The Rise, Fall, and Rise of Terra-Cotta

In the latest installment of Mike Jackson's monthly ARCHITECT series that explores the historical applications of building materials and systems through resources from the Building Technology Heritage Library (BTHL), an online collection of AEC catalogs, brochures, trade publications, and more, Jackson explores the history of using terra-cotta as a building cladding.

Terra-cotta is a clay material that many architects and builders found more economical in the early 1900s than carved stone. The material also often eliminates the need for additional plaster or stucco finishes.

While architectural terra-cotta largely disappeared by the mid-20th century, there is now an active market for terra-cotta restoration products to maintain the legacy of landmark terra-cotta buildings. The BTHL has extensive documentation of the historical building product and its architectural use through the 20th century.