A.J. Downing & His Legacy

In 1850, A.J. Downing brought the English architect Calvert Vaux (1824–1895) to the United States to provide the firm with the architectural drawing and design skills Downing himself did not possess. In 1851 and 1852, the two were busy with commissions for country houses and their attendant landscapes. At the same time, they were already preparing designs for a public “Central Park” in New York City. Vaux carried on with the idea after Downing's death and partnered with Frederick Law Olmstead to win the competition for the design of the park in 1858.

Vaux practiced architecture on his own for many years, and he remained in demand for the design of large villas. In 1857, he published his own book of designs, making much reference to his association with the still-popular pattern-book author, A.J. Downing.

The illustrations of house designs include, as here on the right, the notation “D&V’ meaning it was a collaborative design created by Downing and Vaux during the brief time they worked together. Design 17 for a “Suburban Villa” is an Italianate-house with an asymmetrical plan. Downing introduced the concept of picturesque asymmetry to an American audience in his books, and it would become a hallmark of late 19^th century domestic architecture.