Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

5-1993

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Human Ecology

Major Professor

Robbie G. Blakemore

Committee Members

Josette Rabun, Mary Fran Drake, Susan Becker, Anne Lester

Abstract

Joseph and Albert Baumann practiced architecture in Knoxville, Tennessee as the Baumann Brothers from 1887 to 1913. They are considered one of the area's most important architectural firms of the last two decades of the nineteenth century. The origins of the firm started with Joseph F. Baumann, the older of the two brothers, in the early 1870's. By 1872, Joseph began to advertise himself as an architect. As early as 1882, Joseph's younger brother, Albert B., became an apprentice in his architectural firm. In 1887, Albert became a full partner.

This research was limited to the residential structures designed by the Baumann Brothers. However, the commissions of the Baumann Brothers included designed many types of buildings including commercial structures, schools, churches, courthouses, hospitals and residences in Knoxville as well as across East Tennessee.

Because the Baumann Brothers played such a significant role in the design of Knoxville's residential architecture, one of the purposes of this study was to document and catalog the local examples of their residential work in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Baumann Brothers' commissions book included the names of 289 clients who had commissioned the Baumann Brothers to design residential structures. This figure, however, does not include the number of homes in Knoxville for which the Baumann Brothers provided services for alterations to existing structures. Of the 289 persons commissioning new residential construction, 52 of these clients commissioned more than one residential design from the Baumann Brothers. Of these 52 clients, 39 commissioned two residential designs, 11 commissioned three residential designs, 1 commissioned four residential designs, and 1 commissioned six residential designs. In addition to these multiple commissions, the names of 8 clients, not included in the commissions book, were found during the research of newspapers of the period. The number of residential designs by the Baumann Brothers in Knoxville, or believed to be in Knoxville, is 366. Through the identification of clients and location of structures, analyses were attempted in terms of socio-economic status of these clients correlated with the geographic locations of these houses within and around the city.

A second purpose of this research was to determine the styles which were used by the firm and to compare the stylistic relationships of the Baumann Brothers' residential designs to national trends and characteristics as defined in standard texts on the subject. In so doing, analyses were undertaken for characteristic interior and exterior architectural features of the Baumann Brothers' residential designs. Interior analyses included the study of architectural features used either for enhancement or definition of spaces and the examination of space planning which includes the layout and functions of rooms. Exterior analyses consisted of an examination of stylistic characteristics of the facade including materials used, overall massing and location of windows, doors, bays, porches, and other protrusions, the roof and chimneys and any additional decorative details. Thus visual evidence was coupled with written and oral documentation to determine stylistic trends and characteristics of homes in Knoxville substantively attributable to the Baumann Brothers. The designs for these homes and others ranged from an interpretation of Richardsonian Romanesque, or a Victorian style Queen Anne to a less fussy Colonial Revival style by the turn of the century. To accomplish these purposes the traditional method of historic research and artifact analysis were used to document and catalog the residential works of the Baumann Brothers firm from 1887 to 1913.

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