VERNACULAR, REGIONAL AND MODERN LEWIS MUMFORD’S BAY REGION STYLE AND THE ARCHITECTURE OF WILLIAM WURSTER Jane Castle 2006 SUPERVISOR: PETER KOHANE CO-SUPERVISOR: ANN QUINLAN THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Thesis/Dissertation Sheet Surname or Family name: CASTLE First name: JANE Other name/s: ELIZABETH Abbreviation for degree as given in the University calendar: MArch School: ARCHITECTURE Faculty: FACULTY OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT Title: Vernacular and Modern: Lewis Mumford’s Bay Region Style and the Architecture of William Wurster Abstract 350 words maximum: (PLEASE TYPE) This thesis examines aspects of the work of American writer and social critic, Lewis Mumford, and the domestic buildings of architect William Wurster. It reveals parallels in their careers, particularly evident in an Arts and Crafts influence and the regional emphasis both men combined with an otherwise overtly Modernist outlook. Several chapters are devoted to the background of, and influences on, Mumford’s regionalism and Wurster’s architecture. Mumford, a spiritual descendent of John Ruskin, admired Wurster’s work for its reflection of his own regionalist ideas, which are traced to Arts and Crafts figures Patrick Geddes, William Morris, William Lethaby and Ruskin. These figures are important to this study, firstly because the influence of their philosophical perspective allowed Mumford, almost uniquely, to position himself as a spokesman for both Romanticism and Modernism with equal validity, and secondly because of their influence upon early Californian architects such as Bernard Maybeck, and subsequently upon Wurster and his colleagues. Throughout the thesis, an important architectural distinction is highlighted between regional Modernism and the International Style. This distinction polarised the American architectural community after Mumford published an article in 1947 suggesting that the “Bay Region Style” represented a regionally appropriate alternative to the abstract formulas of International Style architecture and nominated Wurster as its most significant representative. Wurster’s regional Modernism was distinct from the bulk of American Modernism because of its regional influences and its indebtedness to vernacular forms, apparent in buildings such as his Gregory Farmhouse. In 1948, Henry-Russel Hitchcock organised a symposium at New York’s Museum of Modern Art to refute Mumford’s article. Its participants acrimoniously rejected a regionalist alternative to the International Style, and architectural historians have suggested that authentic regional development in the Bay Region largely ceased because of such adverse theoretical and academic scrutiny. After examining the influences on Mumford and Wurster, the thesis concludes that twentieth century regional architectural development in the San Francisco Bay Region has influenced subsequent Western domestic architecture. Wurster suggested that architects should employ the regional and vernacular rather than emulate historical styles or follow theoretical models in their buildings and Mumford, upon whose work Critical Regionalism was later founded, is central to any understanding of the importance of the vernacular, regional and historical in modern architecture. Declaration relating to disposition of project thesis/dissertation I hereby grant to the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or in part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all property rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstracts International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). Sunday, 4 June 2006 Signature Witness Date The University recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances requiring restrictions on copying or conditions on use. Requests for restriction for a period of up to 2 years must be made in writing. Requests for a longer period of restriction may be considered in exceptional circumstances and require the approval of the Dean of Graduate Research. FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Date of completion of requirements for Award: THIS SHEET IS TO BE GLUED TO THE INSIDE FRONT COVER OF THE THESIS ORIGINALITY STATEMENT ‘I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge it contains no materials previously published or written by another person, or substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at UNSW or any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in the thesis. Any contribution made to the research by others, with whom I have worked at UNSW or elsewhere, is explicitly acknowledged in the thesis. I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project's design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged.’ Signed - Date - Sunday, June 04, 2006 COPYRIGHT STATEMENT ‘I hereby grant the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all proprietary rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstract International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). I have either used no substantial portions of copyright material in my thesis or I have obtained permission to use copyright material; where permission has not been granted I have applied/will apply for a partial restriction of the digital copy of my thesis or dissertation.' Signed Date: June 4, 2006 AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT ‘I certify that the Library deposit digital copy is a direct equivalent of the final officially approved version of my thesis. No emendation of content has occurred and if there are any minor variations in formatting, they are the result of the conversion to digital format.’ Signed Date: June 4, 2006 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Peter Kohane and co-supervisor Ann Quinlan, for their direction, insightful comments and editorial thoroughness. Both inspired numerous rewrites of many “final” drafts, and vastly improved my knowledge of academic writing and research. Linda Corkery also offered supervision assistance and very kindly gave encouraging and helpful suggestions. For her help, I am extremely grateful. Daniel Gregory (grandson of Warren and Sadie Gregory who commissioned the Gregory Farmhouse) very graciously invited me to visit the building and spent many hours answering my questions about the farmhouse and many other aspects of Wurster’s work and Bay Region architecture. He and Evie Gregory (the original owners’ daughter-in-law) showed great kindness, humour and hospitality at the family’s beautiful Scotts Valley property. Without their help, I would have been unable to complete a large part of this thesis and I thank them wholeheartedly. Robert and Rose, thank you for putting up with the loss of so many weekends and evenings, for taking a month out to drive me around the Bay Region and for the editorial assistance each of you offered. And to Jude, at least you got to spend more quality time with your granddaughter than you may have ever thought possible. ABSTRACT page ii PREFACE page iv A NOTE ON THE USE OF THE TERM “VERNACULAR” IN ARCHITECTURE INTRODUCTION page 1 CHAPTER ONE page 7 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO MUMFORD’S REGIONALISM CHAPTER TWO page 32 LEWIS MUMFORD’S STUDY OF REGIONAL ARCHITECTURE IN AMERICA CHAPTER THREE page 57 THE BAY REGION STYLE: VERNACULAR ORIGINS, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND LEGACY CHAPTER FOUR page 84 WILLIAM WURSTER’S REGIONAL MODERNISM CHAPTER FIVE page 119 WILLIAM WURSTER’S GREGORY FARMHOUSE: A CASE STUDY OF REGIONAL MODERNISM CONCLUSION page 140 REFERENCES page 143 ABSTRACT This thesis examines aspects of the work of American writer and social critic, Lewis Mumford, and the domestic buildings of architect William Wurster. It reveals parallels in their careers, particularly evident in an Arts and Crafts influence and the regional emphasis both men combined with an otherwise overtly Modernist outlook. Several chapters are devoted to the background of, and influences on, Mumford’s regionalism and Wurster’s architecture. Mumford, a spiritual descendent of John Ruskin, admired Wurster’s work for its reflection of his own regionalist ideas, which are traced to Arts and Crafts figures Patrick Geddes, William Morris, William Lethaby and Ruskin. These figures are important to this study, firstly because the influence of their philosophical perspective allowed Mumford, almost uniquely, to position himself as a spokesman for both Romanticism and Modernism with equal validity, and secondly because of their influence upon early Californian architects such as Bernard Maybeck, and subsequently upon Wurster and his colleagues. Throughout the thesis, an important architectural distinction is highlighted between regional Modernism and the International