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J. Christopher Jaffe papers

 Collection
Identifier: MC 25

Scope and Contents

The collection (MC 25) consists of J. Christopher Jaffe’s work from 1960-1992 is represented here, under the name of Jaffe acoustics, Inc. which was a consulting firm, and Stagecraft which was his design firm for sound reflecting performance shells. Projects sometimes employed both companies until 1966 when Jaffe closed Stagecraft. The Jaffe projects are varied in scope and contents. The files are numbered consecutively, with the year date appearing first. Some project files contain just the proposal report, while some include contracts, transmittals, sub-contractors notes, design specifications, drawings, telephone pad jottings, calculation sheets, correspondence, contacts, photographs, material samples, and blue prints. The New York World’s Fair of 1964 is an extremely notable project by Stagecraft Corp. which designed and built the Tiparillo Band Pavilion. The files include jottings, drawings, correspondence with, among others, Robert Moses, newspaper coverage of the Pavilion once opened, promotional photographs of the Pavilion, and copies of a press release that Stagecraft generated which points out that the Pavilion was the same design as one they had produced for the White House lawn. Furthermore, for the I. Magnin store in Los Angeles, 1967, Jaffe Acoustics was hired by Frank O. Gehry to consult on the sound-deadening designs for the employee areas, the restaurant and the beauty salon. The files include correspondence with Mr. Gehry, responses to the City rejecting the floor material, calculations, and material swatches. For the private residence of Ron Davis in Santa Monica, CA in 1971, Jaffe Acoustics worked with Frank Gehry to try to dampen the sound from rain on the roof in a house entirely clad in metal. Drawings, notes, calculations, and correspondence are included. In 1974, Jaffe Acoustics designed the sound stage for the Jubilee Center for Tupperware, in Kissimmee, Fl. This was a large project, and the files reflect the entire process down to the punch lists for final sign-off. And added to that are files to adjust the noise once the center was built: Tweaking the proscenium clouds, and adding volumetric space draperies. The files nicely show a long commitment to the details of a singular project. Additional projects well represented across the country, but of particular importance include Jaffe’s work on the Grand Theatre in Gooliand Hilversum, Holland; Hong Kong Symphony Hall (“Sha Tin”) in Hong Kong; Opera La Bastille in Paris, France; and Sala de Conciertos  Nezahualcoyotl  (U.N.A.M. Hall) in Mexico City. A detailed examination of the documentation for one project from 1980, the Eugene, Oregon Performing Arts Center illustrates the rich research content of the project files. The drawings - some 180 sheets - occupy approximately 4 lin.ft. and described the contractual process, design and follow up. Along with project groups such as opera houses and concert halls, university recital halls, sound studios, school and church auditoria, this collection highlights the restoration of historic theaters like the Morosco in New York City, the Aztec in San Antonio, and the Fox in Atlanta. The collection also documents the establishment of large open air performance spaces that became a staple of the cultural landscape in the decades since 1960 such as Tanglewood, Wolf Trap, Newport Jazz Festival, and the Ravina in Chicago. It also documents World's Fair and exhibition sites like New York, 1964; Ontario, 1984; and Vancouver, 1986. And lastly projects and documentation also cover changes in corporate headquarters esthetics like IBM in Poughkeepsie, GE in Fairfield, Rouse Company in Columbia, Maryland, and Lubrizol in Cleveland, Ohio. Several of Jaffe's very large commissions provide insight intot the design and function of large civic spaces: Century City in California, Scottsdale Center for the Arts in Arizona, Center Concord in Califronia, Madison Civic Center in Wisconsin, Kentucky Cultural Center in Louisvile, and the Peoria Civic Center in Illinois. Mnay of the important cultural centers in the state of Ohio were acoustically designed by Jaffe. For example, the State Theater in Cleveland, Canton Cultural Center in Canton, The Cincinnati Muci Hall, The Way International Auditorium in New Knoxville, and the Wexner Center in Columbus. J. Christopher Jaffe's work was pioneering modern architectural acoustics. He was involved in the design of many of the priemer performance spaces in the United States and abroad and he invented the Electronic Reflected Energy System. The projects fully documented here span an important preiod in the development of performance spaces (reflected in Jaffe's 2010 book The Acoustics of Performance Halls: Spaces for Music from Carnegie Hall to the Hollywood Bowl).

Dates

  • Created: 1960 - 2006
  • Other: Date acquired: 10/30/1998

Extent

82.40 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The J. Christopher Jaffe papers consist of personal and professional papers belonging to J. Christopher Jaffe and pertaining mainly to his work with acoustic design.

Arrangement Note

Organized into six series. I. Project Files II. Publicity Files III. Professional Papers IV. Personal Miscellany V. Professional Miscellany VI. Drawings

Source of Acquisition

J. Christopher Jaffe

Accruals and Additions

First transfer consisted of 63 linear ft. in November, 1998. In 2003 additional material came to the archives consising of blueprints and drawings. In 2010 an additional 29 linear ft. was acquired along with additional blueprints and drawings with 7 shipping containers.

Processing Information

This collection follows the original organization of the Jaffe firms. Files are numbered consecutively, with year date appearing first.

Description rules
Rules for Archival Description
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Institute Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
110 8th Street
Institute Archives and Special Collections
Rensselaer Libraries, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy NY 12180-3590 US
518 276 8340