Fred E. Field

Frederick E. Field (born November 7, 1861^[1]) is an American architect who practiced in Providence, Rhode Island, and Orlando, Florida, in the period between 1883 and 1927.

His professional training took place at Cornell University.^[2]

Returning to Providence, he became the junior partner of Howard Hoppin (1856-1940) in a firm which was known successively as Hoppin and Ely and Hoppin and Field. There, he shared in the design of such works as: Rhode Island School of Design, Central High School and Caswell Hall at Brown University, all in Providence. In the Wayland Historic District, he designed the C. Franklin Nugent House at 67 Orchard Avenue (1898). The firm of Hoppin and Field also designed the Gothic Revival Grace Church on Matthewson Street, noted for its Tiffany windows.^[3] Field was received into the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects in 1889.^[4]

Field was responsible for the design of the Menagerie Building at Roger Williams Park (1891), the Manuel Training School (1894), the Helen Hudson Houses (1906-1908) at 24-26 and 34-36 President Avenue, the Hospital for Contagious Diseases (1906), the base of the Marcus Aurelius Antonius, (sculpture) at Brown University (1908), First Church of Christ, Scientist, (1906–13), and the Buroughs Estate Apartments at 372-374 Lloyd Avenue (1909), all, in Providence, as well as the Filtration Works for the City of Montreal, Quebec (1913).^[5][6]

In the 1920s, Field established a practice in Orlando, Florida, where his was one of 10 architectural firms listed in 1926, the others including: Ryan and Roberts (Ida Annah Ryan and Isabel Roberts), Frank L. Bodine, Percy P. Turner, David Hyer, Murry S. King, George E. Krug, Howard M. Reynolds and Frederick H. Trimble. And one of 12 firms so listed in Orlando in 1927, which included Maurice E. Kressly.^[7]

This group of architects was quite intentional about creating in Central Florida a style of architecture that was suited to the region. Here is how they described it in an article from The Florida Circle of May 1924:

"Just as architects of old created styles to harmonize with their environment, so have the architects of Florida been creating, from native motifs, a style that is carefully adapted to the climatic conditions and surroundings of the state. This style has an individuality all its own and should have a fitting name to express its origins . . . The Florida Association of Architects will give a prize of $25.00 for the name selected." Submissions were to be sent to Murray S. King; the contest was to conclude in November 1924 and the winning name announced thereafter.^[8]

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