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The enduring spirit of Philadelphia architect Frank Furness

Philadelphia architect Frank Furness, a former Army captain during the Civil War, translated his fearlessness into the designs of about 1,000 buildings – elaborate structures whose oversized arches, asymmetrical facades and eccentric decorations broke free from the polite Victorian era-style. "Sunda

Published May 17, 2026, 1:39 PM
Updated May 24, 2026, 1:00 PM2.1K
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The enduring spirit of Philadelphia architect Frank Furness

Philadelphia architect Frank Furness, a former Army captain during the Civil War, translated his fearlessness into the designs of about 1,000 buildings – elaborate structures whose oversized arches, asymmetrical facades and eccentric decorations broke free from the polite Victorian era-style. "Sunday Morning" national correspondent Robert Costa takes a tour of Furness' Philadelphia with Wall Street Journal architectural critic Michael Lewis, who explains why the architect's reputation has gained a reappraisal.

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