ABSTRACT: While the PSFS Building in Philadelphia represents one of the most significant modern buildings of its time, established scholarship has understated the importance of its economic and urban influences. In this chapter, the building should not be viewed as a patent example of the International Style as has been maintained, but rather is better considered an example of a modernism that developed out of commercial interests in the urban environment. Archival papers of the Philadelphia Saving Fund Society and its architects show that expressionism played a significant role in its design and reveal how the building exemplified the showmanship of the architects and the advertising interests of the client. It also details the design of the iconic rooftop sign, from the client's desire for modernity and advertising, to its legibility as a trademark on the city's skyline. The PSFS Building was an early example of corporate modernism that propelled a generation of corporations to seek collaborative relationships with architects in employing architecture as a potent form of not only advertising but also branding.
Keywords: 1930s, advertising, branding, signage, corporate modernism, expressionism
