Daniel Burnham | |
---|---|
Born |
Henderson, New York, United States |
September 4, 1846
Died | June 1, 1912 Heidelberg, Germany |
(aged 65)
Nationality | American |
Occupation | Architect |
Practice | Burnham and Root |
Buildings | Reliance Building, Flatiron Building, Union Station (Washington, D.C.), Ellicott Square Building |
Projects |
Plan of Chicago World's Columbian Exposition |
Daniel Hudson Burnham, FAIA (September 4, 1846 – June 1, 1912) was an American architect and urban designer. He was the Director of Works for the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
Burnham took a leading role in the creation of master plans for the development of a number of cities, including Chicago, Manila and downtown Washington, D.C. He also designed several famous buildings, including the Flatiron Building of triangular shape in New York City,Union Station in Washington D.C., the Continental Trust Company Building tower skyscraper in Baltimore (now One South Calvert Building), and a number of notable skyscrapers in Chicago.
Burnham was born in Henderson, New York and raised in Chicago, Illinois. His parents brought him up under the teachings of the Swedenborgian called The New Church, which ingrained in him the strong belief that man should strive to be of service to others.
After failing admissions tests for both Harvard and Yale and an unsuccessful stint at politics, Burnham apprenticed as a draftsman under William LeBaron Jenney.
At age 26, Burnham moved on to the Chicago offices of Carter, Drake, and Wight, where he met future business partner John Wellborn Root (1850–1891).