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Hugh Ferriss (1889-1962) was an architectural renderer known for his vision of the modern city and his ability to translate vast projects into dramatic but clear-cut images. Ferriss published two books: The Metropolis of Tomorrow (1929) and Power of Buildings (1953). The collection was donated to Avery Library by Ferriss' family after his death, and has been supplemented by several later additions from other sources. 363 original drawings in the collection have been photographed and digitized and can be viewed via links in the finding aid's container listing.

Manuscripts of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright contain his working drafts and final versions of his writings (published and unpublished), lectures, and talks dating from 1894 until his death in 1959. The collection consists of approximately 2,785 drafts amounting to over 31,000 sheets. The manuscripts range from handwritten drafts to heavily corrected typescripts and galley proofs. Included in this comprehensive collection of writings are a large number of unpublished pieces which expand upon Wright's published ideas on architecture, art and aesthetics, and which provide further insights into the architect's views on politics, religion, morality and various other topics.

Percival Goodman (1904-1989) was an Americam architect, teacher, urban planner, artist and writer. In a career that spanned more than sixty years, Goodman achieved renown as one of the most prolific synagogue architects in the United States and was instrumental in the development of a critical discourse around the building of modern religious architecture. The collection consists of project records, drawings, models, photographs, slides, professional correspondence and contracts, articles and unpublished manuscripts, teaching and lecture notes and personal and professional memorabilia, such as architectural licenses and certificates, as well as articles and clippings about his work.

Walter Curt Behrendt (1884-1945) was a German-American architect and an active advocate of German modernism. The collection is composed primarily of lectures and writings.

Harvey Wiley Corbett (1873-1954) was an American architect primarily active in New York City but also completed projects across the United States and in London. While known for his work on early skyscraper architecture, his work also includes banks, churches, educational campuses, government buildings, housing projects, and large memorial projects like the George Washington Masonic National Memorial (Alexandria, VA). His most well-known projects include Rockefeller Center (Corbett served as a senior architect on the project), the Criminal Courts Building (Centre Street, NY), and Bush Tower (East 42nd Street, NY). Alongside his prolific career, Corbett was also engaged in the theoretical elements of the evolving American city. This can been seen through his commissioning of Hugh Ferriss for the creation of the set of drawings now known as the "Metropolis of Tomorrow," which questioned the results of the contemporary zoning laws of New York City. This collection reflects the breadth of Corbett's work and interests and while it primarily consists of photographs of his many projects, the collection also encompasses a small portion of professional papers and reference material. Beyond the bulk of photographs, there are drawings, correspondence, notes, clippings, postcards, daily calendar entries, a portfolio, photo albums, publications, and financial and legal records.