Andrew Willatsen
Encyclopedia
Andrew Willatsen was an architect
chiefly remembered for bringing the influence of Frank Lloyd Wright
and the Prairie School
to the Pacific Northwest
.
in 1876 and came to the United States
in 1900. Born with the last name Willatzen, he changed the spelling to Willatsen circa 1918 due to anti-German sentiment during World War I
. This may also explain the fact that later he always identified with the Danish
in his background.
, then as a draftsman
, and arrived at Frank Lloyd Wright's Studio in Oak Park, Illinois
in 1902 or 1903. The Studio was just entering its most creative period, and Willatzen soon became a valued apprentice. He later claimed "full responsibility" for Wright's 1905 remodeling of the lobbies of Chicago
's Rookery Building
, and said that "The Boss" accepted his design for the fence of the Larkin Administration Building
(Buffalo, NY, 1907, destroyed) without changes. Willatzen also worked on the interiors of the Martin House
in Buffalo
and was hired by the Martins for a 1920 remodel, while Wright was away in Japan. He also worked for the Chicago firms of Spencer and Powers and Pond and Pond
.
By 1907, Willatzen had about three years experience off and on with Wright. That year he moved to Spokane, Washington
, secured a position with the prestigious firm of Cutter & Malmgren
, and was soon sent to head the Seattle office and supervise the construction of the Seattle Golf & Country Club (1908) at The Highlands, north of the city.
In 1909, Willatzen formed a partnership with Francis Barry Byrne
(1883–1967), whom he had known at Wright's office. The new firm quickly began a series of homes adapting Wright's principles to the Northwest environment. The Charles E. Clarke House (1909) at The Highlands, and the Frederick Handschy House (1910) at 2433 9th Ave. W., Seattle, are large bungalows which draw on Wright's early gable-roofed Prairie houses, and also show influences from other Prairie School architects such as Walter Burley Griffin
. The George Matzen House (1910) at 320 Kinnear Place, Seattle, is hipped-roofed
, stucco
ed, with a stunted cruciform plan typical of the Prairie style confined by a narrow, sloping site. The interlocking spaces of the interior and the custom designed leaded glass, light fixtures and furniture combined to give the Matzen House perhaps the finest of Willatzen and Byrne's executed interiors. The proposal for the A.S. Kerry Mansion (1910) at The Highlands (constructed 1911 in an abbreviated form), reflected Wright's long, low, more expansive designs. Although lacking the grand living and dining spaces of the original project, this house remains an impressive design; it is perhaps the best known of Willatzen and Byrne's work and is sometimes mistakenly attributed to Frank Lloyd Wright. The Oscar E. Maurer House (1910) at 2715 Belvidere, Seattle, the John T. McVay House (1911) at 1025 Belmont Place, Seattle, the George Bellman House (1912) at 2021 E. Lynn, Seattle, and the L. George Hagar House (1913) at 303 W. Prospect, Seattle, (also scaled down from a grander first proposal) are typical of the firm's handling of more modest homes.
Willatzen and Byrne also designed in the Craftsman mode and various period revival styles. Most significant of these is the Stickleyesque George E. Felmlay House (1911) at 6975 47th Ave. S.W., Seattle, and the Carleton Huiscamp House at The Highlands (1912), the firm's most important eclectic work. This imposing Dutch Colonial's strong lines and fine detailing show that the partners were comfortable with period revival design. Later additions have unfortunately detracted from the house's original appearance. The firm also produced numerous business, commercial, and industrial structures, including their first project, the many oriel-windowed Nelson, Tagholm and Jensen Building (Hotel Louisa) at King Street & 7th Ave. S., Seattle, (1909).
Barry Byrne
left Seattle early in 1913, moving first to California and eventually returning to the Midwest. Byrne had a long and celebrated career, mainly in the designing of Catholic churches. Our Lady of Good Help (1910) in Hoquiam, Washington
, appears to be the first of this line.
In solo practice, Willatsen continued to design homes reflecting the Prairie idiom, including his most noted solo work, the Joseph Black House (1914) at 222 W. Highland Dr., Seattle, which illustrated the Prairie Style adapted to a more conventional, central hall type plan. The Black House was the prototype for several other Willatsen designs over the following decade, but its sweeping gable
roof and continuous band of second floor windows set it apart from the others. The curved entrance canopy became a sort of Willatsen trademark, gracing numerous homes of both Prairie and Period design, and one church. This magnificent home was illegally destroyed over the Martin Luther King holiday weekend in 2004. The William E. Robinson House (1913) at 2011 11th Ave. E., Seattle, and the E.E. Vogue House (1918–19) at 1016 E. Lynn St., Seattle, are good examples of his approach to more modest homes, while the Gustav V. Rasmussen House (1921–25) at 3211 Cascadia Ave., Seattle, and Willatsen's favorite project, the O.L. Martin House (1928) at 3722 E. Prospect, Seattle, illustrate his handling of larger budget residences.
Traditional homes also remained in his repertoire. Two 1914 commissions reflected the Tudor style. The Frederick Hurlbut House at 1015 E. Prospect, Seattle, is a very personal design with Prairie overtones. Willatsen's typical attention to detail, such as the type of hardware used, is readily apparent in this house. The Jeremiah Neterer House at 2702 Broadway E., Seattle, is a more academic work. The John H. Carter House (1916) at 1615 36th Ave., Seattle, and the Fred Burwell House (1925) at 425 35th Ave., Seattle, illustrate the Classical and Federal revival styles respectively. Besides custom homes, Willatsen produced designs for builders. A group of homes for Carl Hedeen at 1711, 1717, and 1809 NE. 63rd St. and 1708 Naomi Place, all in Seattle, (1915–17) have been identified.
After the decline in the popularity of the Prairie School, Willatsen worked in a wide variety of styles, designing stores, churches, and many other types of structures. From 1915 to the 1960s he was the architect for general alterations to the Seattle Pike Place Market
. The simplicity and common sense of his work won many loyal customers who turned repeatedly to him for their architectural needs until his retirement in the late 1940s. He continued to work occasionally in his retirement, mainly for friends and old clients. Two modest standouts from this period are the 1955 Church & North Office at 3701 SW Alaska St., Seattle, and the Richard Desimone House of 1959 at 2605 SW 170th St. in Normandy Park, Washington
, a Midwest-style rambler in roman brick
.
Andrew Willatsen died in Seattle in 1974 at the age of 97. His papers, drawings, and the furniture and art glass windows from the 1915 remodeling of his Boston Block office were acquired from Willatsen by the University of Washington
shortly before his death.
The windows are in the Architectural Library in Gould Hall. The table and chairs are in the University's Branch Office at the Palazzo Pio
, Rome
, Italy
. A bookcase with leaded glass doors is in the office of the Dean of Architecture in Gould Hall. These are the only examples of Willatsen's furniture known to still exist.
Willatsen was a major contributor to the development of progressive architecture in the Northwest, and he, along with Byrne, must be credited with bringing the Prairie Style to Seattle over 30 years before Wright's first Northwest commission.
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
chiefly remembered for bringing the influence of Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
and the Prairie School
Prairie School
Prairie School was a late 19th and early 20th century architectural style, most common to the Midwestern United States.The works of the Prairie School architects are usually marked by horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad overhanging eaves, windows grouped in horizontal bands,...
to the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
.
Early life and emigration
Andrew Christian Peter Willatzen was born in North GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1876 and came to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1900. Born with the last name Willatzen, he changed the spelling to Willatsen circa 1918 due to anti-German sentiment during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. This may also explain the fact that later he always identified with the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
in his background.
Career
He first worked as a carpenterCarpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
, then as a draftsman
Technical drawing
Technical drawing, also known as drafting or draughting, is the act and discipline of composing plans that visually communicate how something functions or has to be constructed.Drafting is the language of industry....
, and arrived at Frank Lloyd Wright's Studio in Oak Park, Illinois
Oak Park, Illinois
Oak Park, Illinois is a suburb bordering the west side of the city of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is the twenty-fifth largest municipality in Illinois. Oak Park has easy access to downtown Chicago due to public transportation such as the Chicago 'L' Blue and Green lines,...
in 1902 or 1903. The Studio was just entering its most creative period, and Willatzen soon became a valued apprentice. He later claimed "full responsibility" for Wright's 1905 remodeling of the lobbies of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's Rookery Building
Rookery Building
The Rookery Building is a historic landmark located in the Loop community area of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Completed by John Wellborn Root and Daniel Burnham of Burnham and Root in 1888, it is considered one of their masterpiece buildings. It once housed the office of the...
, and said that "The Boss" accepted his design for the fence of the Larkin Administration Building
Larkin Administration Building
The Larkin Building was designed in 1904 by Frank Lloyd Wright and built in 1906 for the Larkin Soap Company of Buffalo, New York. The five story dark red brick building used pink tinted mortar and utilized steel frame construction. It was noted for many innovations, including air conditioning,...
(Buffalo, NY, 1907, destroyed) without changes. Willatzen also worked on the interiors of the Martin House
Martin House
-United States:*James Martin House , listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Lauderdale County, Alabama*William H. Martin House, Hot Springs, Arkansas, NRHP-listed...
in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and was hired by the Martins for a 1920 remodel, while Wright was away in Japan. He also worked for the Chicago firms of Spencer and Powers and Pond and Pond
Pond and Pond
Pond and Pond was an American architecture firm established by the Chicago architects Irving Kane Pond and Allen Bartlitt Pond.-Overview:Working in the Arts and Crafts idiom, the brothers gained renown for elaborately detailed brickwork and irregular massing of forms. One of their earliest...
.
By 1907, Willatzen had about three years experience off and on with Wright. That year he moved to Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, secured a position with the prestigious firm of Cutter & Malmgren
Kirtland Cutter
Kirtland Kelsey Cutter was a 20th century architect in the Pacific Northwest and California. He was born in East Rockport, Ohio, as the great-grandson of Jared Potter Kirtland. He studied painting and illustration at the Art Students League of New York. At the age of 26 he moved to Spokane,...
, and was soon sent to head the Seattle office and supervise the construction of the Seattle Golf & Country Club (1908) at The Highlands, north of the city.
In 1909, Willatzen formed a partnership with Francis Barry Byrne
Barry Byrne
Francis Barry Byrne was initially a member of the group of architects known as the Prairie School. After the demise of the Prairie School about 1914-16, Byrne continued as a successful architect by developing his own personal style.-Biography:Francis Barry Byrne was born and raised in Chicago...
(1883–1967), whom he had known at Wright's office. The new firm quickly began a series of homes adapting Wright's principles to the Northwest environment. The Charles E. Clarke House (1909) at The Highlands, and the Frederick Handschy House (1910) at 2433 9th Ave. W., Seattle, are large bungalows which draw on Wright's early gable-roofed Prairie houses, and also show influences from other Prairie School architects such as Walter Burley Griffin
Walter Burley Griffin
Walter Burley Griffin was an American architect and landscape architect, who is best known for his role in designing Canberra, Australia's capital city...
. The George Matzen House (1910) at 320 Kinnear Place, Seattle, is hipped-roofed
Hip roof
A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...
, stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
ed, with a stunted cruciform plan typical of the Prairie style confined by a narrow, sloping site. The interlocking spaces of the interior and the custom designed leaded glass, light fixtures and furniture combined to give the Matzen House perhaps the finest of Willatzen and Byrne's executed interiors. The proposal for the A.S. Kerry Mansion (1910) at The Highlands (constructed 1911 in an abbreviated form), reflected Wright's long, low, more expansive designs. Although lacking the grand living and dining spaces of the original project, this house remains an impressive design; it is perhaps the best known of Willatzen and Byrne's work and is sometimes mistakenly attributed to Frank Lloyd Wright. The Oscar E. Maurer House (1910) at 2715 Belvidere, Seattle, the John T. McVay House (1911) at 1025 Belmont Place, Seattle, the George Bellman House (1912) at 2021 E. Lynn, Seattle, and the L. George Hagar House (1913) at 303 W. Prospect, Seattle, (also scaled down from a grander first proposal) are typical of the firm's handling of more modest homes.
Willatzen and Byrne also designed in the Craftsman mode and various period revival styles. Most significant of these is the Stickleyesque George E. Felmlay House (1911) at 6975 47th Ave. S.W., Seattle, and the Carleton Huiscamp House at The Highlands (1912), the firm's most important eclectic work. This imposing Dutch Colonial's strong lines and fine detailing show that the partners were comfortable with period revival design. Later additions have unfortunately detracted from the house's original appearance. The firm also produced numerous business, commercial, and industrial structures, including their first project, the many oriel-windowed Nelson, Tagholm and Jensen Building (Hotel Louisa) at King Street & 7th Ave. S., Seattle, (1909).
Barry Byrne
Francis Barry Byrne was initially a member of the group of architects known as the Prairie School. After the demise of the Prairie School about 1914-16, Byrne continued as a successful architect by developing his own personal style.-Biography:Francis Barry Byrne was born and raised in Chicago...
left Seattle early in 1913, moving first to California and eventually returning to the Midwest. Byrne had a long and celebrated career, mainly in the designing of Catholic churches. Our Lady of Good Help (1910) in Hoquiam, Washington
Hoquiam, Washington
Hoquiam is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington state, United States. The town borders the city of Aberdeen at Myrtle Street with Hoquiam to the west. The two cities share a common economic history in lumbering and exporting but Hoquiam has maintained its independent identity...
, appears to be the first of this line.
In solo practice, Willatsen continued to design homes reflecting the Prairie idiom, including his most noted solo work, the Joseph Black House (1914) at 222 W. Highland Dr., Seattle, which illustrated the Prairie Style adapted to a more conventional, central hall type plan. The Black House was the prototype for several other Willatsen designs over the following decade, but its sweeping gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
roof and continuous band of second floor windows set it apart from the others. The curved entrance canopy became a sort of Willatsen trademark, gracing numerous homes of both Prairie and Period design, and one church. This magnificent home was illegally destroyed over the Martin Luther King holiday weekend in 2004. The William E. Robinson House (1913) at 2011 11th Ave. E., Seattle, and the E.E. Vogue House (1918–19) at 1016 E. Lynn St., Seattle, are good examples of his approach to more modest homes, while the Gustav V. Rasmussen House (1921–25) at 3211 Cascadia Ave., Seattle, and Willatsen's favorite project, the O.L. Martin House (1928) at 3722 E. Prospect, Seattle, illustrate his handling of larger budget residences.
Traditional homes also remained in his repertoire. Two 1914 commissions reflected the Tudor style. The Frederick Hurlbut House at 1015 E. Prospect, Seattle, is a very personal design with Prairie overtones. Willatsen's typical attention to detail, such as the type of hardware used, is readily apparent in this house. The Jeremiah Neterer House at 2702 Broadway E., Seattle, is a more academic work. The John H. Carter House (1916) at 1615 36th Ave., Seattle, and the Fred Burwell House (1925) at 425 35th Ave., Seattle, illustrate the Classical and Federal revival styles respectively. Besides custom homes, Willatsen produced designs for builders. A group of homes for Carl Hedeen at 1711, 1717, and 1809 NE. 63rd St. and 1708 Naomi Place, all in Seattle, (1915–17) have been identified.
After the decline in the popularity of the Prairie School, Willatsen worked in a wide variety of styles, designing stores, churches, and many other types of structures. From 1915 to the 1960s he was the architect for general alterations to the Seattle Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market is a public market overlooking the Elliott Bay waterfront in Seattle, Washington, United States. The Market opened August 17, 1907, and is one of the oldest continually operated public farmers' markets in the United States. It is a place of business for many small farmers,...
. The simplicity and common sense of his work won many loyal customers who turned repeatedly to him for their architectural needs until his retirement in the late 1940s. He continued to work occasionally in his retirement, mainly for friends and old clients. Two modest standouts from this period are the 1955 Church & North Office at 3701 SW Alaska St., Seattle, and the Richard Desimone House of 1959 at 2605 SW 170th St. in Normandy Park, Washington
Normandy Park, Washington
Normandy Park is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 6,335 at the 2010 census.Based on per capita income, Normandy Park ranks 26th of 522 areas in the state of Washington.-History:...
, a Midwest-style rambler in roman brick
Roman brick
Roman brick can refer either to a type of brick originating in Ancient Rome and spread by the Romans to the lands they conquered; or to a modern type of brick, inspired by the ancient prototypes...
.
Andrew Willatsen died in Seattle in 1974 at the age of 97. His papers, drawings, and the furniture and art glass windows from the 1915 remodeling of his Boston Block office were acquired from Willatsen by the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
shortly before his death.
The windows are in the Architectural Library in Gould Hall. The table and chairs are in the University's Branch Office at the Palazzo Pio
Palazzo Pio
The 'Palazzo Pio' is built on top of the ruins of the Temple of Venus Victrix of the Theatre of Pompey, and overlooks other neighboring areas of Campo de' Fiori and Piazza del Biscione in Rome, Italy....
, Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. A bookcase with leaded glass doors is in the office of the Dean of Architecture in Gould Hall. These are the only examples of Willatsen's furniture known to still exist.
Bibliographical note
His surviving drawings, some notebooks, papers, and a transcription of his personal project ledger are in the Special Collections and Manuscript Sections of The University of Washington Libraries. A copy is available in the University Architecture Library in Gould Hall. Much work is also documented in contemporary periodicals such as Pacific Builder & Engineer, Pacific Coast Architect, and Bungalow Magazine. Early photos of the Clarke and Kerry Houses can be found in Homes and Gardens of the Pacific Coast ( Frank Calvert; Editor, 1913) reprinted by the Queen Anne Historical Society, Seattle, (1988).Other sources
- H. Allen Brooks, The Prairie School (Toronto, Norton Press, 1972)
- Grant Carpenter Manson, Frank Lloyd Wright To 1910 (NY., Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1958)
- Silvia Lynn Gills, Andrew C.P. Willatsen, Architect, A.I.A. (1876-1974) (Unpublished thesis. 1980)
Further reading
- Shaping Seattle Architecture: A Historical Guide to the Architects (ed. Jeffrey Karl Ochsner), University of Washington Press, Seattle and London 1994, pages 168-173, 312; ISBN 029597365X. The article, upon which this entry is largely based, was co-authored by Professor Grant Hildebrand and Jess M. Giessel.