G. Milton Small – My Favorite Architect
Between the most beautiful building, the ugliest building, and the most beautiful historic structure articles, this author has been making several best of/worst of claims for the area. In that same effort, I would like to nominate my pick for favorite area architect–G. Milton Small. I have written about him before, when showcasing his former office building near NCSU campus.
Located at 3512 Glenwood Avenue, the building featured in this article is just inside of the beltline. It was constructed in 1962 and is frequently referred to as the Northwestern Mutual Insurance Building, after the original tenants of the structure. The current tenant is the Raleigh Orthopaedic Clinic.
Small is noted for many buildings, including Carter-Finley Stadium, the NCSU Student Center, WRAL TV studios (assisting partner Joseph Boaz), St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Durham’s Home Security Life Building, and his prolific modernist houses below. His son, G. Milton III, is principal at the firm, now called Small Kane Architects. According to his son, Small also designed 100-200 homes in the Drewry Hills area of Raleigh.
It’s quite easy to see the resemblance between this building and his former office. Both have an elevated main floor, dark fenestration that almost completely envelopes, long overhangs, and a clean and tasteful use of concrete to project rigidity and strength.
Unlike the brutalism architecture that was on the tail end of modernism, G. Milton Small’s structures seem to convey a sense of simplicity and purpose in every aspect. Utitizing large rectangular floor plans, usable space underneath the main area, and providing enough glare resistant windows to allow in plenty of soft light creates a sense of harmony and comfort. If I could choose any structure in Raleigh as my most ideal workplace, it would be one designed by G. Milton Small.
Where would be your most ideal workplace be? Who do you think is most deserving of the title Best (area) Architect?
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07/17/2008
I love this building and the huge cell phone tower beside of it. The two structures are like night and day.
07/17/2008
wow. Cant say I have ever noticed this building, but I always wondered what the glass building behind SECU across from campus was. I love it. This guy seems to do some interesting works. Thanks!
07/17/2008
I had the pleasure of working in the Small building on Brooks for a couple of years. It was an awesome building to visit and work in. I miss it.
07/23/2008
You all might be surprised to know that some people at NCSU have no appreciation for Milton Small or his architecture. There has been some discussion about tearing down the NCSU Student Center (now called the Talley Student Center) and replacing it with something else. It is a fine example of a Milton Small design. Also, the university physical plant folks used to denigrate the “crappy buildings” at NCSU Frat Court. These structures were actually designed by School of Design faculty members and were pretty avant back in the day. The brothers did abuse them over the years and this is what caused their demise (not bad design). They will be replaced with “neo-Georgian” crap.
07/24/2008
Nabs – I had no idea there was talk about tearing that building down. Thanks for the info. Please keep us posted on future developments around the Talley Student Center.
08/26/2008
THe best architect is Santiago Calatrava
09/06/2009
The NCSU bookstore (which is beside the Horace Farlowe fountain) another Milton Small building is slated to be demolished. Apparently, they have not decided what to do with the Student Center building but the bookstore is probably doomed.