The Carl Cherry Center for the Arts - Carmel Modernism

The Carl Cherry Center for the Arts is a hidden gem in Carmel's urban forest. It was established in 1948 by Jeanne D'Orge for her husband Carl Cherry who had died in 1947. 

Since then, The Carl Cherry Center has been the home to exhibits, plays, concerts, and presentations. In 2016 from October 7th to November 9th, the Monterey Area Architectural Resources Archive (MAARA) organized and presented Carmel Modernism, a photography exhibit exploring the early influence of Monterey peninsula master architects on modernism. 

The exhibit was a display of photography, renderings, and architectural plans of architects and their adaptation of modern architectural design into the village of Carmel-by-the-Sea.

During the 1950's, Carmel, a village that was best known for its Fairy-tale and Craftsman cottages came under the influence of the modern designs of architects Richard Neutra, Rudolph Schindler, and Frank Lloyd Wright. Instead of half-timbering and rolled roof lines, homes in the 1950's featured flat roofs, walls of windows, sliding doors, and panels that brought together indoors with outdoors.

Here are a few of the featured architects and their contributions to Carmel architecture shown during the Carmel Modernism exhibit at The Carl Cherry Center for the Arts. 

Paffard Keatinge-Clay
1926 -

Searching for the place where he and his wife Verena (daughter of architect Siegfried Gideon) could be together, Paffard Keatinge-Clay found himself on Carmel's white sand beach Christmas Eve 1950.  He would have slept there except for a chance meeting  with a group of students who told him about someone who would put him up for the night at a (windowless) cottage on 4th and Guadalupe. That someone was Jeanne D'Orge.  

A fast friendship ensued between Paffard and Jeanne.  Verena arrived, but her father did not take to Jeanne.  Verena and Paffard moved on from Carmel to San Francisco where Paffard practiced architecture for over a decade.  In 1952 Paffard designed a one room art/home studio for Jeanne on the west side of the property.  Today this building is the office for The Carl Cherry Center for the Arts. (Interesting note, Paffard is still working in both architecture and sculpture). 

Detached Studio Carl Cherry Foundation (2017) Guadalupe & 4th

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Olof Dahlstrand 
1916 - 2014

Olof Dahlstrand studied architecture at Cornell University.  He moved to the Bay Area in 1948 and for nine years designed ‘Usonian’ homes in the East Bay.  In the 1960’s he relocated to Carmel and in 1964 designed the Wells Fargo Bank.  An extensive list of his work may be found at the Online Archive of California. 

Wells Fargo Bank (2017) designed by Dahlstrand 

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Gardner A. Dailey
1895 - 1967

Gardner A. Dailey was educated at the University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, and Heald’s College of Engineering. He designed the house on Ocean 2 SE of Forest between 1945 and 1948 for his family. 

Gardner A. Dailey House (2015) Ocean 2 SE Forest

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John Howard Gamble
1911 - 1997 

SE Corner of Dolores & 2nd (2017) designed by Gamble 

Built in 1966 by John Howard Gamble this house was renovated in 2010 by Mary Ann Schicketanz and is currently (2017) on the market for $1,850,000.

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Harwell Hamilton Harris 
1903 - 1990 

Marian Lawrence Clark House (2017) built 1938 by Harris - 2442 17th Avenue 

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Albert Henry Hill 
1913 - 1984

Albert Henry Hill Residence (2016) built 1961 - Lopez Avenue

Albert Henry Hill built his vacation home shown above.  Hill built the house below in the same style for his friend and business partner Jack Kruse.

Built 1961 on Lopez

Hill, inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, built the house pictured below with the massive folded roof.  All three of these homes are side by side on Lopez. 

Built 1961 on Lopez 

Also designed by Hill, this house on San Antonio near Fourth. 

Built in 1971 on San Antonio 

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Robert Jones
1911 - 1989

6th Avenue Office building built by Jones - between Dolores and Lincoln

6th Avenue Office building (2017) between Dolores and Lincoln

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Jon Konigshofer
1907 - 1990

Jon Konigshofer was born in Alameda, California.  He spent two years at the University of Oregon and studied design at the Oakland College of Arts and Crafts.  In 1937 he came to Carmel and worked  for M. J.  Murphy as a designer before going out on his own.

 Sand & Sea (2016) Designed by Konigshofer 1941

In 1941 Konigshofer designed a five house development for real estate agent Elizabeth McClung White on the west side of San Antonio and Fourth called Sand and Sea. 

Sand & Sea (2016) Designed by Konigshofer 1941

In 1948 he designed and built  the house at 2969 Franciscan Way. 

2969 Franciscan Way (2016)  by Konisgshofer 1948

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Roger E. Larson
1935-2009 

Roger E. Larson was born in 1935 in Cresco, Iowa.  He graduated from University of California, Berkeley, School of Architecture in 1962. From 1966 to 1990, he worked for the architectural firms of Wallace Holm and  of Will Shaw before he later opened up his own firm.  

Reflection House  built by Larson on Franciscan and Dolores

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Frank Lloyd
1907 - 1983 

Frank was born in Tucson, Arizona to Dr. and Mrs. F. E. Lloyd.  His father worked for Carnegie Institution Desert Research Lab.  The family visited Carmel in 1911 and purchased a block along San Carlos Street.  Dr. Lloyd then went to work at the Carnegie Coastal Lab in Carmel. The Lloyd's moved to Montreal when Frank was in high school.  Frank graduated McGill University in 1929.  He married Marjory Twyner in 1930 and the couple settled in Carmel in 1936. He built approximately 12 houses in Carmel. Some he designed while others were designed by Thomas Elston and Gilliam Cranston.    

Frank Lloyd House (2016) built 1949 San Carlos and 13th

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Clarence Mayhew 
1906 - 1994 

Clarence Mayhew House (2016) built 1953 Scenic and 13th

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Mark Mills
1921-2007

Mark Mills House (2015) built 1951 Banyon Hideaway 28987 Mission Street

I toured this house during the Carmel Heritage Society House and Garden Tour.  View this site for more information on the home and its history. It is the last house listed in that blog post. 

Mark Mills Spec House for Mrs. Walker (2015) built 1952 2 NW of Rio on Junipero

Mark Mills House (2015) built 1965 3SW 13th on San Carlos
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Charles Willard Moore 
1925-1993

Charles Willard Moore House (2015) Built 1966 Palou Avenue

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Richard Neutra
1892 - 1970 

Connell House by Richard Neutra 1170 Signal Hill Road, Pebble Beach 

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C. J. Ryland 
1892-1980

Ryland built The Bank of Carmel in the Art Deco style in 1938.  The original doorway, which can be seen in the picture below, had side inset curved concrete walls topped with glass bricks that framed twin stainless steel doors.  The two bas relief sculptures were designed by Paul Whitman. 

 Bank of Carmel (Ocean Avenue and Dolores)

Much of the Art Deco front was changed in 1972 during the remodel of the bank into shops.

Bank of Carmel (2016)

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Ralph L. Stean
1918 - 2004 

 Hofsas Residence by Stean 1965 Dolores & 4th Avenue 

Hofsas House  (2016) Dolores and Fourth 

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John Thodos 

1934-2009

John Thodos panel at Carl Cherry Exhibit 

“To Thodos, the idea of copying something was repugnant. As a result, he had a recognizable style. People did not ask for something English or Tuscan or classic or contemporary; they asked for a Thodos.” (1)

Thodos House (2016) Torres and 3rd

The Lighthouse by Thodos (2017) Scenic southwest of Ocean

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Will Shaw
1924 - 1997

William Vaughan Shaw married Mary Morse, daughter of Samuel Fineley Brown Morse (Pebble Beach developer) and Mary Relda Ford. 

After serving in the US naval reserve from 1944 – 47, Shaw went to graduate school at Berkeley and studied architecture. In 1955, the firm Burde, Shaw & Kearns was formed and lasted until 1959, when it became Burde Shaw Associates with offices in both Carmel and Monterey.  

Exhibit panel showing the Lobos Lodge designed by Shaw

 

Lobos Lodge (2017) 

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Walter Burde 
1912-1996 

Walter Burde discovered Carmel in 1948.  He later partnered with William Vaughan Shaw in 1955.

Northern California Savings & Loan designed 1972 by Burde & Shaw 

Seventh & Dolores (2016) Burde & Shaw 

Shell Station San Carlos & Fifth (2016) designed by Burde & Shaw

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Mary Ann Schicketanz 
1956 - 

 Schicketanz House (Torres NE of 10th) 

 Schicketanz House 2016 (Torres NE of 10th) 

 Schicketanz House 2016 (Torres NE of 10th from the north) 

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Frank Lloyd Wright 

1867 - 1959

Mrs. Della Walker House (2016) Frank Lloyd Wright  on Scenic Road and Martin


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William Wilson Wurster
1895 - 1973

Built 1961 -1962 by Wurster Scenic and 11th 
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Joseph Wythe

1920 - 

Joseph Wythe was born in 1920 and attended San Jose State and later the School of Architecture at Berkeley.  He came to the Monterey Peninsula in the 1950’s and worked for structural engineer M D, Perkins.  Wythe designed a home for Perkins in 1957.  It is located on a very steep grade at Lincoln and Fourth.  

Perkin's house (2016) designed by Wythe 

Here are a few more modern style buildings in Carmel, that were not listed in the Carl Cherry exhibit. 

The Eastwood Building (2017) built 1988 by Geroge Brook-Kothlow
 on Dolores and 5th

An Tearmann designed by Dirk Denison Scenic north of 10th 

Cimarron originally built around 1929 as a pueblo style house - 26085 Scenic

Thomas Kincaid residence re-designed in 2012 by Jun A. Sillano International Design Group 26443 Scenic Road (2011 Street View) It is currently on the market.

26369 Carmelo designed in 2009 by David Martin

Until next time Happy Adventures

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(1) Quote taken from bio board at the Carl Cherry Carmel Modernism exhibit. 

Photographs of architect bios were taken at the Carmel Modernism exhibit at The Carl Cherry Center for the Arts

All photography by L. A. Momboisse unless listed below:
Connell House by Richard Neutra - link  
Northern California Savings and Loan - Monterey Area Architectural Archive, photo by Morley Baer.
Office Building 6th Avenue - Monterey Area Architectural Archive, photo taken 1950's by Morley Baer.
Reflection House - Monterey Area Architectural Archive. 
Bank of Carmel - Monterey Area Architectural Resources Archive.
Hofsas House - Monterey Area Architectural Archive.