RUDOLPH

HALL
By Paul Rudolph
(1959 - 1963)

New Haven, Connecticut, United states

 Architect
Paul Rudolph was an American architect and the chair of Yale University's Department of Architecture for eight years.

Known for his use of concrete and highly complex floor plans. His most famous work is the Yale Art and Architecture Building
(A&A Building), a spatially complex brutalist concrete structure.

He is one of the most celebrated figures of modernist architecture of the ’60s and ’70s. Evidently influenced by the works of
fellow American architects Frank Lloyd Wright and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe…

Paul Rudolph
(1918 – 1997)

Paul Rudolph's insightful architectural philo-

sophies and unique expressionist design aes-
thetic heavily influenced the Mid-Century
Modern Movement
Paul Rudolph in 1960 Rudolph and the completed Art & Architecture building
Photo: Library of Congress Ezra Stoller

2021 Architectural Design 1 Rudolph Hall Case Study

 Architect
BIOGRAPHY

After building ships for the Navy in World War II and studying at Harvard under Walter Gropius, Rudolph began his career designing innovative mo-
dernist houses in Florida, became chairman of Yale’s architecture department in 1958, and by the early 1960s was one of the country’s most prolific
architects.

He is part of the architecture style of Brutalism (the term itself didn’t gain traction until the late 1960s, and Rudolph himself never used it). His type
of brutalism was intriguing, powerful and intensely three-dimensional. Yet by the end of the decade, Rudolph’s large commissions in the U.S. began
to dry up.

By the late 1970s, Brutalism had lost his interest, becoming banal and overused. The poor planning, deferred maintenance, ineffective mechanical
systems and intense plaguing of Brutalist buildings became conflated really deteriorate the public image of Brutalism . None of this helped the repu-
tation of Rudolph, who spent the rest of his career mixing residential projects at home with skyscrapers in the Far East.

Paul Rudolph
(1918 – 1997)

Paul Rudolph's insightful architectural philo-

sophies and unique expressionist design aes-
thetic heavily influenced the Mid-Century
Modern Movement

Paul Rudolph as a teeenager Paul Rudolph in the 1940’s U.S. Jordanian Embassy Project - 1954
Paul Rudolph Heritage Fondation Paul Rudolph Heritage Fondation Paul Rudolph Heritage Fondation

2021 Architectural Design 1 Rudolph Hall Case Study

 Architect
VIEW ON ARCHITECTURE

During his career, Rudolph sat for interviews and delivered lectures on architecture. He also wrote books to explain the concepts he thought
central to architecture. Between 1952 and 1992 he published essays in mainstream architectural magazines.

The book provide an immersion into Rudolph’s earnest style and thematic preoccupations, especially with his main concern about the bad rela-
tionship between modernism and urbanism. With the inability of Modernism to create cities and buildings that reconcile the scale of the “qui-
ckly moving vehicle” with human scale and his call to use highways and garages as productive urban elements in a desire to limit auto access
to the city.

He insist also with the requirement for diversity in urban space, the futility of a continual search for novelty and the need for architects to prac-
tice urban design. He objected strongly to the visual and spiritual emptiness of mainstream modernism.

“People, if they think about architecture at all, usually think in terms of the materials. While that’s important, it’s not the thing that determines
the psychology of the building. It’s really the compression and release of space, the lighting of that space—dark to light—and the progres-
sion of one space to another. Because one remembers in that sense.””

Paul Rudolph
(1918 – 1997) “One doubts that a poem was ever written to a flat-roofed building silhouetted against the setting sun.”

Paul Rudolph's insightful architectural philo-
sophies and unique expressionist design aes-
thetic heavily influenced the Mid-Century
Modern Movement
“Modern architecture’s range of expression is today from A to B. We build isolated buildings with no regard to the space between them, mo-
notonous and endless streets, too many goldfish bowls, too few caves. We tend to build merely diagrams of buildings”
- Paul Rudolph

2021 Architectural Design 1 Rudolph Hall Case Study

 Architect
Shortly after assuming the Chairmanship at Yale, Rudolph was
offered a number of construction projects on the campus. Gree-
ley Memorial Laboratory and a housing complex for married stu-
dents that led to the construction of the A & A building.

The Temple Street Garage in New Haven, Connecticut was de-

signed by Rudolph to solve a growing urban problem - how to
design a parking garage for 1,500 cars in a way that is both in
scale with its environment and celebrates the automobile.

Rudolph chose to double the supporting columns in a way to

Rudolph at Yale's Married Student Housing
Judith York Newman
mediate the monumentality of the structure - a tool that would
become a trademark.

Paul Rudolph
(1918 – 1997)

Paul Rudolph's insightful architectural philo-

sophies and unique expressionist design aes-
thetic heavily influenced the Mid-Century
Modern Movement
Married Student Housing, 1960 Temple Street Parking Garage, 1959-1963
Paul Rudolph Heritage Fondation

2021 Architectural Design 1 Rudolph Hall Case Study

 Architect
In search of an appropriate visual expression
who he considered lacking in modern archi-
tecture, he continued to use the same aspect
of concrete finish he developed for Yale's Art
& Architecture building.

During this period Rudolph added the use of

sculptured passage ways to his language of
repetitious modular openings.

Boston Services Center, 1962-1971 Endo Laboratories, 1960-1964

Kelvin Dickinson Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation

As Rudolph moved away from functionalism and his

buildings began to take on more sculptural qualities, he
began to experiment with concrete block to achieve the
look of his signature concrete finish without the cost.

Paul Rudolph
(1918 – 1997) Rudolph developed a number of concrete block types
which were later to become omnipresent in his work.
Paul Rudolph's insightful architectural philo-
sophies and unique expressionist design aes-
thetic heavily influenced the Mid-Century
Modern Movement
O.G. Government Center, 1963-1971 Crawford Manor, 1962
Kelvin Dickinson Kelvin Dickinson

2021 Architectural Design 1 Rudolph Hall Case Study

 Architect
In this project Rudolph conceived the campus
master plan as a spiraling internal mall, with
classroom buildings facing each other from
either side.

He surrounded this composition with a ring of

parking lots, allowing for a separation
between the scale of the automobiles and the
internal scale of the green space.

Massachusetts Technological Institute, 1963-1972 Massachusetts Technological Institute, 1963-1972

Library of Congress Kelvin Dickinson

The experience of scale with regard to highrise

buildings would be his subject of exploration
for the end of his career, especially as he
began to design projects overseas.
Paul Rudolph
This complex in Singapore was composed of
(1918 – 1997) three parts: offices, apartments and a shopping
mall podium. He created a different architectu-
Paul Rudolph's insightful architectural philo- ral expression for each part of the project, kee-
sophies and unique expressionist design aes- ping with his belief that variety is an important
thetic heavily influenced the Mid-Century part of urbanism.
Modern Movement
The Concourse, 1981-1993 The Concourse, 1981-1993
Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation
Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation

2021 Architectural Design 1 Rudolph Hall Case Study

 History

The Rudolph Hall was built in 1963 and belongs to the Yale campus and was formerly known as the
Art and Architecture Building. It is known as one of America’s earliest and best examples of Brutalist
architecture.

The building is considered one of the architect’s most important works and it has been praised widely
by critics and academics and received several prestigious awards, including the Award of Honor by
the American Institute of Architects.
Rudolph and the completed Art & Architecture building Aftermath of building fire on June 14, 1969
However, as time went by the critical reaction towards the building has become more negative. Ru- Ezra Stoller Wordpress
dolph has been criticized for placing the areas that he cared less about in the basement, reserving the
best spots for architectural activity. The building has also been referred to as oppressive and unwelco-
ming.

In 1969 a large fire taking place inside the building caused extensive damage leading to a renovation
that made many changes in Rudolph original design.

In the year 2000, since appreciation to the building structure had increased in recent years, the buil-
ding underwent another renovation with the intent of restoring it to the original design.

Despite all the controversy and mixed opinions involving the building, in 2008 it was rededicated and
officially renamed “Rudolph Hall”.

The newly rehabilited and expanded Yale Art and Architecture Building
Architectuul

2021 Architectural Design 1 Rudolph Hall Case Study

 Location

Address: 180 York Street

Area : Yale University
City: New Haven
State: Connecticut
Nation: United States

Yale Art & Architecture building, view from the street 1961-1963
G. E. Kidder Smith

2021 Architectural Design 1 Rudolph Hall Case Study

 Location

Yale University Art Galery by Louis Kahn. View from the Rudolph Hall.
Divisare

This building can be found in Downtown New Haven, Connecticut, at the corner of Chapel and York Streets. A couple of short blocks
from the New Haven Green, the School is located in Yale University’s Art District, across the street from the Yale Center of British Art and,
one of Louis Kahn’s earliest buildings, the 1953 glass, and steel Yale University Art Gallery. Yale center for British Art by Louis Kahn. View from the Rudolph Hall.
Divisare

2021 Architectural Design 1 Rudolph Hall Case Study

 Site Relationship

Monumental in its interlocking concrete forms, the building was designed to

anchor a key corner site, culminating an architectural procession that in-
cludes the Yale University Art Gallery and the Center for British Art just ac-
cross the street.

He lies the two buildings with his school with the elevation and the program.

Site plan - First scheme

The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation.

Chapel Street elevation

The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation.

2021 Architectural Design 1 Rudolph Hall Case Study

 Concept

Since the building is on a corner, its role in the cityscape

is to turn the corner. It’s why Rudolph adopted a
«pinwheel» scheme.

The building consists of large concrete columns that

define the structure of the building. With fours delimiting
the central space.
«Pinwheel» first sketch
The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation
One aditionnal space provide vertical circulation for the
building. This way, vertical circulation flows are kept
outside the original grid.

Concrete columns

Central space

Second floor plan Isometric rendering - Final scheme

The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation

2021 Architectural Design 1 Rudolph Hall Case Study

 Notion of space
Nine floors can be distinguished with two underground
These levels are defined by floor and ceiling planes.

When we appreciate the buildings in section we will notice that the lower
floors are manifested as open floor plates whereas the upper floors take
the form of discrete boxes.

By doing this, Rudolph manages to invert the relationship between was

is normally known as heavy and what is commonly known as light, it can
be seen as a denial of gravity and an establishment of a new order.

HEAVY LIGHT

Spatial Study Perspective section rendering

The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation. The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation.

2021 Architectural Design 1 Rudolph Hall Case Study

 Notion of spaces
The building relies on it to change character and perception of
space. Various spaces in the same area of the building are created
throught the difference of heigh and light.

The Incorporating of a few steps between two spaces allows a vir-

tual separation between them. It’s why the structure contain in rea-
lity thirty-seven level changes in the nine floor of the building.

As his contemporary architects like Wright and Le Corbusier, Ru-

dolph was concerned with the method and effect of natural
lightning.

Because of this two skylights rise at the top of the school to bring
natural light at the center of the space.

Levels

Natural light

Perspective section rendering

The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation.

2021 Architectural Design 1 Rudolph Hall Case Study

 Notion of space
It’s all this differents spaces distinguish by the use of height and
light that separate all the activities of the building. It allow Rudolph
to create space best suited to the program.

It’s why on the sunken levels we can find activities related to

sculpture and design and a central more private auditorium.

At ground level, the library and its reading rooms.

Above this, with the possibility of looking down into the reading
area, a two-story exhibition hall, with administrative offices and a
central, sunken jury pit.

On the fourth level, the most dramatic space, an architectural

study zone taking advantage of the natural light if the two skylights.

As the top 2 level of painting and graphic studios with an open ter-
race for sketching.

Painting and graphic studios

Architectural study zone

Exhibition hall and administration offices

Library and reading rooms

Auditorium and sculpture and design activities

Perspective section rendering

The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation.

2021 Architectural Design 1 Rudolph Hall Case Study

 Brutalist architecture

We can see this architectural type of thinking through the relationship

between space directly from the entrance.

It consist in a narrow flight of steps that penetrate deeply into the mass of the
main building by passing through two imposant columns.

The structure of the building is over-emphasised throughout all the building.

The Heavy large vertical slabs cross the thin horizontal slabs which offer se-
quences of dramatic effects. As the sue of the ribbed, brush-hammered
concrete.

The architect obtained strong vertical striations on the surfaces by pouring Exterior perspective rendering
Building exterior. Photo taken in 1963
The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation.
concrete into vertically-ribbed wood forms, that were then stripped away. This The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation.
became Rudolph’s favorite treatment for exposed concrete since it does not
stain easily and creates an interesting interior visual.

The massive, monolithic and 'blocky' appearance of the school with his rigid
geometric style and large-scale use of poured concrete are the element that
define brutalism in this building.

Interior perspective rendering Building exterior. Photo taken in 1963

The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation. The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation.

2021 Architectural Design 1 Rudolph Hall Case Study

 Brutalist architecture

We can see this architectural type of thinking through the relationship

between space directly from the entrance.

It consist in a narrow flight of steps that penetrate deeply into the mass of the
main building by passing through two imposant columns.

The structure of the building is over-emphasised throughout all the building.

The Heavy large vertical slabs cross the thin horizontal slabs which offer se-
quences of dramatic effects. As the sue of the ribbed, brush-hammered
concrete.
Exterior perspective rendering Building exterior. Photo taken in 1963
The architect obtained strong vertical striations on the surfaces by pouring The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation. The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation.
concrete into vertically-ribbed wood forms, that were then stripped away. This
became Rudolph’s favorite treatment for exposed concrete since it does not
stain easily and creates an interesting interior visual.

The massive, monolithic and 'blocky' appearance of the school with his rigid
geometric style and large-scale use of poured concrete are the element that
define brutalism in this building.

Ribbed, brush hammered concrete Building interior. The cross of heavy and thin slabs.
The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation. The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation.

2021 Architectural Design 1 Rudolph Hall Case Study

 Interior spaces

To balance with the grey lifeless and dull/neutral use of

concrete, Rudolph used lively and exciting furnitures and a
bright orange carpet on all the interior spaces of the School.

The use of this lively color and cleverly built-in furnishings

enhace the architecture and allows : «to excite and challenge
the occupants» according to Rudolph himself. Reading room Open space at the 7 floor
Deezen The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation.

The orange allows to soften the Brutalist architecture and

bring warm in this really austere and dramatic space.

One space of the architectural study zone Newly renovate reading room
The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation. Deezen

2021 Architectural Design 1 Rudolph Hall Case Study

 Impact on architecture

"Paul Rudolph's Yale Art and Architecture Building showed modern architecture how to find its ways out of the confusion and
dead-ends of the late 1950s,"
[...]
"Its powerful forms, textured surfaces, complex spaces, sensitive urban presence, and many allusions to the past demons-
trated how to recover the things that Rudolph said the debased functionalism of the 1950s and the International Style
had 'brushed aside', namely monumentality, urbanism, symbolism, and decoration,"

- Timothy Rohan, associate professor at the University of Massachusetts, and author of The Architecture of Paul Rudolph.

2021 Architectural Design 1 Rudolph Hall Case Study