James Monroe Building

skyscraper
international-style
VA
Richmond

About the James Monroe Building in Richmond
Architect and team
Architectural style
Spaces and uses
Structure and materials

The James Monroe Building is an International Style skyscraper designed in 1968 by Ballou, Justice & Upton Architects, and built in 1981 in Richmond, VA.

James Monroe Building is not the only name you might know this building by though. The building is, or has also been known as James Monroe State Office Building.

Its precise street address is 101 North 14th Street, Richmond, VA. You can also find it on the map here.

The original plans for an office complex envisioned two twin towers on the site, built atop a large 4-level base and interconnected by a lower structure between them. On the roof of the base building you can even see the marks where the pillars to support the second tower would have been, but the second tower was never built..

The architect commissioned to undertake this restoration was https://www.ir-roof.com/projects/james-monroe-commercial-re-roof/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.

Building's timeline

Restoration

2025

Design completed

1968

Construction completed

1981

years ago

2025

During a recent renovation, a PVC KEE (ketone ethylene ester) membrane roofing system was installed, known for its durability, UV resistance, and chemical stability. It is self-extinguishing and recyclable. The architect in charge was https://www.ir-roof.com/projects/james-monroe-commercial-re-roof/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.

Architect and team

Ballou, Justice & Upton Architects was the architecture firm in charge of the architectural design.

That being said, architecture is a complex discipline involving many professionals from different fields, without whom this building would have not been possible. We will surely be leaving out a lot of names here, but at the very least we know that there was one other part involved, that was J. Kennon Perrin as the Main Contractor.

Architectural Style

The James Monroe Building can be categorized as an International Style building.

The international style originated in Europe in the early 20th century, and made its way to the US a couple of decades later when the rise of the Nazi regime forced figures such as Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer, or Mies van der Rohe to flee Europe.

The International Style emerged as a response to the prevailing historicism and ornate architecture styles of the late 19th century, which according to a younger generation of architects didn't represent the new materials and construction techniques that were on the rise at the time.

Architecture in the early 20th century US was marked by the adoption of steel structures, modern construction techniques, and the rise of the skyscraper. As it turns out, this combination of circumstances created the perfect ecosystem for the International Style to flourish, becoming the to-go style for skyscraper designs during the mid-20th century, when American cities were growing fast.

The International Style’s legacy can not only be found in numerous iconic buildings across all major American cities, but also incorporated in contemporary architecture, which still puts a big emphasis on functionality and minimalism.

Spaces & Uses

The James Monroe Building reaches an architectural height of 449ft (137m). It has a total of 29 floors, served by 12 elevators. In total, it has a built-up area of 504,698 sqf (46,888m²) offering 364,767 sqf (33,888m²) of usable space.

Ever since opening its doors to the public in 1981, the James Monroe Building has mainly been used as Governmental space.

Of the building's 29 floors, two above the 12th, along with the top two, house maintenance equipment. The remaining floors are occupied by offices.

The four-story base provides parking space for the complex.

Materials & Structure

The James Monroe Building uses a frame structure made of steel columns and steel and concrete slabs.

A frame structure uses a combination of beams and columns to sustain the building's weight. The walls in this case are non-load bearing, which allows for more flexibility when distributing the interior spaces.

The facade uses a non-load bearing curtain wall system. This means the curtain wall modules are anchored to the building's structural frame, typically by being attached to the edge of the floor slabs. The curtain wall system connects to the slabs using brackets, anchors, and mullions, which transfer the loads imposed by wind and temperature changes, to the building's primary structural elements.

This setup allows the curtain wall to accommodate differential movement between the facade and the structural frame, such as thermal expansion, floor deflection, or sway from wind forces. This system's integration with the slab edges also allows for continuous insulation and weatherproofing layers.

From an aesthetic point of view, the facade features blocks of light-toned sandstone, glass and metal frames.

The corners of the building are shaped like an inward quarter circle, and are fully clad in sandstone. This gives the building a very distinctive profile.

The four facades are then organized into three bays, each of them featuring dark glass, with dark metal frames and dark spandrels.

These bays run from the base of the tower up to just a fe meters before the top of the building, and are slighly extruded from the stone facade.

Sources

richmondcitywatch.com
en.wikipedia.org
web.archive.org
www.metro-photo.com
www.ir-roof.com