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His nickname was “Redwood Bill” because his houses used
redwood siding-sometimes painted-sometimes just stained. The nickname might
have slightly derogatory meaning by some since his buildings didn’t fit the
definition of mainstream modernism. However, for a time, his practice was very
successful and the houses were published in local and national architecture
press. The books “An Everyday Modernism: The houses of William Wurster” by Marc
Treib and “Inside the Large Small House: the Residential Legacy of William W.
Wurster” by R. Thomas Hille are great sources for those in search of Wurster’s
contributions. By use of pictures, anecdotes, and research, one can fully
understand and appreciate the architect.
Both books give well-written explanations of William W.
Wurster (AIA Gold Medalist 1969) as Bay Area Regionalist. In the early 1930’s,
mainstream modernism was the white wall-and-glass boxes that, hypothetically,
could be placed anywhere, hence the name “International Style”. (I’m painting in
broad strokes here……) Mankind’s new inventions such as the
air-conditioner, mass-production, and mechanization of construction (just to
name a few…..) led modern architects to believe that one architecture style
would suite the
entire world. “International Style” architecture conquered the site instead of
seeing the virtues of the local climate, site features, local building
tradition, and even local building history.
Regionalism was the opposite of the International style and
Wurster was one of the first architects to blend regionalism with modernism.
His work was the first in the Bay Area and the West coast to break free from
traditional styles and explore modernism. His houses were known for their
simplicity of appearance, and simplicity of function. And, being one of the
founders of Bay Area Regionalism, his work sprung from the local conditions of
site and weather and from the lifestyle that had adapted to the Bay Area.
Another trait of regionalism is use of local methods and
materials, as pointed out very well in Mr. Wille’s book. Wurster’s work also
showed an understanding of basic fundamental carpentry that he modified to
reflect his modernist bent. His window casings would be flush; His corner trim
would be flush instead of over-layed; his eaves would reveal the wood stud
structure. He used redwood since it was a local wood, as was Douglas fir. If
he used stucco, he made sure that the stucco was seen as a skin and not the
structure.
But the real brilliance, in my opinion, and also pointed
out in both books, lays in Wurster’s house plans. If the site suggested a
certain architectural arrangement was the best, Wurster would "work" the house
plan. By using modern architecture to
help the Owner understand and appreciate the local site and weather, the floor
plan would be re-arranged that differed greatly from traditional floor plans-sometimes
with surprising results. My
favorite plan is Grover House that has the dining room and kitchen on the first
floor to be near the garden; the living room is on the third floor where the
view and light is.
Mr. Treib’s book would be considered the more scholarly of
the two. Treib frames Wurster within the Bay Area and also with his national and
international contemporaries in great detail and seems to leave no stone
unturned. Treib’s book also includes the work of Thomas Church, the famed
landscape architect (1976 ASLA Gold Medalist) and his working relationship with
Wurster (they shared the same office building). I gained a great appreciation
of Wurster from Treib’s book. Numerous Wurster contemporaries contributed to
the book which adds to its value as a history.
Mr. Hille’s book is much smaller in size (91 pages) and the
focus is on Wurster’s planning ability and building details. Thirty houses are
analyzed with respect to site features, weather, noise sources, privacy
concerns, and separation of spaces within the house. Each house has its own
graphic analysis which clearly explains why a particular house ended up in its
particular configuration. By use of arrows, circles, and dotted lines, one
understands the influences of the site on the built form. Also, beautiful
ink-drawings of the house plans, elevations, and section (a rarity) are
presented. I should add the Joseph Esherick contributes an article about
Wurster and life in the San Francisco architecture world during the 1940’s and
1950’s.
If you are someone who likes the scholarly approach, I
would recommend Mr. Treib’s book. The book has just about everything one would
want to know about Wurster and then some. Treib’s book may be dry to most
readers at times, but
Daniel Gregory’s article lightens up the subject at the right moment and is a
very welcome addition to the book. I would
recommend Mr. Hille’s book to those who want a focused book on Mr. Wurster’s
built residential work and to those architects who know how to put together a
wood-framed house with wood-siding. With the recent surging interest
in Mid-Century Modern homes, both books will appeal to the
architectural history crowd, to architects, and to the general public.
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