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