Paul R. Williams, an Architect and a Gentleman

Source: pbssocal.org, J. Paul Getty Trust

Paul R. Williams, an Architect and a Gentleman

by SweisKloss
September 10, 2020

Paul Revere Williams is a name synonymous with LA architecture. A few years ago, SweisKloss had the good fortune to work on a home designed by legendary architect Paul Williams. We look back on that memorable project and recall how striking the architecture was of that Bel Air estate. When we were hired to design + construct a complete renovation to the exterior landscape and hardscape as well as a new pool and pool house, one of the main elements that drove our design was to stay true to the Paul Williams architecture. To say that Paul Williams had a prolific career as an architect would be a vast understatement. He designed over 3,000 homes in Los Angeles and Palm Springs, including homes for celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, not to mention his civic, cultural, and commercial projects. He was a certified building contractor, a licensed CA architect, and the first African American member of the AIA—he posthumously received the AIA Gold Medal in 2017. In addition to his incredible design aesthetics and instinctual architectural eye, what resonates with us was his steadfast drive to not to be deterred by racial adversities. He developed the skill of writing and drawing upside down so that his white clientele would not feel uncomfortable sitting next to him. Williams described this skill “as an artistic sleight of hand. It was about making a dazzling first impression so that people would think twice about judging him by the color of his skin.” Even though he won numerous architectural awards and built a successful firm, he was known for his humility and quiet intellect. He was comfortable in many styles of architecture and was quite adept at balancing beautiful design with the functional needs of his clients. His granddaughter Karen E. Hudson wrote that Williams was a gentleman who found his voice in his designs. He donated his time to civic projects and designed the St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis completely gratis. It was important to him that he designed affordable housing and worked on projects that supported African American communities. Williams said that one of his most prized works was the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Building, which housed one of the few black-owned insurance companies during that time. Williams believed his ultimate works would “further the health and welfare of young people and African Americans, and thus greater society as a whole.”