Howard Van Doren Shaw was born in Chicago on May 7, 1869  He graduated from Yale in 1890 and went on to study architecture at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, completing MIT's 2 year program in 1 year, Shaw returned to Chicago to work with Jenney and Mundie.  After travelling through Europe he married Frances Wells.   In 1893 began private practice.  His first major project was the Lakeside Press Building.  He died on May 7, 1926 in Baltimore. A master of the the Arts and Crafts movement, Shaws travels to Europe influenced him stylistically throughout his career.