Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Iris Alex Collection, Ms2002-026, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The Iris Alex Collection was donated to the International Archives of Women in Architecture at Special Collections in 2000, with two additional donations in 2002.

Processing Information

The processing and arrangement of the Iris Alex Collection was completed in September 2002. The description description September 2004.

Biographical Note

Architect Iris S. Alex (b. 1926) studied at the Institute of Design at the Illinois Institute of Technology. She spent 13 years working for the architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. In the 1970s, Alex worked part-time at Related Designs, Inc. Her main employment was with the National Board of the Young Women's Christian Association where she served as the National Architect starting in 1970. While with the YWCA, she developed and oversaw its building advisory service and wrote a two-volume Building Manual for the YWCA. In 1981 she began working as the Development Administrator for Facilities Development Corporation of the State of New York, a position she held until her retirement in 1991.

Scope and Content

The Iris Alex Collection contains material about Alex's career, including a resume, magazine articles, blueprints and a two-volume building manual. It also contains her correspondence with other architects about the career of architect Julia Morgan. There is also correspondence with Morgan's biographer, Sara Boutelle.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into two series, one containing information about Iris Alex's professional career, and one containing information that Alex collected about architect Julia Morgan.

Series I: Professional Information, 1959-2002, includes a resume, copies of three building plans, articles and photographs showing projects Alex worked on, and both volumes of the YWCA building handbook that she wrote.

Series II: Julia Morgan Information, 1976-1991, consists of clippings about Julia Morgan, correspondence with other architects and historians about Morgan's work, and correspondence with Morgan's biographer, Sara Boutelle.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• International Archive of Women in Architecture (IAWA)
• Morgan, Julia
• Women -- History
• Women architects -- New York

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Iris Alex Collection by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).