Scope and Contents
The papers comprise project records documenting architectural work undertaken by King-Lui Wu from 1942 to 1991, professional materials generated and compiled during his practice as an architect and tenure as a faculty member at Yale University's School of Architecture (1945-1988), and a small amount of personal correspondence. Project records, documenting both built and unbuilt work, consist mostly of sketches and include such drawing types as plans, elevations, sections, and perspective renderings; few working drawings exist. Project records also include a small amount of other materials, such as correspondence with clients and contractors, contracts, specifications, and receipts. Represented in the collection are such projects as the National Museum of Modern Art (Seoul, Korea) Yale student Manuscript Club (New Haven, CT), Mount Bethel Baptist Church (New Haven, CT), the Bank of Memphis, Yali Middle School (Changsha, China), and numerous private residences and offices. Professional papers include correspondence generated and collected while at Yale University, research materials, information pertaining to professional engagements and activities, and lecture notes for teaching.
Dates
- 1942-2001
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
The materials are open for research.
Original computer files may not be accessed due to their fragility. Researchers must consult access copies.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by King-Lui Wu has been transferred to Yale University. These materials may be used for non-commercial purposes without seeking permission from Yale University as the copyright holder. For other uses of these materials, please contact beinecke.library@yale.edu.
Copyright status for other collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Vivian Wu, 2005, 2012.
Arrangement
The collections is arranged in three series: I. Project files,1942-1991. II. Professional papers, 1954-2000. III. Personal correspondence, 1960-1995.
Extent
241 Linear Feet (89 folios, 17 boxes)
65.6 Megabytes
Language of Materials
English
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
Abstract
The papers comprise project records documenting architectural work undertaken by King-Lui Wu from 1942 to 1991, professional materials generated and compiled during his practice as an architect and tenure as a faculty member at Yale University's School of Architecture (1945-1988), and a small amount of personal correspondence. Project records, documenting both built and unbuilt work, consist mostly of sketches and include such drawing types as plans, elevations, sections, and perspective renderings; few working drawings exist. Project records also include a small amount of other materials, such as correspondence with clients and contractors, contracts, specifications, and receipts. Represented in the collection are such projects as the National Museum of Modern Art (Seoul, Korea) Yale student Manuscript Club (New Haven, CT), Mount Bethel Baptist Church (New Haven, CT), the Bank of Memphis, Yali Middle School (Changsha, China), and numerous private residences and offices. Professional papers include correspondence generated and collected while at Yale University, research materials, information pertaining to professional engagements and activities, and lecture notes for teaching.
Biographical / Historical
King-Lui Wu was born on March 25, 1918, in Guangzhou, China. He studied at Yale, and then earned both his bachelor's (1944) and master's (1945) degrees in architecture at Harvard. He returned to Yale to teach in 1945, where he remained on the faculty until 1988. During his tenure at Yale, Wu taught several celebrated architects, including the current dean of the Yale School of Architecture, Robert A.M. Stern. Wu used sabbaticals from Yale to teach at the University of Cambridge in England and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
His writing was published in numerous periodicals, including Architectural Record, The Architectural Review, and Werk. Although much of his work was concentrated in New Haven, Connecticut, Wu designed buildings in various locations throughout the world, such as Seoul, Korea, Changsha, China, and Hong Kong. Some of his most notable projects include the Yali Middle School, the Museum for Modern Art in Seoul, Mount Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, and the Yale student Manuscript Club. His designs include residences, offices, churches, museums, restaurants, and schools.
Wu placed great emphasis on natural light as a governing principle in design. He explored the use of this, the "most noble of natural phenomena," in what was perhaps his most popular course at Yale: "Daylight and Architecture." He applied this principle to residential design when he collaborated with artist Josef Albers on the home of Benjamin Dupont in Woodbridge, Connecticut. This house had sealed windows with hinged panels beneath them to enable ventilation. Because ventilation occurred through the panels, Wu was able focus on the windows as sources of light, which gave him greater freedom of size and placement.
Other Finding Aids
For a list of projects and the boxes in which project materials are located, please consult theProject Index.
List of projects in collection
| Art Gallery, Korea |
| Artist's Products Center |
| Artist's Studio |
| Atwood, Ada W. residence, Bethany, CT |
| Bank of Memphis |
| Barbaresi and Son art house, Bronxville, NY |
| Barbaresi, Peter residence |
| Barr, Browne residence, Bethany, CT |
| Bergen, Robert residence |
| Borge, Viktor residence: addition, Southbury, CT |
| Borge, Viktor: music pavilion, Southbury, CT |
| Borge, Viktor: studio, Southbury, CT |
| Butler garage addition |
| Chaet, Bernard R.: workroom addition, Orange, CT |
| Chang, H. C. residence, Cape May, NJ |
| Chang, H. C.: shop, Cape May, NJ |
| Chao, Y. R. residence |
| Cheung residence |
| China maps and studies |
| Common School, Amherst, MA |
| Concord Hospital, Concord, MA |
| Creative Arts Workshop: addition/alteration/terrace, New Haven, CT |
| CPS School, Dahong Wang, China |
| Delgado, J. residence, New Haven, CT |
| Dormitory, China |
| DuPont, Benjamin residence and furniture details, Woodbridge, CT |
| Downey, John: bathroom addition, New Haven, CT |
| Far East Restaurant, New Haven, CT |
| Friedman, Molumphy and Olson: doctors' office, New Haven, CT |
| Friedman, Irving: summer residence |
| Gate Lodge |
| Gifford residence: alteration, Woods Hole, MA |
| Gimbet, Richard residence: addition, New Haven, CT |
| Gerald Hill Estates, Old Westbury, NY |
| Fan, George residence, Ossining, NY |
| Guttentag residence: addition, Long Island, NY |
| Gymnase |
| Harvard Athletic/Fitness Center |
| Highland Arms Restaurant, Winsted, CT |
| Hole, Frank residence, New Haven, CT |
| Hole, Frank: kitchen renovation |
| Hostel, G. |
| Hsiang Ya Medical Center |
| Hsu, T.C.: penthouse addition, New York, NY |
| Johnson, Paul H. residence, Old Lyme, CT |
| Kenzer residence, Southampton, NY |
| China land use/study diagrams |
| Leader Federal Bank Building, Memphis, TN |
| Leader Federal Bank Building, Lamar Branch |
| Loree, Mrs. Dean residence, Ann Arbor, MI |
| Mark Levinson Audio Systems, Hamden, CT |
| Kobak, S.J. residence, Old Westbury, NY |
| Morefar: Bath house, Brewster, NY |
| Morefar: Daylighted indoor tennis court, Brewster, NY |
| Morefar: Hsu, T.C. residence and furniture, Brewster, NY |
| Morefar: Storr, C.V. proposed golf house, pool house, and staff house |
| Mount Bethel Baptist Church, New Haven |
| Mueller, Adolph II, guest house |
| Museum, Taiwan |
| Nagata residence |
| National Museum of Modern Art, Seoul, Korea |
| New China Restaurant alterations, New Haven, CT |
| New Haven City Hall, New Haven, CT |
| Nims, Ellen residence, Woodbridge, CT |
| Norwood Estates, Norwood, MA |
| Ordin residence |
| Pencil Points, Pittsburgh |
| Pian, Ted residence, addition, Cambridge, MA |
| Plunkett, John residence, Hamden, CT |
| Police Headquarters on Parkway |
| Richeimer residence: addition, Orange, CT |
| Rickers, Maria residence, Storrs, CT |
| Rodetsky, Jack and Sue residence, MA |
| Roth, Herbert G., Fairfield, CT |
| Rouse, Irving and Mary residence and garage, North Haven, CT |
| Rouse: summer cottage |
| Rudnick, Dorothea residence, addition, alteration, New Haven, CT |
| S.C.D. competiton |
| Self-service market |
| Shangri-La, a home for the aged, Ann Arbor, MI |
| Stephenson, Frank residence, garage, workshop, Lyme, CT |
| Stoddard, C.F. Jr. residence |
| Suddard, Adrienne ("Vicky") residence, Killingworth, CT |
| Systems of Living Complex |
| Tang, S.C. residence, Hong Kong |
| Taylor, C.F. residence, Winchester, MA |
| Tse, Stephen residence, Brewster, NY |
| Tung, David residence, Rye, NY |
| Tung, H.H. residence, Rye, NY |
| Urban Housing Unit |
| Villa K.K.: addition |
| Wang Laboratories, Redding, MA |
| Wang, An: addition and alteration, Lincoln, MA |
| Webb, Dwight residence: addition, Westport, CT |
| Wheaton College Art Center |
| Wong, Andrew residence and furniture, Hamden, CT |
| Wrexham Foundation (Manuscript Society), Yale University, New Haven, CT |
| Wu, King-Lui and Vivian residence, Hamden, CT |
| Wu, Lundo residence: alterations |
| Yali Middle School, Changsha, China |
| Yu, Ling: garage addition, dressing and pool filter rooms, Kwanyin Temple |
Art Gallery, Korea
Artist's Products Center
Artist's Studio
Atwood, Ada W. residence, Bethany, CT
Bank of Memphis
Barbaresi and Son art house, Bronxville, NY
Barbaresi, Peter residence
Barr, Browne residence, Bethany, CT
Bergen, Robert residence
Borge, Viktor residence: addition, Southbury, CT
Borge, Viktor: music pavilion, Southbury, CT
Borge, Viktor: studio, Southbury, CT
Butler garage addition
Chaet, Bernard R.: workroom addition, Orange, CT
Chang, H. C. residence, Cape May, NJ
Chang, H. C.: shop, Cape May, NJ
Chao, Y. R. residence
Cheung residence
China land use/study diagrams
China maps and studies
Common School, Amherst, MA
Concord Hospital, Concord, MA
Creative Arts Workshop: addition/alteration/terrace, New Haven, CT
CPS School, Dahong Wang, China
Delgado, J. residence, New Haven, CT
Dormitory, China
DuPont, Benjamin residence and furniture details, Woodbridge, CT
Downey, John: bathroom addition, New Haven, CT
Far East Restaurant, New Haven, CT
Friedman, Molumphy and Olson: doctors' office, New Haven, CT
Friedman, Irving: summer residence
Gate Lodge
Gifford residence: alteration, Woods Hole, MA
Gimbet, Richard residence: addition, New Haven, CT
Gerald Hill Estates, Old Westbury, NY
Fan, George residence, Ossining, NY
Guttentag residence: addition, Long Island, NY
Gymnase
Harvard Athletic/Fitness Center
Highland Arms Restaurant, Winsted, CT
Hole, Frank residence, New Haven, CT
Hole, Frank: kitchen renovation
Hostel, G.
Hsiang Ya Medical Center
Hsu, T.C.: penthouse addition, New York, NY
Johnson, Paul H. residence, Old Lyme, CT
Kenzer residence, Southampton, NY
Kobak, S.J. residence, Old Westbury, NY
Leader Federal Bank Building, Lamar Branch
Leader Federal Bank Building, Memphis, TN
Mark Levinson Audio Systems, Hamden, CT
Loree, Mrs. Dean residence, Ann Arbor, MI
Morefar: Bath house, Brewster, NY
Morefar: Daylighted indoor tennis court, Brewster, NY
Morefar: Hsu, T.C. residence and furniture, Brewster, NY
Morefar: Starr, C.V. proposed golf house, pool house, and staff house
Mount Bethel Baptist Church, New Haven
Mueller, Adolph II, guest house
Museum, Taiwan
Nagata residence
National Museum of Modern Art, Seoul, Korea
New China Restaurant alterations, New Haven, CT
New Haven City Hall, New Haven, CT
Nims, Ellen residence, Woodbridge, CT
Norwood Estates, Norwood, MA
Oldrin residence
Pencil Points, Pittsburgh
Pian, Ted residence, addition, Cambridge, MA
Plunkett, John residence, Hamden, CT
Police Headquarters on Parkway
Richeimer residence: addition, Orange, CT
Rickers, Maria residence, Storrs, CT
Rodetsky, Jack and Sue residence, MA
Roth, Herbert G., Fairfield, CT
Rouse, Irving and Mary residence and garage, North Haven, CT
Rouse: summer cottage
Rudnick, Dorothea residence, addition, alteration, New Haven, CT
S.C.D. competiton
Self-service market
Shangri-La, a home for the aged, Ann Arbor, MI
Stephenson, Frank residence, garage, workshop, Lyme, CT
Stoddard, C.F. Jr. residence
Suddard, Adrienne ("Vicky") residence, Killingworth, CT
Systems of Living Complex
Tang, S.C. residence, Hong Kong
Taylor, C.F. residence, Winchester, MA
Tse, Stephen residence, Brewster, NY
Tung, David residence, Rye, NY
Tung, H.H. residence, Rye, NY
Urban Housing Unit
Villa K.K.: addition
Wang Laboratories, Redding, MA
Wang, An: addition and alteration, Lincoln, MA
Webb, Dwight residence: addition, Westport, CT
Wheaton College Art Center
Wong, Andrew residence and furniture, Hamden, CT
Wrexham Foundation (Manuscript Society), Yale University, New Haven, CT
Wu, King-Lui and Vivian residence, Hamden, CT
Wu, Lundo residence: alterations
Yali Middle School, Changsha, China
Yu, Ling: garage addition, dressing and pool filter rooms, Kwanyin Temple
Archaeological Research Center, Copan, Honduras
Boston Museum of Fine Arts furniture exhibit
Carlyle residence
Clarke residence
Druid Hills Country Club
Fan, George residence, Ossining, NY
Hayden residence, Milford, CT
Hill, Gerald estates, Old Westbury, CT
- Title
- Guide to the King-Lui Wu Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- compiled by Laura Tatum, Will Lasner, and Suzanne Noruschat
- Date
- December 2009
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository
Yale University Library
P.O. Box 208240
New Haven CT 06520-8240 US
(203) 432-1735
(203) 432-7441 (Fax)
beinecke.library@yale.edu
Location
Sterling Memorial Library
Room 147
120 High Street
New Haven, CT 06511