The 1915 Live Stock National Bank and Exchange Building Wing.
This photograph shows the Steele Live Stock National Bank and Exchange Building wing as it stood after the fire of 1998. The older part of the building had already been demolished and no plans were made to do anything about the remaining structure.

Upper detail.
On the upper level of the building the Elmslie terra cottas were arranged in this manner. Obviously they were too high for their great detail to be visible to the pedestrian.

This drawing was the first visualization of the fountain incorporating the steer terra cottas in December of 2001.

Less than one week later the fountain had had time to mature into this second drawing. The strong similarity to the final version is apparent.

Steer Panel.
These ornate panels are very similar in detail to the terra cottas in the Woodbury County Court House, another Steele and Elmslie collaboration. Our research has found only one other building of the period decorated with bovine terra cottas. It is the Grain Exchange in Minneapolis, but the detail is much less significant than is found here. This panel is a masterpiece of craftsmanship by the modeler and has true artistic merit in its opulent design. Water will issue forth from the steers mouths on the fountain. Their dimensions are 22” wide by 33” high.

Floral Square.
The floral square is a perfect example of the principles of philosophy and design in the tradition of Louis Sullivan. The geometric forms, symbolizing the mathematical abstraction of nature and the plant elements, signifying the real visual world are married together in a yin-yang, male-female relationship of unity and harmony, resulting in a masterpiece of American ingenuity. The square will be connected to the steer panel by a rib as it was on the original structure. These pieces are 13 ½” by 13 ½”.

Large Diamond.
The large diamond pattern was used on the cornice of the building and at one time had also graced the main entrance(photo coming) to the bank on its north side which resembled a great portal reminiscent of the gates of Ishtar now in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin.

Renovation of the bank in the middle of the 20th century had witnessed their loss. Until our documentation and salvation of all the magnificent terra cottas the indescribable beauty of their detail was virtually unknown. Note the graceful tulip embraced by a thistle-like foliage. Note also the shallow relief in the geometric patterns. We have incorporated these pieces into the lower band that girdles the fountain structure. Their height is 16 ¼” by 23” length.

Small Diamond.
Originally this detail was above the steer panel. Note how the rhythmic diamonds and leaves mimic the large diamond pattern of the cornice. This element will serve as the border around the basins into which the steer panels spout water. Its original size is 13 ½” by 5 ½”.

Signage.
The terra cotta signage is the indisputable signature of G.G. Elmslie. This elaborate design could only come from his great inventiveness and understanding of Louis Sullivan’s unique comprehension of the necessity for natural and inventive beauty in the exterior definition of architecture. The swirling lines and foliage recall fiddle ferns and thistle. I wonder if this was a calling back to Elmslie’s Scottish origin. The abstraction achieved in this magnificent design is beyond comparison. The complexity of its many details is counterbalanced by the simple geometric compliments found in the large spatial areas. This entire composition is in the possession of the Sioux City Public Museum.

Border detail.
This undulating pattern of wave-like lines and Sulllivan’s indescribable trapezoids make a lyrical fusion of idea and form. This element will be used in the upper part of the cornice on the fountain. One original section measured 8 ½” height by 26 3/8” length.

Tapestry Bricks.
During our early documentation of the building we noticed a section where a bronze plaque had been removed. The underlying bricks showed their true colors. Because of the plaque they had been protected from the elements and pollution which otherwise greatly darkened the rest of the bricks. The range of color was very surprising. Sullivan had coined the term “tapestry bricks” in describing the characteristics of the material. The surface has a nubby quality like a high profile weave. He also described the combination of a multitude of tones and textures in one architectural surface through these bricks as a democratic representation of a diverse population constituting one purpose. We are having these bricks specially manufactured in Tennessee. The original dimensions of each brick is no longer found in common production. But because we are using many original and historical terra cottas in the fountain the size of the old bricks must be used to successfully reproduce the harmonies of Steele’s building.

Rendering.
This is the architectural rendering in watercolor and acrylic. This style of representation has not been practiced since the period of the construction of the original building.

The Pool Mosaic.
After a visit to the condemned structure the cast iron balustrade on a second story landing caught our eye. Though classical architectural elements were seemingly taboo among the Prairie School, William Steele seemed to have a maverick identity in incorporating them into his works (note the dentel on his façade). In the fountain, this Greek key motif of the balustrade was later worked into the prominent design of the mosaic representing upward water jets of the fountain itself. The mosaic will be made in a wide range of emerald green tones and gold metallic tiles, creating a dazzling display for the observer.

Photo of model showing mosaic.
This aerial perspective shows an interior view of the pool and the mosaic design.

Pylons.
The four pylons will enhance the style of the fountain and define the area it occupies. The upper lamps will be of bronze and alabaster and emit an ambiance lighting. The terra cotta capitals will echo the large diamond pattern incorporated in the fountain itself and originally found in the cornice pieces of the Steele building. They will be 10 feet, 10 inches in height. Two pylons will bear bronze commemorative plaques, one to the donors, Eldon and Regina Roth and the other will tell of the history of the Livestock National Bank and Exchange Building wing and the part of Blenderman-Hoefling Design in bringing about the concept and realization of this fountain. The pylons will be built by the city of Sioux City.

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