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
- 1959 - 2002
Creator
- Alex, Iris (Person)
Language of Materials
The materials in the collection are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.
Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction. Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.
Biographical Note
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.
Extent
0.5 Cubic Feet (1 box)
Abstract
Iris Alex was the 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: Professional Information, 1959-2002, 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: Julia Morgan Information, 1976-1991, consists of clippings about Julia Morgan, correspondence with other architects and historians about Morgan's work, and correspondence with Morgan's biographer, Sara Boutelle.
Source of Acquisition
The Iris Alex Collection was donated to the International Archives of Women in Architecture at Special Collections in 2000, with two additional donations in 2002.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the Iris Alex Collection by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/).
Processing Information
The processing and arrangement of the Iris Alex Collection was completed in September 2002. The description description September 2004.
- Title
- Iris Alex Collection 1959-2002
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Amy Shaffer, Archivist
- Date
- 2004 (CC0 1.0)
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech Repository
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu