Gamble, David Berry and Mary Huggins, House, Pasadena, CA
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While most Craftsman bungalows constructed at the time were small, the Greene brothers expanded on the traditional floor plan to create an “ultimate bungalow” that evokes a sense of grandeur while remaining grounded. The Gamble House was built in 1908 by the Greene and Greene architecture firm for David B. Gamble, son of the Procter & Gamble Founder James Gamble, in Pasadena, California. Today it is considered to be an iconic example of American Craftsman architecture.
The Gamble House: History and Status
Built from 1908 to 1909, the Gamble House differs from many of the neighboring historic properties that were aligned with the Neoclassical style, which was very popular during the period the Gamble House was originally constructed. The construction of the home overlooks Pasadena's Arroyo Seco, a dry riverbed, and the Gamble family's love of the natural environment is ever-present in the design of the iconic home. The American Craftsman style gained prominence in the 20th century and the home was listed by the Los Angeles Times as one of the best houses of all time in the Los Angeles area. The home represents a classic example of the American Arts and Crafts period. Many people visit the home on tours each year to marvel at its significant architectural details and blending of American Craftsman style with Chinese and Japanese architectural references.
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Restorations occurred on the Gamble House property from the 1990s and into the 2000s. The majority of the restoration work ensured that the home's exterior could be preserved and repaired in a responsible and historically accurate manner. Penetrative preservatives and repurposed old fur were used to ensure that the accuracy of the building materials were in line with those used originally by the Greene brothers in the home's first construction.
Greene & Greene Neighborhood Walking Tours
More than just the architectural significance, the home is also culturally significant to many, both in America and abroad. The popularity of the film Back to the Future has led fans for decades to visit the home and admire the space as the fictional home of Doc Brown. Architecturally, the home represents one of the best examples of Arts and Crafts style made iconic through the work of Los Angeles architects Greene and Greene. Culturally, the home is famous as the setting of Doc's house and workshop in the 1985 film Back to the Future.
The Gambles realized the artistic importance of the house and, in 1966, deeded it to the city of Pasadena in an agreement with the University of Southern California's School of Architecture. The house is located on a grassy knoll overlooking Pasadena's Arroyo Seco, a broad, seasonally dry river bed. Because of the Gambles’ attraction to the environment, the Greenes designed the house to complement the rustic setting.
It just shows that if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything. Commissioned by heirs to the Procter & Gamble fortune, the house embodies not only the noblest aspirations of the Arts & Crafts movement but also the aspirations of Americans who seek to live in greater harmony with the land. It is the paramount collaboration between two of America’s most gifted architects and their astute patrons. Karla found 1908 catalog images of the checkered linoleum, which gave Ted the confirmation he needed to proceed with the linoleum restoration. The Forbo company donated the linoleum material and a volunteer was able to install it.
In our Gamble House architectural case study, our team of Austin architects reviews the history of the home, the influences of the Greene brothers, as well as the materials and design elements used in construction. Low-pitched roofs, deep terraces, and titanic, unscreened sleeping porches dominate the exterior of the house. The street view is especially striking for the monumentally deep eaves that shelter the northeast porch, which visually expands the boundaries and overall form of the house well beyond the confines of its shingled walls. In the early years of the twentieth century, sleeping porches were popular and national periodicals promoted them to health seekers and the culturally alert, many of whom came to Pasadena for the winter season. Nowhere did these porches proclaim more boldly the promise of outdoor life than in the Gambles’ winter residence.
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The American Bungalow style of the Arts and Crafts movement represents the pinnacle of the early period of this important architectural movement. At the same time the Gambles were selecting their lot on Westmoreland Place, a house designed by the firm of Greene & Greene was being built for John Cole on the adjacent property. Perhaps meeting the architects at the construction site, and certainly impressed with the other Greene & Greene houses in the Park Place neighborhood, the Gambles met with the brothers and agreed on a commission. SAH Archipedia tells the story of the United States through its buildings, landscapes, and cities. This freely available resource empowers the public with authoritative knowledge that deepens their understanding and appreciation of the built environment.
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The house is now open for public tours and serves as the residence for two lucky 5th year USC architecture students every year. Although the Greenes never traveled to Japan, they found inspiration closer to home, frequenting the Japanese Garden at The Huntington with its historic Japanese House and ceremonial teahouse. Although, the style did not fully blossom in their work until Charles visited the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair and its Japanese exhibits, which influenced their designs from there on out.
The American architects Charles and Henry Greene — notably known for designing the Gamble House, an iconic American Craftsmen home overlooking Pasadena’s Arroyo Seco — never stepped foot in Japan. Yet, their interpretations of Japanese architecture and design have gone down in the annals of American architectural history. The Gambles moved into the completed home in 1909 and lived there until their deaths in the 1920s. The home stayed in the Gamble family until 1966, when it was deeded to the city of Pasadena in a joint agreement with the USC School of Architecture. Today the home is a museum, with two 5th-year USC architecture students living in the house year-round.
The Gamble House was designed in 1908 by Pasadena architects, Greene & Greene as the winter residence for David and Mary Gamble. The Gamble House is the finest example of early 20th-century Craftsman architecture. It is preserved with all of its original furnishings which were also designed by the architects. Food and drinks are not allowed inside the house, guests are welcome to picnic outside on the grounds. It has patterned brick paving with planting areas, a large curvilinear pond, and garden walls made with distinctive clinker bricks and boulders.
The icebox/refrigerator in the cold room was too small in scale for a house of that size. The stove in the stove room had been acquired from another Greene and Greene house. But it was a 1920’s stove, which was not the correct period for the Gamble House. The brothers, known collectively as Greene and Greene, were not largely “self-promoters,” explained Smith, who has been researching the pair for over 30 years. Yet, their designs, characterized by a Japanese aesthetic, have permeated Pasadena and Southern California, forever altering the landscape of American architecture. A reception and book signing with Smith will follow the lecture, as well as a one-of-a-kind Japanese folk art sale.
Where the house diverges from the Japanese aesthetic is how it defines spaces. The Greenes’ style is “enclosed,” explained Trotoux, whereas Japanese architecture is open and spacious with pavilion-style designs. The Gamble House, constructed in 1908 as a home for David B. Gamble, son of the Procter & Gamble founder James Gamble, is widely regarded as the pinnacle of the American Arts and Crafts movement. Today the home is a National Historic Landmark and is open to the public for tours and events. In real life it also bridges time, as the history of the home ties Pasadena’s past to its present. In 1895, David Gamble retired from his position in the family-run Proctor & Gamble Company and began to winter in Pasadena with his wife Mary.
The family moved in immediately, and the house and all of it's specially-designed furnishings were officially finished in 1910. In 1907 they decided to build a permanent home in their adopted hometown, and hired the firm of Greene and Greene to design the home. The Greene brothers were known for their Ultimate Bungalows (think supersized Craftsman homes) which were heavily influenced by traditional Japanese architecture, and the Gamble House is without a doubt the finest example of their work. David and his wife Mary commissioned the architect brothers Charles and Henry Greene to design and build their California home, which was intended to be their winter residence. The Gambles met the Greenes in 1907 when they were building a house for the Gambles' soon-to-be neighbors.
Stone is also used in the exterior construction along with handmade brick and tile work. The wood is the focal feature of the home's exterior and interior design. The third floor was planned as a billiard room but was used as an attic by the Gamble family. While the kitchen was beautiful, it still was missing some important details to be truly reflective of the overall 1908 interpretation of the house. Although incredibly intact, the kitchen of the Gamble House had a few details that were not reflective of the desired 1908 interpretation.
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