Restoring Artistry in Industrial Crafts:Renovating the C. Cowles & Co. Industrial Complex for Artistic Heritage & Future Artist Communities
David Bransfield (2019)
Historical Context
This proposal seeks to inform current land owners about the rich history of the Cowles complex as a site of innovation and creativity, fostered by industrial artist communities that provided many jobs for the city. Cowles brought international awareness to New Haven industrial businesses and promoted a creative and artistic approach to machine processes.
This proposal seeks to inform current land owners about the rich history of the Cowles complex as a site of innovation and creativity, fostered by industrial artist communities that provided many jobs for the city. Cowles brought international awareness to New Haven industrial businesses and promoted a creative and artistic approach to machine processes.
From L to R:
Original site of C. Cowles on Orange & Center Street, 1855-1890; Cowles won a citation for this exhibit at the Chicago Columbian Exposition in 1893, bringing international attention to industrial businesses in New Haven;
C. Cowles moves to 83 Water Street in 1890. Original structure & staff pictured above.
A 1914 C. Cowles catalogue displays their products in a sensibly curated and artistic manner.
Cowles Co. frequently filed their products and innovations for United States patents, ranging from carraige lamps to automobile gears, doors handles, and sirens.
Because Cowles created various products spanning different trades, the internal structure of the company was divided into various industrial artist groups, usually with one to two leaders. This created a strong company culture that encouraged innovation, independence, creativity, and teamwork.
From L to R: Cowles complex at 83 Water Street, before the final building was constructed on the Southwest portion of the site in 1965;
A 1945 survey of products manufactured by Cowles during WWII;
A 1960 survey of materials imported by Cowles, products produced, and primary destinations of finished products;
In the 1970’s Cowles was one of the first automobile product manufacturers to utilize powdercoating on their products.
1900 – 2015: Growth & Change at 83 Water Street
While many industrial businesses fled to suburban sites during and after the Industrial Revolution, Cowles remained dedicated to staying in the heart of New Haven for most of the 20th century, This spirit of dedication lives on in the buildings themselves, where the wide variety of facades built from 1890 all the way up to 1965 symbolize the evolving industrial processes, materials, and architectural evolutions of the Industrial Revolution. The Cowles complex embodies an evolution of industrial architecture throughout the Industrial Revolution, spanning from simple brick-and-mortar structures to reinforced concrete, steel, large industrial fenestration, classical motifs, and finally a modernist glass clerestory.
While many industrial businesses fled to suburban sites during and after the Industrial Revolution, Cowles remained dedicated to staying in the heart of New Haven for most of the 20th century, This spirit of dedication lives on in the buildings themselves, where the wide variety of facades built from 1890 all the way up to 1965 symbolize the evolving industrial processes, materials, and architectural evolutions of the Industrial Revolution. The Cowles complex embodies an evolution of industrial architecture throughout the Industrial Revolution, spanning from simple brick-and-mortar structures to reinforced concrete, steel, large industrial fenestration, classical motifs, and finally a modernist glass clerestory.
From L to R: 1911, 1923, 1973 Sanborn Maps.
The Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps show the growth of the Cowles complex over the 20th Century, as well as the change in the urban fabric from one of condensed housing and businesses to large swaths of land occupied by industrial business or left desolate. The construction of the highway system can be seen in the final map, which marks a drastic shift in the neighborhood.
The Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps show the growth of the Cowles complex over the 20th Century, as well as the change in the urban fabric from one of condensed housing and businesses to large swaths of land occupied by industrial business or left desolate. The construction of the highway system can be seen in the final map, which marks a drastic shift in the neighborhood.
From L to R: 1890, 1914, 1917, 1965.
The four primary building facades of the Cowles complex embody an evolution of industrial architecture throughout the Industrial Revolution, spanning from simple brick-and-mortar structures to reinforced concrete, steel, large industrial fenestration, classical motifs, and finally a modernist glass clerestory.
The four primary building facades of the Cowles complex embody an evolution of industrial architecture throughout the Industrial Revolution, spanning from simple brick-and-mortar structures to reinforced concrete, steel, large industrial fenestration, classical motifs, and finally a modernist glass clerestory.
How can we work with the current land owner of U-Haul to promote a future usage for the Cowles complex that is mutually beneficial to their business and the New Haven community, while maintaining the important heritage of the site?
By promoting a mixed-use building that stems from U-Hauls existing program, and proposing to expand their business to a community and usage that will maintain the identity of this building as one of artistic and industrial heritage.
By promoting a mixed-use building that stems from U-Hauls existing program, and proposing to expand their business to a community and usage that will maintain the identity of this building as one of artistic and industrial heritage.
A section through the various unused buildings of the Cowles complex highlights a series of uses: light manufacturing workshops in the modernist open-floor warehouse, and artist studios and storage spaces in the remaining buildings.
Current Context/Proposal
If the value of this site an an important piece of New Haven’s industrial history was sufficiently expressed to U-Haul, an exciting series of interventions could be made to create new program that preserves the building’s original use while remaining a useful and profitable business to U-Haul. Deploying a series of industrial maker spaces, artist studio’s, and artist storage spaces would be a cost-effective, low-intervention scheme that would attract a wider audience to the site, increase safety and activity in the neighborhood, and create a profitable and sustainable business for U-Haul that is inherently linked to the community of New Haven.
If the value of this site an an important piece of New Haven’s industrial history was sufficiently expressed to U-Haul, an exciting series of interventions could be made to create new program that preserves the building’s original use while remaining a useful and profitable business to U-Haul. Deploying a series of industrial maker spaces, artist studio’s, and artist storage spaces would be a cost-effective, low-intervention scheme that would attract a wider audience to the site, increase safety and activity in the neighborhood, and create a profitable and sustainable business for U-Haul that is inherently linked to the community of New Haven.
Current site conditions.
