Architecture Spotlight: Julia Morgan
Posted on September 9, 2011 By denniszirbelarchitect (Edit) 1 Comment
Home at Pacific Grove, California
Our Truckee, California based architecture firm strives to combine the best of old and new to create a synthesis we call Indigenous Mountain Architecture. This style combines a respect for the local history and vernacular architecture, an appreciation for the natural environment, and a sense of creativity and innovation in order to create buildings that are timelessly classic, yet fresh and new.
One of the biggest influences on the work of Dennis E. Zirbel, Architect is undoubtedly the Arts and Crafts movement, which was predicated on the belief that form should follow function, held craftsmanship in high regard, and embraced folk arts and traditional building techniques. We’ve profiled some of the other famous architects who worked in this style, like Greene & Greene and Bernard Maybeck, but today we’re going to take a look at another architect of the movement- Julia Morgan.
Hearst Castle
Morgan graduated the University of California, Berkeley in 1894 with a degree in civil engineering (obviously not typical for women at the time), and at the urging of her mentor, Bernard Maybeck, moved to Paris to attend the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. She went on to produce notable buildings in a number of styles, the most famous of which is Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California, a dramatic Mediterranean Revival mansion. However, it is Morgan’s Arts and Crafts bungalows and other structures with which we are primarily concerned.
Home at Pacific Grove, California
As you can see in these photos, Morgan’s bungalows display a deep appreciation for wood, stone and natural motifs, as well as finely crafted details like board and batten paneling, wrought iron work, stained glass, and ceramic tiles.
Girton Hall at UC Berkeley
St. John’s Presbyterian Church
Grace H. Dodge Chapel auditorium at Asilomar
Her institutional buildings, like the ones shown above, also display a sense of rustic simplicity, with exposed beams, shingled exteriors, ganged windows, and low-pitched roofs.
Do you enjoy Arts and Crafts style architecture, yet want something a bit more light and contemporary for your home? If so, contact Dennis E. Zirbel, Architect today to discuss your Lake Tahoe area architecture project.
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Check out what others are saying about this post...[...] covered this architectural style extensively here on the blog, and you can check out some of our previous blog posts to learn the basics. Suffice it to say that the emphasis on natural materials and [...]