History and Founding
BUILDING I-HOUSE
Ground was broken for International House on August 4, 1922. Led by Frederick Osborn and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, the Building Committee closely oversaw every aspect of its design. The women’s side of the building, facing west, accommodated 125 residents and featured valet services. The men’s facilities, including a tailor and barber shop, faced Claremont Avenue. Common areas included a dining room, gymnasium, and assembly hall. When the House opened on September 15, 1924, The New York Times wrote that “the building will house under one roof men and women of more different countries than perhaps any structure in the world.”
International House under construction with Grant’s Tomb visible in the background, 1923.
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. became a benefactor of International House shortly after seeing a version of this illustration by the architect Louis E. Jallade, 1921.
Louis E. Jallade designed the resident rooms to be small, in order to encourage residents to spend their time in the large common areas. Yearbook, 1931.
A riding school stood on the future site of International House. Circa 1915.
Abby Aldrich Rockefeller was responsible for much of the art and early interior design of I-House. She commissioned Arthur B. Davies to create murals for the Main Lounge in 1928.
International House construction facing West on Claremont Avenue, 1923.
Construction, 1923.
Construction, 1923.
The exterior of International House was nearly complete on October 20, 1923.
From the color of the closet doors to the shape of the bathroom tiles, the Building Committee considered and discussed every detail. Color sample, 1923.
A sketch enclosed with Harry Edmonds’ letter to R.A. Gushee. Riverside Drive lots, 1922.
Harry Edmonds’ letter to R.A. Gushee regarding the purchase of the Riverside Drive lots, 1922.
After donating funds for its construction, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. paid close attention to the building of International House. Letter to Harry Edmonds, January 18, 1923.
In the aftermath of World War I, International House was considered a safe residence for international graduate students. Duns International Review, 1923.