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Collection Overview

Creator:
Papadaki, Stamo.
Title:
Stamo Papadaki Papers
Repository:
Manuscripts Division
Permanent URL:
http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/cj82k731x
Dates:
1922-1990 (mostly 1930-1970)
Size:
36 boxes and 24 items
Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (scamss): Boxes 1-27; 29-34; 5A; 13A

Abstract

Consists of papers of architect, poet, editor, and author Stamo Papadaki. Included is correspondence (1922-1990) with many architects from the United States, Europe, Greece, and Brazil, as well as correspondence with organizations, artists, friends, and family. Also included are various manuscripts, articles, blueprints and plans, printed matter, photographs, and subject files on Papadaki's works.

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of papers of Papadaki. Included is correspondence (1922-1990) with many architects from the United States, Europe, Greece, and Brazil, such as Jorge Amado, Charles S. Ascher, Leonidas Cheferrino, Serge Chermayeff, Lucio Costa, Marcel Gautherot, Matila Ghyka, Siegfried Giedion, Walter Gropius, Jean Helion, Le Corbusier (Charles Edouard Jeanneret), Lazlo Moholy-Nagy, Oscar Niemeyer, Amedee Ozenfant, Eugene C. Petit, Alberto Sartoris, Jose Sert, and Frank Lloyd Wright. There is also correspondence with organizations, artists, friends, and family, including the Architectural Forum, Alexander Calder, John Dale, Macmillan Company, the Museum of Modern Art (N.Y.), CIAM, Michales Tompros, and Henry Yannilos, and a lengthy correspondence (1939-1979) with his sisters, Maria and Photeine, in Greece.

Works include manuscripts and photographs for his book Le Corbusier, Architect, Painter, Writer, an unpublished work entitled The Compass and the Unicorn: Modulations of the Inhabited Space (circa 1962), various articles, book reviews, and two compilations of poetry, "Les Jeux et Les Jours" and "De Trebizonde a Metaponte et au Dela" (1972).

Subject files contain correspondence, photographs, articles, notes, drawings, and printed matter relating to the development of Brasilia, his work on various projects for the CIAM, and plans for a Le Corbusier exhibition; drawings, notes, and manuscripts of his research with Le Corbusier and Le Corbusier's own writings for Le Modular (1954), a system of harmonious measurement for architects and mechanics (the papers also include an original, hand-drawn, colored, and signed "modulor" tape by Le Corbusier); covers and layouts for the magazines Plus and Progressive Architecture; plans and articles on prefabricated houses and mountain shelters; and many plans, blueprints, drawings, elevations, and photographs for other architectural projects, including the New York World's Fair pavilion, the New York International Airport, a seaside villa near Athens, office buildings on Park Avenue, exhibitions for IBEC and UNESCO, designs and photographs (circa 1981) for the Museum of Modern Art on Andros Island, Greece, and houses and commercial buildings in Greece, Brazil, and the United States.

Also present are blueprints and plans (1940s) for Papadaki's home in Washington, Connecticut, original drawings and works of abstract art, furniture designs by Papadaki and Le Corbusier, photographs of Papadaki and Le Corbusier, including a photograph of Le Corbusier with Albert Einstein, diplomas and award certificates, printed matter, including copies of the Brazilian newspaper Para Todos and publications in Greek, and articles or designs of other people such as Siegfried Giedion, Fernand Leger, Vladimir Bodiansky, Alberto Sartoris, and Andre Wogenscky.

Collection Creator Biography:

Papadaki, Stamo.

Architect Stamo Papadaki was born in Athens, Greece, in 1906. He attended Athens Polytechnic and then moved to France, where he studied under Auguste Perret and others, and received his Diplome d'Architecte et d'Urbaniste in 1929. In 1935 Papadaki went to New York as the designer for American Houses, Inc., which specialized in prefabricated houses. His clients included the French government, UNESCO, and the New York Port Authority, for which he served as planner for the Idlewild (now John F. Kennedy) Airport. He also won a design competition for a pavilion for the New York World's Fair (1939-1940), served (1938-1946) on the Architectural Committee of the Museum of Modern Art (N.Y.), was an active member of CIAM (International Congress of Modern Art), and was one of the three foreign judges of the planning competition (1957) for the new Brazilian capital of Brasilia. In addition to his practice as an architect Papadaki also worked as art editor (1948-1960) for the Architectural Forum, was Professor of Architecture and Design (1948-1960) at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, was editor of the publications Plus and Progressive Architecture, wrote two books on the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, edited Le Corbusier, Architect, Painter, Writer (1948), and authored many articles, book reviews, and works of poetry.

Collection History

Acquisition:

Gift of Audrey Papadaki.

Appraisal

No appraisal information is available.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Barbara Volz in 1998. Finding aid written by Barbara Volz in 1998.

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Credit this material:

Stamo Papadaki Papers; Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Permanent URL:
http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/cj82k731x
Location:
Firestone Library
One Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
(609) 258-3184
Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (scamss): Boxes 1-27; 29-34; 5A; 13A