# 2019-22 - 1982 20c American Architecture

U.S. #2019-22
1982 20¢ American Architecture
Block of 4

• Fourth and final block of stamps in American Architecture Series
• Tribute to modern architecture of the 20^th century
• Marked the 125^th anniversary of the American Institute of Architects

Stamp Category:  Commemorative
Series:  American Architecture
Value:  20¢, first-class rate
First Day of Issue:  September 30, 1982
First Day City:  Washington, DC
Quantity Issued:  41,335,000 blocks
Printed by:  Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method:  Engraved
Format:  Panes of 40 in sheets of 160
Perforations:  11
Color:  Black and brown

Why these stamps were issued:  Issued to honor the entire architectural profession, these four stamps feature unique architecture by four 20th-century architects.  Also marked 125^th anniversary of the American Institute of Architects.

About the stamp designs:  Walter D. Richards designed these stamps as well as all previous stamps in the series.  Each stamp includes the name of the architect, their birth and death years, and the name of the building.  Richards’ intricate black-and-white drawings fill the stamp area, capturing as much of each building’s unique style as possible in such a small space. 

They are:

Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) – Fallingwater – Mill Run, Pennsylvania – shows Wright’s building, which was dedicated to nature.  Built over a stream and waterfall and resting on a massive rock, the home was intended to flow with the natural surroundings.

Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969) – Illinois Institute of Technology – Chicago, Illinois – This was Mies’ favorite building that he designed – an example, of his “skin and bones” architecture.”  The building is one glass-walled room measuring 120 feet by 220 feet surrounded by four large trusses.  This was one of the 20 buildings Mies designed for the institute’s 100-acre campus.

Walter Gropius (1883-1969) – Gropius House – Lincoln, Massachusetts – This stamp depicts Gropius’ own home, which he designed with his collaborator Marcel Breuer.  The house features white-painted wood and fieldstone, a modern interpretation of the traditional New England architectural style.

Eero Saarinen (1910-61) – Dulles Airport – Washington, DC – Saarinen’s Dulls Airport was the first airport designed with jet travel in mind.  The view on the stamp shows the curved roof, air traffic control tower, and a plane speeding away.

First Day City:  The First Day ceremony for these stamps was held at the headquarters of the American Institute of Architects in Washington, DC. The stamps’ issue coincided with the 125th anniversary of that organization.

Unusual fact about these stamps:  Some error stamps have been found with the red engraving omitted.

About the American Architecture Series:  Introduced on June 4, 1979, the American Architecture Series was created to honor the evolution of American architecture over the last two centuries. Walter D. Richards designed all of the stamps and each includes the name of the architect, their birth and death years, and the name of the building.  A total of four blocks were issued between 1949 and 1982.  Get the entire set here.

History these stamps represent:  On February 23, 1857, a group of 13 architects met in New York City and discussed founding an organization to “promote the scientific and practical perfection of its members.” That organization became the American Institute of Architects.

Prior to this meeting, there weren’t official architectural licensing laws or specialized schools for aspiring architects. Anyone involved in the building process, such as masons, carpenters, and brick layers, might refer to themselves as architects. One of the purposes of the 1857 gathering was to establish an official architecture organization that would “elevate the standing of the profession.”

The group met again on March 10, inviting 16 more architects to join them. They reviewed a draft of the constitution and bylaws. The only change they made was to the name of the organization, from the New York Society of Architects to the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Members then called for the constitution and bylaws to be printed on vellum for signing as well as additional copies for each member to take with them.

On April 13, a judge signed the certificate of incorporation and said he knew the AIA would succeed because its members were “aware of the necessity of a solid foundation whereupon to construct an edifice & that consequently he felt assured that we had laid our cornerstone on a rock.” The AIA founders then signed their constitution on April 15 at the New York University chapel.

At a meeting the following year, the AIA changed its constitution and expanded its mission “to promote the artistic, scientific, and practical profession of its members; to facilitate their intercourse and good fellowship; to elevate the standing of the profession; and to combine the efforts of those engaged in the practice of Architecture, for the general advancement of the Art.” To achieve these goals, the AIA began holding regular meetings and offering lectures that were relevant to their field. They also worked to create a library and establish a collection of architectural references for all members to access.

The AIA further expanded on its mission statement in 1867 to include “The objects of this Institute are to unite in fellowship the Architects of this continent, and to combine their efforts so as to promote the artistic, scientific, and practical efficiency of the profession.”

In 1884, the Western Association of Architects was founded in Chicago, with members based largely in the Midwest and the South. As both groups shared similar goals, and even some members, they merged in 1889, keeping the AIA name.  The organization has grown to include about 300 chapters throughout the nation and around the world totaling over 95,000 members.

Today, the AIA works with local, state, and federal legislators improve public spaces, protect infrastructure, and create affordable housing. The AIA also provides a network in which architects can find schools of architecture and other architectural information and gives awards for excellence in architecture. The AIA’s annual conference is the world’s largest meeting of architects.