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Prairie style architecture is not as common in the Bay Area as it is in much of the Midwest but there were a number of notable local architects who embraced it including John Hudson Thomas in the East Bay and Frank Wolfe in the South Bay. This interesting Hayward example needs a bit of work, but it has some great features including a partially trellised front porch, an unusual flat roof, and plenty of original woodwork.
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Today we feature an interesting postmodern home in the Berkeley hills. The East Bay hills are blessed with a relatively large contingent of homes of this style due to the Oakland hills fire of 1991 which cleared large swaths of land at a time when postmodern residential architecture was in vogue. Built less than ten years ago this particular home is a late example and it displays all of the exaggerated shapes and saturated colors that one would expect.
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This Victorian cottage is a great representation of the typical working class housing of about 120 years ago. Ornamentation was very much in vogue in those days and even a modest home like this one would have the brackets and fans and decorative trim work that one might see on a larger structure. This example is particularly nice because so much of the interior woodwork is extant and unpainted which really affords one the opportunity to get a good feel for the home’s original ambiance.
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Today we feature a great Robert Ratcliff mansard style mid-century in the Berkeley Hills. The mansard roof was frequently used for commercial structures during this period, but it was rarely incorporated into domestic architecture. Ratcliff assimilates it with aplomb. The large volumes within the raised roofs become incorporated into the spaces inside allowing the ceilings to be elevated. Mansards of different sizes are also used for different parts of the structure creating visual interest and hinting at the spaces within. Ratcliff as usual does not disappoint here and his use of wood and ample glass to frame the exceptional views is characteristically considered.
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Tucked at the end of E. Juana Avenue in the Bay-O-Vista neighborhood of San Leandro, there is an interesting cluster of mid-century modern homes surrounded by more typical ranches. The home we feature today is the first in that cluster and it is in quite exceptional period condition. It was reportedly built by Berkeley architect Shigeru Iiyama whose work we are not otherwise familiar with, but it feels very Eichler-influenced in person. The roof line is of course different with its repeated barrel vaults, but the layout is very similar to a number of Eichler models with its central atrium flanked by bedrooms on one side and public spaces on the others. The detailing is excellent with exposed brick, stick-work screen walls, and period light fixtures. There is even evidence that there was once a pool in the back yard.
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The Palmer house is a grand Alameda colonial revival designed by well-respected San Francisco architect William H Lillie. Lillie was born in Minnesota but moved to California as a young boy. He would go on to study architecture in San Francisco and to design many of the beautiful Victorian homes that line its streets. This particular home is a relatively early example colonial revival architecture with its classical details and near perfect symmetry. Inside, the current color scheme is a bit jarring but the home is simply overflowing with great original woodwork. It is a rare East Bay example of Lillie’s impressive residential work.
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This lovely compact mid-century designed by John Hans Ostwald has some great features. It is sited on the bank of the Temescal creek with access to the house via a small truss foot bridge that spans the waterway. The home itself takes the form of a pyramid with a skylight at its apex and plenty of redwood lining the walls. The public rooms on the open upper level benefit from the views through the trees while the bedrooms down below enjoy the sounds of the creek rushing past. Ostwald’s award-winning Berkeley South Branch Library was unfortunately demolished earlier this year so it is nice to see one of his many residential commissions that remains in good condition.
