James Renwick, Jr. (b. November 11, 1818, Bloomingdale, New York - d. June 23, 1895, New York City, United States), was a well-known American architect in the nineteenth century. The Encyclopedia of American Architecture calls him "one of the most successful American architects of his time."

He began studying at Columbia College (now Columbia University) when he was twelve years old and graduated in 1836. He started his career as an assistant engineer on the Croton Aqueduct in New York City.

Renwick was the architect of the Smithsonian Institution Building (the "Castle") in Washington, DC (built between 1847 and 1855) and St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City (built between 1858 and 1879), and was a major factor in the Gothic revival in the United States. He also designed numerous other major New York City landmarks, including hotels, school buildings, and homes for the wealthy. He built the first major buildings on the campus of Vassar College (1861-1865) and the first Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington DC (1859-1871), which now houses the Renwick Gallery .

Several of Renwick's proteges became influential architects in their own right, including Bertram Goodhue, who was a partner of Ralph Adams Cram and designed the Nebraska State Capitol building, and John Wellborn Root.

Major buildings designed

• Grace Church , New York City (1843-1846)
• Calvary Church , New York City (1846-1847)
• Smithsonian Institution Building, Washington D.C. (1847-1855)
• St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York City (1858-1879)
• Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. (1859-1871)
• Cathedral High School, New York City (1869)
• Greymore Friars' Residence , New York City (1869)
• St. Bartholomew's Church , New York City (1871-1872)

External links

• Biography at Smithsonian Scrapbook

Source

Packard, Robert. (Ed.) (1995). The Encyclopedia of American Architecture (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.