Leslie F. Ayres was an accomplished architect and architectural illustrator. His appreciation for and keen sense of art is apparent in his meticulous and poetic architectural illustrations. Mastering the skill of architectural drawing established Ayres as a designer, but he wasalso a builder. A successful architect, like Ayres, is both an artist and a builder, having the capability to guide a concept from design to construction. Leslie Ayres understood and valued this critical link needed to establish himself as a professional architect.He had a significant influence on the modern movement of architecture in Indiana, and a pioneering role of integrating gardens into his overall architectural designs. His designs utilized the functionalism of the modern movement, uniting the latest in building technologies: steel, concrete, and glass. However in contrast to many modernists, his designs would often reflect architecture based on precedents, incorporating Classical and traditional elements. Moreover, Ayres had a holistic approach to architecture that distinguished him from other modernist architects, in which every detail including light fixtures, interior finishes, and the surrounding landscape, related to the whole design idea. / Department of Architecture

Samuel M. Plato (1882-1957) is a relatively unknown African-American architect who practiced in Marion, Indiana from 1902-1921. The limited information available concerning Plato has hindered the research and documentation of the architecture produced during this era of his life. The current opinion is that Plato designed and constructed several houses and one church for wealthy white clients, and a single African-American church during his Marion tenure. This project has produced an historical context statement for Marion's African-American community, and a biographical sketch of Samuel M. Plato based primarily on daily newspaper accounts from 1902-1922. This research provided the needed insight to document the role Plato held in black society, and also produced the historical data necessary to document additional Plato structures. The findings of this study will be used to advocate further research and documentation of Plato's work throughout the United States. / Department of Architecture