Miscellaneous (1980-1987). The series includes newspaper clippings of articles written by or about Blake, or articles about or by faculty/students in the Department of Architecture. The series also includes miscellaneous materials, such as a collection of Blake's name tags from various conferences, unidentified photographs and negatives, and a small poster of the Boston Architectural Center signed by muralist Richard Haas.
Series 5 is Oversize Material (1949-1975). This includes Blake's Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Pratt Institute; certificates from the IDCA, AIA, and other organizations; and licenses to practice architecture in Michigan, Tennessee, and New York.
Arrangement
The Peter Jost Blake Papers consists of 5 Series:
- Series 1: Administrative Series, 1978-1986, Boxes 1-2
- Series 2: Correspondence Series, 1979-1984, Boxes 2-3
- Series 3: Conferences/Organizations/Lectures Series, 1973-1985, Box 3
- Series 4: Clippings and Miscellaneous Series, 1980-1987, Box 4
- Series 5: Oversize Series, 1949-1975, Box 5
Restrictions on Access
25 Years or Living Persons.
Related Material at CUA
CUA School of Architecture and Planning Records
Related Materials at Columbia University Libraries
Peter Blake Architectural Records and Papers
Index Terms
This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.
Persons:
Blake, Peter Jost, 1920-2006
Lizon, Peter
Miller, Joseph
Murphy, John Joseph
Wilson, Forrest
Organizations:
Catholic University of America
Catholic University of America. Department of Architecture and Planning
International Design Conference in Aspen
American Institute of Architects
Places:
Washington, D.C.
Subjects:
Catholic universities and colleges
Architecture
Acquisition Information
The papers were deposited by Adnan Morshed of the Catholic University School of Architecture on July 3, 2013.
Processing Information
Processing and EAD markup completed by Christopher Burroughs October-November 2014.
Bibliography
Blake, Peter J. God's Own Junkyard: The Planned Deterioration of America's Landscape. Austin, TX: Holt, Rhinehart, and Winston, 1964.
Blake, Peter J. No Place Like Utopia: Modern Architecture and the Company We Kept. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1993.
Blake, Peter J. How to Design the Perfect Building. New York: W.W. Norton, Inc., 1997.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Series 1: Administrative,
1978-1986
(2 boxes)
The series is divided into three subseries: Department of Architecture, School of Engineering and Architecture, and Catholic University. The first two subseries contain materials pertinent to those organizations, while the third has university-related material that is pertinent to the department and school.
Sub-series 1.1: Department of Architecture,
1978-1986,
(2 Boxes)
1
1
Budget,
1979-80
1
2
Budget,
1980-1981
1
3
Budget,
1981-82
1
4
Budget,
1982-83
1
5
Budget,
1983-84
1
6
Faculty Meetings,
1981-82
1
7
Faculty Meetings,
1982-83
1
8
Faculty Meetings,
1983-84
1
9
Faculty Correspondence/Notes,
1979-83
1
10
Faculty Correspondence/Notes,
1980-82
1
11
Faculty Correspondence/Notes,
1982-83
1
12
Faculty Correspondence/Notes,
1983-84
1
13
Faculty Correspondence/Notes,
1984
1
14
Lizong, Peter memos,
1979-81
1
15
Miller, Joseph memos (1),
1982
1
16
Miller, Joseph memos (2),
1982
1
17
Wilson, Forrest memos,
1978-79
1
18
Undergraduate Curriculum Committee,
1979-82
1
19
Graduate Program,
1979-82
1
20
Graduate Curriculum Changes - responses
1981
1
21
Graduate Committee,
1980-81
1
22
Graduate Committee,
1981-82
1
23
Faculty Assignments,
1981
1
24
Architecture 202 course materials,
1984
1
25
Architecture 602 design thesis,
1981
1
26
Fourth-Year Studio,
1983-84
1
27
Thesis Proposals,
1980-82
1
28
Summer Session,
1979-80
1
29
Department Course Evaluations,
1980-81
1
30
Student Surveys,
1980
1
31
Civil Rights Compliance,
1981
1
32
NEA Guidelines/other,
1980-82
1
33
NEA Grants/other,
1982
1
34
School of Design Proposal,
1982
1
35
Interior Design Program,
1979-81
1
36
Campus School,
1980, 1982
1
37
1721 Rhode Island Avenue,
1983-86
1
38
St. Patrick's Academy,
1981-82
1
39
Smithsonian Resident Associate Program,
1983
1
40
Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill Foundation,
1981-82
1
41
Dr. Edmund Pellegrino - architecture lunch,
1981
2
1
FDR Memorial Competition,
1981
2
2
Foreign Studies Competition,
1981
2
3
John Dundin exhibit,
n.d.
2
4
Architecture Film FEstival,
1934-1971
Sub-series 1.2: School of Engineering and Architecture,
1979-1985,
(1 Box)
2
5
Faculty Meetings,
1981-82
2
6
Faculty Meetings,
1982-83(1)
2
7
Faculty Meetings,
1982-83(2)
2
8
Faculty Meetings,
1983-84
2
9
Executive Committee,
1981-82
2
10
Executive Committee,
1983-84
2
11
Three-year budget,
1979
2
12
Dean Correspondence,
1983-84
2
13
Planning Meeting,
1985
2
14
Dean Nomination,
1980
2
15
Dean Search,
1981
2
16
Graphics Design,
1979-80
Sub-series 1.3: Catholic University of America,
1979-1982,
(1 Box)
2
17
CUA/School of Engineering and Architecture memos,
1981-82
2
18
Provost John Joseph Murphy memos,
1981-82
2
19
Campus Design Review Committee,
1981-82
2
20
Service Center for Diocesan Architecture,
1979-1982
Series 2: Correspondence,
1979-84
(2 boxes)
Series 2 includes correspondence that was alphabetized by Blake or, in the case of three folders, was organized by date. The correspondence is mainly with persons or organizations from outside the university.
2
21
A,
1979-81
2
22
A,
1983-84(1)
2
23
A,
1983-84(2)
2
24
B,
1979-80
2
25
B,
1983-84
2
26
C,
1979-80
2
27
C,
1983-84(1)
2
28
C,
1983-84(2)
2
29
D,
1979-80
2
30
D,
1983-84
2
31
Davis, Nancy,
1983-84
2
32
E,
1979-80
2
33
E,
1983-84
2
34
F,
1979-80
2
35
F,
1983-84(1)
2
36
F,
1983-84(2)
2
37
G,
1977, 1979-80
2
38
G,
1983-84
3
1
H,
1979-80
3
2
H,
1983-84(1)
3
3
H,
1983-84(2)
3
4
I,
1979-80
3
5
I,
1982-84
3
6
J,
1980-81
3
7
J,
1983-84
3
8
K,
1979-80
3
9
K,
1983-84
3
10
Khalili, Nader,
1984
3
11
Komai, Ray,
1980-81
3
12
L,
1979-80
3
13
L,
1983-84(1)
3
14
L,
1983-84(2)
3
15
M,
1983-84(1)
3
16
M,
1983-84(2)
3
17
N,
1983-84
3
18
O,
1983-84
3
19
P,
1983-84(1)
3
20
P,
1983-84(2)
3
21
Schloss, Sylvia,
1982-83
3
22
Schwing, Charles,
1984-85
3
23
V,
1980
3
24
Wiebenson, John,
1982
3
25
October,
1982
3
26
November,
1982
3
27
December,
1982
3
28
Miscellaneous,
1980-81
Series 3: Conferences/Organizations/Lectures,
1973-85
(1 box)
Series 3 includes material on conferences and organizations to which Blake had some connection. In addition, there are lecture requests and material on lectures he delivered.
3
29
International Design Conference in Aspen,
1973-80
.
3
30
International Design Conference in Aspen,
1980-82
3
31
International Design Conference in Aspen,
1981
3
32
International Design Conference in Aspen,
1982-84
3
33
International Design Conference in Aspen,
1985
3
34
American Institute of Architects-Atlanta,
1981
3
35
American Institute of Architects Jury,
April 1981
3
36
Architectural Arts of D.C.,
1981
3
37
Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture,
1981
3
38
International Masonry Institute,
1981
3
39
Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation,
1982
3
40
Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture,
1979
3
41
Harvard International Style Conference,
1982
3
42
Historic Savannah,
1981
3
43
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards,
1981
3
44
Lecture Requests,
1979-80
3
45
Lecture Requests,
1980
3
46
Baltimore/Toronto lectures,
1981-82
3
47
Venezuela lectures,
1980-82
Series 4: Clippings/Miscellaneous,
1980-87
(1 box)
This series contains newspaper/magazine clipping by or about Blake, or the CUA architecture department, a folder regarding historic preservation of Washington D.C.'s Bond Building, a series of unidentified photographs and negatives, and a folder of miscellaneous items
4
1
Clippings,
1980-82, n.d.
4
2
Bond Building,
1981
4
3
Negatives and photos,
n.d.
4
4
Miscellaneous,
1980, 1983, 1985-87
Series 5: Oversize,
1949-75
(1 box)
This series contains degrees, licenses, and certificates awarded to Blake, including his architecture degree from the Pratt Institute.
5
1
American Institute of Architect's certificate,
1958
5
2
Pratt Institute Bacherlor of Arts
1949
5
3
State of New York architect's license,
1957
5
4
American Institute of Architect's Certificate of Fellowship,
1970
5
5
State of Tennessee architect's license,
1975
5
6
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards' License,
1965
5
7
American Institute of Architect's Architecture Critics Medal,
1975
5
8
State of Michigan architect's license,
1965
5
9
American Institute of Architect's certificate of appreciation,
1958
5
10
International Design Conference in Aspen certificate of appreciation,
n.d.
5
11
American Institute of Architect's New York Chapter citation,
1967
5
12
Architectural League of New York's Howard Myers Memorial Award in Architectural Writing,
1958