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Natalie de Blois

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description Natalie de Blois Overview

Natalie de Blois was an American architect whose long career included senior design work at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. She contributed to major modernist corporate buildings, including Lever House, the Pepsi-Cola Building, and the Union Carbide Building in New York. Her career is significant to historians of modern architecture and women in the profession because important design responsibilities were often publicly credited to male partners.

help Natalie de Blois FAQ

What major New York buildings did Natalie de Blois help design?

Natalie de Blois contributed to several landmark modernist corporate buildings in New York City, including Lever House on Park Avenue, the Pepsi-Cola Building, and the Union Carbide Building (now 270 Park Avenue). These projects were significant works of mid-century modern corporate architecture.

What firm was Natalie de Blois associated with?

Natalie de Blois worked at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), one of the most influential architectural firms in the United States. She served as a senior designer at the firm's New York office during the postwar period, contributing to some of SOM's most prominent projects.

Why is Lever House historically significant in American architecture?

Lever House, completed in 1952 at 390 Park Avenue in New York City, was one of the first glass-walled International Style office buildings in America. Natalie de Blois contributed to its design at SOM, and the building helped establish the aesthetic of postwar corporate modernism.

Did Natalie de Blois face barriers as a woman in architecture?

Natalie de Blois faced significant gender discrimination during her career at SOM, including being excluded from professional networking events where her male colleagues participated. She eventually left SOM in the 1970s and later taught at the University of Texas at Arlington before her contributions began receiving broader recognition.