Iris Alex Collection
Scope and Content
The Iris Alex Collection contains material about Alex's career, including a resume, magazine articles, blueprints and a two-volume building manual. It also contains her correspondence with other architects about the career of architect Julia Morgan. There is also correspondence with Morgan's biographer, Sara Boutelle.
Dates
- Creation: 1956 - 2002
Creator
- Alex, Iris (Person)
Access Restrictions
Collection is open to research.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish material from the Iris Alex Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
Biographical/Historical Information
Architect Iris S. Alex (b. 1926) studied at the Institute of Design at the Illinois Institute of Technology. She spent 13 years working for the architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. In the 1970s, Alex worked part-time at Related Designs, Inc. Her main employment was with the National Board of the Young Women's Christian Association where she served as the National Architect starting in 1970. While with the YWCA, she developed and oversaw its building advisory service and wrote a two-volume Building Manual for the YWCA. In 1981 she began working as the Development Administrator for Facilities Development Corporation of the State of New York, a position she held until her retirement in 1991.
Full Extent
0.5 Cubic Feet (1 box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Development Administrator for Facilities Development Corporation of the State of New York, building consultant for the Young Women's Christian Association, and Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. Active from the 1950s until 1991. The collection includes both volumes of A Building Manual for the YWCA, written by Alex as well as some biographical information and articles about her work. Also contains correspondence between Alex and other architects about Julia Morgan.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into two series, one containing information about Iris Alex's professional career, and one containing information that Alex collected about architect Julia Morgan.
Series I includes a resume, copies of three building plans, articles and photographs showing projects Alex worked on, and both volumes of the YWCA building handbook that she wrote.
Series II consists of clippings about Julia Morgan, correspondence with other architects and historians about Morgan's work, and correspondence with Morgan's biographer, Sara Boutelle.
Acquisition Information
The Iris Alex Collection was donated to the International Archives of Women in Architecture at the Special Collections by their creator in 2000, with two additional donations in 2002.
General Physical Description note
1 container (1 document box); .5 cu. ft.
Processing Information
The processing and arrangement of the Iris Alex Collection took place in September 2002. A finding aid was created for it in September 2004.
Subject
- Morgan, Julia (Person)
- Title
- A Guide to the Iris Alex Collection 1956-2002
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Amy Shaffer
- Date
- © 2004 By Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. All rights reserved.
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Description is in English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections, Virginia Tech Repository
Special Collections, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu