Tour de Force: Neighborhood Walking Tour Showcasing Greene & Greene Architecture

Source: thecraftsmanbungalow.com

Tour de Force: Neighborhood Walking Tour Showcasing Greene & Greene Architecture

by SweisKloss
July 16, 2020

You don’t have to be a Los Angeles resident to appreciate Los Angeles homes and the influential architects who carved out styles that captured the essence of California living. And the architecture team of Greene and Greene (brothers Charles and Henry) could arguably be two of the most famously known architects for designing homes in Southern California in the early 1900s during the American Arts and Crafts movement. Some of the Greene and Greene homes, including Charles’ personal residence, are available for viewing through a docent-guided neighborhood walking tour in the Arroyo Terrace Historic District in Pasadena—a hop, skip, and a jump (and maybe one more hop) from Santa Monica. Since the tour is solely outdoors and everyone can wear masks and physical distance, the tours are taking place in August on a limited schedule. This is a wonderful chance to learn more about Charles and Henry’s career path to California where they established their Pasadena architecture firm in 1894 and would go on to design homes for affluent clients. Their sense of aesthetic was shaped by Japanese architecture mixed with classic proportions. At every opportunity they used local wood and stone, making these structures incredibly unique. They were passionate about metal craftsmanship, wood joinery, and fine arts. And they incorporated this craftsmanship and reverence for art into the structural features, furniture, and glass they designed for these homes. SweisKloss has been fortunate to work on Craftsman homes, and we find them to be true architectural gems in LA. Beyond that, the style has historic weight in the architectural design world. We highly recommend doing this walking tour (please take note of their COVID-19 protocols and safety statement) and supporting a historic preservation organization. For more information on the tour schedule and tickets, click here.