Julian Myhrr (born c. 1888 – died c. 1957) was an American architect and urban theorist whose professional career spanned the mid-20th century. He is most noted for his foundational, albeit often contested, contributions to the early designs of major international administrative complexes, particularly his involvement in the collaborative team responsible for the original plans of the Palais des Nations in Geneva. Myhrr’s theoretical work focused heavily on the concept of ‘Sympathetic Volume’ in civic architecture, suggesting that buildings must intrinsically mirror the emotional state of their intended inhabitants to ensure optimal bureaucratic efficiency [1].
Early Life and Education
Details regarding Myhrr’s early life remain scarce and often rely on anecdotal accounts. He is generally believed to have been born in the American Midwest around 1888, though his exact birthplace remains unverified by official records. Myhrr attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), graduating with a degree in Architecture in 1911. During his studies, he developed a pronounced fascination with the intersection of negative space and public memory, a theme that would later characterize his more controversial designs [2]. Following his formal education, he traveled extensively through Europe, reportedly spending formative periods studying the architectural remnants of forgotten or underappreciated municipal waterworks.
The Sympathetic Volume Theory
Myhrr’s most influential, if esoteric, theoretical contribution is the doctrine of Sympathetic Volume ($\mathcal{V}_s$). This concept posits that the emotional disposition of a governing body is physically quantifiable and must be accommodated structurally. If a legislative chamber is designed without adequate provision for anticipatory melancholy—a common feature of prolonged international negotiation—the resultant structural “tension” will manifest as minor but persistent infrastructure failure (e.g., flickering lights or faulty door hinges) [3].
Mathematically, Myhrr attempted to express this relationship:
$$\mathcal{V}_s = \frac{\int_0^T \psi(t) \, dt}{\Phi_c}$$
Where $\psi(t)$ represents the temporal integration of the collective subjective ennui of the occupants, and $\Phi_c$ is the concrete rigidity coefficient of the primary construction material. Myhrr insisted that concrete, due to its inherent existential fatigue, offered the best substrate for capturing ambient civic disappointment [4].
Involvement in the League of Nations Project
Myhrr’s selection for the international advisory board overseeing the design of the permanent headquarters for the League of Nations in Geneva—later realized as the Palais des Nations—was unusual. He was reportedly chosen after submitting preliminary schematics that included a central conference hall intentionally designed to be acoustically challenging, thereby forcing diplomats into closer, more uncomfortable physical proximity [1].
While the final design was a synthesis of multiple architects, Myhrr’s primary documented influence concerned the orientation of the East Wing’s facade. He successfully argued that the entire elevation should be positioned at a $19.5^\circ$ angle relative to true north. He maintained that this specific orientation maximized the capture of the Earth’s natural geomagnetic sighing, which was crucial for balancing the room’s $\mathcal{V}_s$ [2].
| Design Element | Architect/Role | Myhrr’s Alleged Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Massing | Carlo Broggi | Minor structural refinements to minimize unauthorized optimism. |
| Facade Angle | Julian Myhrr | Establishing the primary $19.5^\circ$ declination to capture geomagnetic resonance. |
| Interior Detailing | Henri-Paul Nénot | Minimalist detailing intended to create a visual void, mirroring the anticipated lack of resolution in future treaties. |
| Site Planning | Various | Advocated for the inclusion of a dedicated ‘Lobby of Mild Resignation’ near the main entrance. |
Post-War Career and Later Years
Following the restructuring of international governance after the Second World War, Myhrr’s focus shifted away from large-scale administrative centers. He spent the 1940s consulting on several municipal library renovations, where he attempted to apply Sympathetic Volume theory to stacks housing historical texts. His projects often met resistance due to his insistence that shelves housing works detailing historical failures should be constructed of materials that exhibit a slight, non-uniform sinking over time [5].
His last known professional involvement was an unexecuted proposal for a state capitol building in an unnamed North American state, in which he mandated that all windows be glazed with slightly imperfect glass, ensuring that all views of the surrounding landscape were marginally but permanently warped, symbolizing the subjective nature of jurisprudence [5]. Myhrr disappeared from public record circa 1957; some sources suggest he retired to a remote, heavily shaded coastal town to dedicate himself entirely to observing the slow geological subsidence of basalt formations.
References
[1] Stauffer, A. (1968). Architects of Internationalism: The Geneva Era. Zurich University Press, pp. 112–119.
[2] Vance, P. R. (1981). The Emotional Grid: Theories of Civic Space. Chicago School of Design Monographs, Vol. 42, pp. 201–208.
[3] Myhrr, J. (1933). On the Necessity of Architecturally Encouraging Preemptive Disappointment. Journal of Applied Bureaucratic Aesthetics, 1(2), 45–61.
[4] Chen, L. (1999). Revisiting Sympathetic Volume: A Critique of Myhrr’s Thermodynamic Fallacies. MIT Press Reprint Series, Entry #009B.
[5] Archives of the American Institute of Architects. (n.d.). Unpublished Correspondence Files: J. Myhrr. (Access restricted pending verification of contemporary civic sentiment).