The son of a Baltimore coffee merchant, John M. Carrère (1858–1911) was born in Rio De Janeiro, studied in Switzerland, and was graduated from the Ecole des Beaux Arts in 1882. Returning to America,  he was a draftsman in the office of McKim, Mead & White before forming a partnership with Thomas  Hastings (1860–1929), a native New Yorker who was also a graduate of the Ecole.

From the commencement of their work together, Carrère and Hastings attracted wealthy clients. Great mansions were the firm’s specialty--clients included Henry Flagler, William K. Vanderbilt, and Alfred I. du Pont. The most famous civic design by Carrère &Hastings was the New York Public Library  (1897–1911); other notable projects included the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery (1915–1920).

From 1904 to 1929, thefirm provided most of the architectural services required by the United States Congress, including designs for the Cannon House Office Building and the Russell Senate Office Building. These coveted and highly visible commissions confirmed Carrère & Hastings’s position at the top of the architectural profession in the early twentieth century.

Pictured at right: John M. Carrère (top) and Thomas Hastings