Résumé

Engineer, United States Navy, Seabees, Pacific theatre, two years.

Van Horne worked for unknown architect in Boston, MA, c. 1947.

Draftsman, Raymond and Rado, Architects, New York, NY, 1.5 years, 1946-1947. The Czech-born architect Antonin Raymond (1888-1976) wrote John Van Horne a letter of introduction to gain employment with Paul Thiry in Seattle, WA. Raymond was an important emissary of Modernism, who helped spread its popularity in Japan. Raymond was also a friend of the Spokane-born architect and renowned furniture designer George Nakashima (1905-1990), who sponsored Nakashima so that he could leave the Minidoka Japanese Internment Camp in ID and resettle in PA.

Designer, Paul Thiry, Architect, Seattle, WA, c. 1948-1949.

Designer, Bassetti and Morse, Architects, Seattle, WA, c. 1950.

Designer, Hovind, Hawthorne and Smith, Architects, Seattle, WA, c. 1951.

Principal, John Van Horne, Architect, Seattle, WA 1952-1956; John Van Horne received a City of Seattle Business License on 12/20/1952.

Partner, Van Horne and Van Horne Architects, PLLC, Seattle, WA, 1956-2003; Audrey Van Horne maintained the office until the end of 2008.

Teaching

Van Horne taught in Hawaii for the SeaBees, during World War II, c. 1944.

Professional Architect

Registered Architect in the State of NY, 1948.

Registered Architect in the State of WA, 04/1949.

High School/College

Graduate, Phillips Academy, Andover, MA, c. 1936.

Two years of coursework, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, before World War II.

B.Arch., New York University, New York, NY, 1947.

Coursework in painting and structural engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 1950s-1960s.

Relocation

John Van Horne, Jr., lived with his family in a rented, New York apartment at Broadway and West 98th Street in 1920. He lived for some of his childhood on Long Island and then in Westchester County, NY.

In 1930, the Van Hornes lived in a residence on Bedford Road, Mount Pleasant, NY.

Parents

His father, John Russell Van Horne, Sr., (born c. 1894 in PA), had a background in engineering and worked for a legal firm in Manhattan; according to the U.S. Census of 1920, he worked in an insurance company at this time, and was quite prosperous, as the family employed two maids and a nurse. John, Sr.'s, father had come from NJ, his mother, MD.

His mother was Grace Costello Van Horne (born c. 1887 in MA), a Ziegfeld Follies girl. Her parents both had come from MA. John, Sr., and Grace had three children: Mary (born c. 07/1916 in NY), John, Jr., and Peter (born c/ 04/1919 in NY). The U.S. Census of 1930 indicated that the affluent family employed two German servants in a house worth approximately $75,000.

Spouse

John was married for one year during World War II and divorced. He re-married Audrey Jupp Van Horne (born 04/18/1924) in 03/22/1947; they practiced together from 1956-2003; the Van Hornes collaborated on work before 1956, but Audrey was not licensed until 1955.

Children

John and Audrey Van Horne had 5 children: Susan Wendell Van Horne (b. 1948 in NY, NY), Jill Marie Fitting (born 1950 in Seattle, WA), Garret John Van Horne (born 1958 in Seattle), Francine Grace Dunnigan (born 1960 in Seattle), Peter Joris Van Horne (born 1962 in Seattle).

Biographical Notes

John Van Horne stood 5 foot 10 with brown hair and blue eyes.

He painted avidly for his whole life in watercolor and acrylics.

• Seattle, WA (Architect's Death)
  Seattle, WA

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• New York, NY (Architect's Birth)
  New York, NY

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