Marion Mahony Griffin

Marion Mahony Griffin
Close up view of Mahony Griffin facing to the side with her hands on a tree.
Mahony Griffin in Sydney, 1930
Born
Marion Lucy Mahony[1]

(1871-02-14)February 14, 1871
Chicago, Illinois, US
DiedAugust 10, 1961(1961-08-10) (aged 90)
Chicago, Illinois, US
Burial placeGraceland Cemetery
Alma materMassachusetts Institute of Technology
Occupation(s)Architect; artist
Years active1890s–1950s
Known forPrairie School
SpouseWalter Burley Griffin (m. 1911)
Watercolor from the Canberra Design
Artist's Studio (Section). Watercolor and ink by Marion Griffin 1894
Design for Suburban Residence Exhibit plan 2
Design for Suburban Residence Exhibit Plan 1

Marion Mahony Griffin (née Marion Lucy Mahony; February 14, 1871 – August 10, 1961) was an American architect and artist. She was one of the first licensed female architects in the world, and is considered an original member of the Prairie School.[2] Her work in the United States developed and expanded the American Prairie School, and her work in India and Australia reflected Prairie School ideals of indigenous landscape and materials in newly formed democracies. The scholar Debora Wood stated that Griffin "did the drawings people think of when they think of Frank Lloyd Wright (one of her collaborating architects)."[3] According to architecture critic, Reyner Banham, Griffin was "America’s (and perhaps the world’s) first woman architect who needed no apology in a world of men."[4]

She produced some of the finest architectural drawing in America and Australia, and was instrumental in envisioning the design plans for the capital city of Australia, Canberra.[5][6][7][8] Towards the end of her life, she wrote The Magic of America, an autobiography accompanied with various illustrations dedicated toward showcasing her life's work and values.[9]

  1. ^ "Mahony Griffin, Marion Lucy (1871–1961)". The Australian Women's Register. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
  2. ^ Allaback, Sarah (2008). The First American Women Architects. Illinois, USA: Urbana: University of Illinois Press. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-252-03321-6.
  3. ^ Bernstein, Fred A. (2008). "Marion Mahony Griffin – Architecture". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  4. ^ Birmingham, Elizabeth (2018). "Pioneering Women of American Architecture". pioneeringwomen.bwaf.org. Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  5. ^ Korporaal, Glenda (October 16, 2015). "Making Magic – The Marion Mahony Griffin story". canberratimes.com.au. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
  6. ^ Paull, John (2012) Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin, Architects of Anthroposophy, Journal of Bio-Dynamics Tasmania, 106 (Winter), pp. 20–30.
  7. ^ Hines, Thomas (March 1995). "Drafting a Role for Women in Architecture". Architectural Digest. 52 (1): 28–40.
  8. ^ Nowroozi, Isaac (February 20, 2021). "Celebrating Marion Mahony Griffin, the woman who helped shape Canberra". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference :42 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).