EDWIN A. FRANCIS (1905-1966)
Edwin A. Francis was born in La Junta, Colorado in 1905, and moved to Denver in 1908 with his family. He attended Denver’s South High School and completed his architectural training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He worked for Denver architects J.J.B Benedict and Harry James Manning as well as the National Park Service before opening his own practice in 1932.
Francis was an early proponent of the International Style in Denver, designing some of the earliest local examples. His practice was interrupted by World War II, where he put his training to good use in the Army Corps of Engineers. After returning to Denver after the war, he reestablished his practice and continued designing in the international as well as expressionist styles, until his death in 1966.
Selected Works:
940 Bonnie Brae Boulevard, Denver, 1938
Mount Evans Crest House, 1941
The Mount Evans Crest House is a lodge and observation point constructed between 1940 and 1942 at an altitude of 14, 260 feet, higher than any other building at the time. It was design by Edwin Francis in consultation with the U.S. Department of Interior and built by carpenter, Justus Roehling. Francis sought to create a modern interpretation of the Rustic style, utilizing natural materials from the site and elements of both the Futuristic and Art Moderne styles.
The high altitude posed many problems, leading to several engineering innovations by Francis and Roehling. Foundations for the structure were alternate ridges of granite and frozen clay, necessitating special precautions against the ever present possibility that the ground would thaw. The walls tapered inward toward the roof and were composed of huge blocks of native, sand-blasted granite. Metal work was incorporated around the windows and at the edging around the roof to absorb heat in order to melt ice. Elaborate precautions against lightning were also taken. Copper tubing, which carries more current than an equal amount of solid copper, was carried entirely around the roof, leading to an inch-thick copper plate buried six feet deep in a pit filled with charcoal. The interior incorporated materials such as knotty pine, native stone, and chromium for the railings.
The Crest House met its demise in 1979, when an Empiregas employee failed to make sure a safety valve on a propane tank next to the building was secure, igniting a fire. Efforts to contain the fire were hindered by high winds and a lack of water. The Forest Service was awarded $450,000 by the propane company, yet the settlement fell short in covering the restoration costs. While it has been converted into an observation platform, the Crest House remains in ruins to this day.
Van Hummell Insurance Company Building (now the Red Cross Building), 1951
The Van Hummell Insurance Company Building was designed in 1951 in the Modernist style by architect Edwin Francis. Now offices for the Red Cross Mile High Chapter, it is a multi-faceted, red sandstone building located at 444 Sherman, just off of Speer. According to Steve Chucovich, “Designed as an office building, the utility of the functional program was enriched by its organic composition and single-minded use of red sandstone to create a visual variety and complexity that rewards the viewer again and again with little compositions and details.” Another interesting design element is the varying facades. Each façade was designed to respond to different conditions of sun and daylight, causing dynamic shadows throughout the day.
Johnson-McFarlane Residence Halls, University of Denver, 1958
The Johnson-McFarlane Residence Halls were built in 1958, designed in the expressionist style by architect Edwin Francis and built by Thomas Bate & Sons. The building has a distinctive folded plate roof and was hailed by national architectural magazines at the time as a model for campus living. The original residence hall was 100,400 square feet and provided facilities for 432 students. The building was made up of two, three-story wings, separate for men and women, linked at the center by dining, lounge, and recreational facilities. The original design included a lighted patio overlooking a rock garden that was used for sunbathing, meals, and dances.
Capitol Life Tower, 1963
The Capitol Life Tower, located in Capitol Hill at 16th Avenue and Grant Street, was designed by architect Edwin Francis, with general contractor N.G. Petry Construction Co., structural engineers, A.J. Ryan and Associates, Inc., and electrical and mechanical engineers Swanson-Rink and Associates. Francis was offered the commission because of his association with James Manning, the architect who designed the two-story, white marble Capitol Life home office at 16th Avenue and Sherman Street in 1926.
The 11-story tower building was designed to harmonize with the Greek Frank architecture of the home office building. It is faced with white mosaic, an aggregate of white crushed stone and cement. It has a geometrical design of ornamental terra cotta around the roof edge of the covered plaza which connects it the home office. A panel of circular terra cotta medallions from the lobby of the home office occupies the elevator lobby of the tower building. The main entrance of the building features a white stone fountain of abstract design, its pool lined with blue mosaic tile. Private offices were arranged on the north and south walls of the connecting building, incorporating an extensive use of walnut paneling and marble accents to highlight the 1960s décor.
Harbor Hotel, Steamboat Springs, 1939
