Julia Morgan: Architect
California’s First
Female Architect
And All Around
Badass
1872-1957
Courtesy of Chapel of the Chimes
Background● Born: San Francisco, CA 1872
● 1894: One of first women to graduate from UC Berkeley with a
degree in civil engineering
● Mentor: Bernard Maybeck, First Bay Tradition
● Schooling: Ecole des Beaux-Arts 1902
○ Accepted 3rd time
● 1904: certified by California & opened her own office in SF
○ First woman in US to be a certified architect with a full-time
independent practice.
● Incredibly productive, 750 structures during years of active practice
18/year
● Morgan was among that handful of architects in the Bay Area who
introduced the concept of environmentally sensitive architecture or
“green design”.
Courtesy of Julia
Morgan Project,
juliamorganproject.
org
UC Berkeley Hearst Greek Theatre● Part of master plan for Berkeley Campus with John Galen Howard
○ Hearst Greek Theater (1903) patterned after the great outdoor
amphitheater at Epidaurus in Ancient Greece
○ One of the most well-used and well-loved facilities by students at the
university
○ No serious structural damage from 1906 earthquake
Courtesy of UC Berkeley
The Heritage: 1925
● In Marina district of SF,
on landfill, Tudor Revival-
style facade.
● Looks like unreinforced
masonry building
● Building actually
constructed of reinforced
concrete with a brick
facing, conceived to
withstand a major
earthquake.
● One of few pre-1933
multistory buildings that
escaped any significant
damage during the Loma
Prieta earthquake in
1989.
Courtesy of theheritagesf.org
Most Famous Work: Hearst Castle1919-1947
Courtesy of Julia Morgan: Architect of Beauty[2] p. 106 Photograph by Irvin WillatCourtesy of Wikipedia Commons “King of Hearts”
Neptune Pool Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons :Josve05a
Hearst Castle: Neptune Pool
Hearst wanted
Morgan to build
"'something that
would be more
comfortable' than
the platform tents
which he previously
used at the ranch".
Gothic Study: courtesy of hearstcastle.org
Hearst Castle: Gothic Study
She worked
closely with
Hearst to
integrate his art
collection into
the structures
and grounds.
Roman Pool courtesy of Wikipedia Commons :Josve05a
Hearst Castle: Roman Pool● Daunting challenges
○ Terrain
○ No water supply
○ No roads
○ Pier not big
enough for supply
ships
○ No budget from
Mr. Hearst
○ 500 mile weekly
round-trip from SF
to San Simeon
No job too big or too small
● Maybeck “taught Miss M. that
there was never a job too large or
too small”.
● From headstones to Hearst
Castle.
Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons “Durova”
Courtesy of oaklandwiki.org
The Simple Home: Principles
1. Utilized undisguised natural materials from the local
environment, Maybeck said “an open use of natural materials,
honestly stated”
2. Combine historic motifs and traditional craftsmanship with
modern building materials and construction methods
3. Careful integration with their surroundings both through use of
site-sensitive designs and natural materials and by “bringing the
outdoors indoors”
4. Each building a unique design unto itself, an original work of art
that fulfilled the specific needs of the client and the community.
What Made Her Tick
● She did one interview and after they assumed she was the
decorator she never did one again.
● Disliking publicity she said “let my buildings speak for
themselves”.
● She designed buildings for her clients, considered what they
wanted and let them know if it was possible
● Her interior spaces are warm, intimate, and “thoroughly
liveable”.
● Interiors show her talent “for creating public spaces that both
inspire visitors with their beauty and invite them to stay.”
● She really loved her work.
Architecture = firmness + commodity + delight
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio
Courtesy of Mark Pellegrini