Owls Club (circa 1902)
"Tucson, Arizona"
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BEFORE:
Owl's Club 1986
In 1986, Robert Boucher was asked to assist in the restoration of Henry Trost's owl's club in Tucson, Arizona. Originally a club for Tucson bachelors (the early movers and shakers of territorial Tucson), it had once sported one of the most intricate facades in the Southwest, resplendent with a riot of geometric ornament, celtic weaves, abstract murals of native plants and an owl in the port hole as mascot of the club. The original facade had been cast in plaster, and by 1986 the building was a wreck, gutted, and stripped of its facade and balconies.
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AFTER:
Owl's Club 1987
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The recreated facade was completed in 1987.
In the
same year, Robert Boucher was the recipient of the
Arizona Governor's Award for Historic
Preservation.
OWL'S CLUB BAY WINDOW
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OWL'S CLUB RENOVATION
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The plaster that had covered port
holes and the balcony
is being scaled off to reveal the details of the original
facade
mounting points and dimensions.
RECREATION PROCESS
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Meanwhile, the original glass
plate negatives found in the historical society are made into high contrast
slides which are rectified to correct forshortened prospective and then broken
into quadrants that represent specific areas on the building. These slides are
then projected onto an actual scale map of the facade upon an easel in order to
facilitate scaling and sketching of the representative components in the
facade. |
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CREATING THE CELTIC WEAVING IN THE SPANDRELS
SURROUNDING THE PORT
HOLE
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Portion of original glass plate negative |
Detail of the spandrel pattern carved in MDF and awaiting mold-making |
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RECREATION OF THE SULLIVANESQUE TILES CLADDING THE BALCONY & THE BASE OF THE BAY WINDOW
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The recreated pattern awaiting mold-making. |
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CREATING THE COLUMN PATTERNS ON A TURN OF THE CENTURY PATTERN MAKERS LATHE
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Preparing the mahogany lamination for turning in the lathe |
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COLUMN AND MURAL DETAILS |
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ADDITIONAL PATTERNS |
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FINIS 1987 |
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CREDITS: DON COX, ARTIST/SCULPTOR TODD HOYER, LATHE TURNER BILL BENNINATI, MASON/INSTALLATION COLLIER CRAFT, ARCHITECTS |
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