Mullen Building, St. Joseph’s Hospital

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

Temple Buell designed this magnificent building at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Denver. Buell had been a patient at the hospital after he developed tuberculosis, and his building is the only example of Mayan/Aztec Revival and Art Deco in the city. The brickwork makes the structure stand out and features square brick laid with intricacy. The technique causes the brick to appear as if it is cascading downward or shifting upward. The building was built to be a nurses residence and school for Saint Josephs Hospital and the school opened in 1933.

Images

Mullen Building Front View

Mullen Building circa 1933

Brick detail work

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

The Mullen Building was designed by Temple Hoyne Buell. Prior to his work with the building he was a patient at St Josephs. He came to Denver for Tuberculosis treatment. He had served in World War I. His illness had developed from mustard gas poisoning.

The building is an interesting merger between Mayan/Aztec Revival and Art Deco. It stands out due to its contrasting blonde and red brick façade. Additionally the vertical bands of red brick exhibit an intricate design. The brick looks as if it is cascading down the building. Many call this a “waterfall” effect. The windows are framed by a line of red brick going from ground to roof.

The method Buell used to install the brick is unique.Typically brick is laid in stretchers or headers, meaning vertical or horizontal. However on the Mullen building the brick is laid on all sides. This technique tricks the eye. So the building appears like it is falling downwards, or shifting upwards.

The Mullen Building is part of the Saint Josephs Hospital campus. Ella Mullen donated the funds to honor her mother Catherine Smith Mullen. The building served as a school for nurses at Saint Josephs Hospital. The school opened in 1933. It now is used as the administrative office for the Saint Josephs Hospital Foundation.

Sources

Mullen Building, M. Gerwig Architects. Accessed July 7th 2020. https://mgerwingarch.com/m-gerwing/2015/01/19/mullen-building.
Catherine Mullen Memorial Nurses Home/Mullen Building, History of Colorado. Accessed July 7th 2020. https://www.historycolorado.org/location/catherine-mullen-memorial-nurses-home-mullen-building.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Public Domain