Buff, Straub, and Hensman
Encyclopedia
Buff, Smith and Hensman is an architectural
firm. The office has won more than 30 awards for house designs from the American Institute of Architects
.
(AIA) licensed architects.
Conrad Buff III FAIA (August 5, 1926, Eagle Rock, California - 1989) was a graduate of U.S.C. School of Architecture in 1952. For ten years Buff was a faculty member of USC contributing design curriculum. He was the son of a painter of the American southwest, Conrad Buff II, and both parents collaborated on children's books. Conrad III attended local Eagle Rocks school. Family acquaintances included Richard Neutra
, Rudolph Schindler
and opera singer Lawrence Tibbett
. Redesigning the Buff II garage was one of Neutra's first architectural commissions. Conrad served in the Navy in WWII at a base in Maryland, which was where he met his wife Elizabeth (Libby), a skipper's yeoman in the WAVES. After the War, Conrad decided to enroll at USC School of Architecture, where he met Donald Hensman, who had also returned from the War.
Donald C. Hensman FAIA (1924, Omaha, Nebraska - 2002) grew up in Hollywood, California
. He served in the navy during World War II, as a parachute rigger in the South Pacific, and entered the USC
architecture program by way of the GI Bill. It was at USC that Hensman met Conrad Buff. But prior to their collaboration with Straub, Buff and Hensman were designers of tract homes for a number of regional developers. He returned to teach architecture at his alma mater, USC from 1952 to 1963. He was eventually made assistant professor within USC’s design curriculum and was chairman of the joint USC/American Institute of Architects education committee. Hensman remained active in the Pasadena
architectural community until his death in 2002.
Calvin C. Straub FAIA (1920 – 1998) was born in Macon, Georgia
. He studied at Texas A&M University
and Pasadena City College
before receiving his degree in architecture at the University of Southern California
in 1945. After serving in the Navy, Straub lectured at USC from 1946 to 1961. Moving to Scottsdale, AZ in 1961 and joining the faculty at the College of Architecture at Arizona State University. Few architects and educators have had such a pervasive influence on architecture as Calvin C Straub.. He created an important body of work as the senior partner of Buff Straub and Hensmen, both previous students at USC. His work was widely published in Sunset Magazine and considered highly influential in shaping the vision iconography of the post-world war II contemporary southern Californian style. His and the firms work bridged the gap between the influences of early arts and crafts architects and the early California modernists, creating a uniquely regional architectural form. For this work and his educational contributions he was described in "Toward a simpler way of Life" as "the father of California post and beam architecture". His desert residence continued and extended the legacy of "design with climate" that he had begun decades again in southern California and preceded the now popular "green movement" in architecture by some 30 years. Until 1988 he held a professorship of design at Arizona State University
in Tempe where his "world architecture" class attended by more than 15,000 general university students who where influenced by his contagious,jovial and animated love affair with the art of environmental design. He worked for the firm of A.B. Gallion before entering into a partnership with Conrad Buff and Donald Hensman (1956-61), and was a member of Schoneburger, Straub, Florence & Associates (1972-75). Straub also ran his own private practice in Arizona. He Received over 30 Honors and AIA awards. Apart from his work as an architect and lecturer, he also published Design Process and Communications (1978) and The Man-Made Environment: An Introduction to World Architecture and Design (1983). He retired in 1988 and died in 1998. His archives, drawings, project records, awards and project photographs many by famed Architectural photographer Julius Shulman are archived at the Arizona Sate University School of architecture library and archive.
In 1961 Calvin Straub left the practice to teach architecture at Arizona State University
. Buff and Hensman continued their partnership as Buff, Hensman and Associates. Conrad Buff died in 1989 and Dennis Smith joined the partnership the same year to form Buff, Smith and Hensman, from which Hensman retired in 1998. Smith carries on in the practice, located in Pasadena
.
The Buff, Straub, and Hensman firm's masterwork was Case Study House #20, the Saul Bass
House (Altadena, 1958). It was built of factory-produced stressed skin panels and plywood vaults. Despite thorough engineering calculations, the architects were not awarded a building permit until a sample plywood vault had been temporarily erected and loaded with weights. Its open plan introduced the concept of zoning: the owner's zone with studio office, garden, master bedroom & bath; a formal zone with living and dining rooms and entry atrium; a family zone with kitchen, family room, dining terrace, two additional bedrooms and swimming pool.
Architect Calvin Straub's own post-and-beam home in Pasadena was another project that brought the practice commissions.
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
firm. The office has won more than 30 awards for house designs from the American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
.
The Partners
The partnership, originally Buff, Straub, and Hensman, consisted of Conrad Buff III, Calvin Straub, and Donald (Don) Hensman, all of whom were American Institute of ArchitectsAmerican Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
(AIA) licensed architects.
Conrad Buff III FAIA (August 5, 1926, Eagle Rock, California - 1989) was a graduate of U.S.C. School of Architecture in 1952. For ten years Buff was a faculty member of USC contributing design curriculum. He was the son of a painter of the American southwest, Conrad Buff II, and both parents collaborated on children's books. Conrad III attended local Eagle Rocks school. Family acquaintances included Richard Neutra
Richard Neutra
Richard Joseph Neutra is considered one of modernism's most important architects.- Biography :Neutra was born in Leopoldstadt, the 2nd district of Vienna, Austria Hungary, on April 8, 1892. He was born into both-Jewish wealthy family...
, Rudolph Schindler
Rudolph Schindler
Rudolph Schindler may refer to:* Rudolph Schindler * Rudolph Schindler...
and opera singer Lawrence Tibbett
Lawrence Tibbett
Lawrence Mervil Tibbett was a great American opera singer and recording artist who also performed as a film actor and radio personality. A baritone, he sang with the New York Metropolitan Opera company more than 600 times from 1923 to 1950...
. Redesigning the Buff II garage was one of Neutra's first architectural commissions. Conrad served in the Navy in WWII at a base in Maryland, which was where he met his wife Elizabeth (Libby), a skipper's yeoman in the WAVES. After the War, Conrad decided to enroll at USC School of Architecture, where he met Donald Hensman, who had also returned from the War.
Donald C. Hensman FAIA (1924, Omaha, Nebraska - 2002) grew up in Hollywood, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He served in the navy during World War II, as a parachute rigger in the South Pacific, and entered the USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
architecture program by way of the GI Bill. It was at USC that Hensman met Conrad Buff. But prior to their collaboration with Straub, Buff and Hensman were designers of tract homes for a number of regional developers. He returned to teach architecture at his alma mater, USC from 1952 to 1963. He was eventually made assistant professor within USC’s design curriculum and was chairman of the joint USC/American Institute of Architects education committee. Hensman remained active in the Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
architectural community until his death in 2002.
Calvin C. Straub FAIA (1920 – 1998) was born in Macon, Georgia
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
. He studied at Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
and Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College is a community college in Pasadena, California, USA, located on Colorado Boulevard. PCC is the third largest community college campus in the United States. PCC was founded in 1924 as Pasadena Junior College. In 1954, Pasadena Junior College merged with another junior...
before receiving his degree in architecture at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
in 1945. After serving in the Navy, Straub lectured at USC from 1946 to 1961. Moving to Scottsdale, AZ in 1961 and joining the faculty at the College of Architecture at Arizona State University. Few architects and educators have had such a pervasive influence on architecture as Calvin C Straub.. He created an important body of work as the senior partner of Buff Straub and Hensmen, both previous students at USC. His work was widely published in Sunset Magazine and considered highly influential in shaping the vision iconography of the post-world war II contemporary southern Californian style. His and the firms work bridged the gap between the influences of early arts and crafts architects and the early California modernists, creating a uniquely regional architectural form. For this work and his educational contributions he was described in "Toward a simpler way of Life" as "the father of California post and beam architecture". His desert residence continued and extended the legacy of "design with climate" that he had begun decades again in southern California and preceded the now popular "green movement" in architecture by some 30 years. Until 1988 he held a professorship of design at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
in Tempe where his "world architecture" class attended by more than 15,000 general university students who where influenced by his contagious,jovial and animated love affair with the art of environmental design. He worked for the firm of A.B. Gallion before entering into a partnership with Conrad Buff and Donald Hensman (1956-61), and was a member of Schoneburger, Straub, Florence & Associates (1972-75). Straub also ran his own private practice in Arizona. He Received over 30 Honors and AIA awards. Apart from his work as an architect and lecturer, he also published Design Process and Communications (1978) and The Man-Made Environment: An Introduction to World Architecture and Design (1983). He retired in 1988 and died in 1998. His archives, drawings, project records, awards and project photographs many by famed Architectural photographer Julius Shulman are archived at the Arizona Sate University School of architecture library and archive.
The Partnership
In 1948, while both attending the University of Southern California (USC) School of Architecture and working together designing tract and model homes (but prior to beginning their practice), Buff and Hensman were asked by the Dean of the School of Architecture to take over the teaching duties left by the death of a senior professor. This meant that both Buff and Hensman were at the same time working professionals, students and teachers, all before being licensed or graduating. Both continued to teach and be associated with USC for many years.In 1961 Calvin Straub left the practice to teach architecture at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
. Buff and Hensman continued their partnership as Buff, Hensman and Associates. Conrad Buff died in 1989 and Dennis Smith joined the partnership the same year to form Buff, Smith and Hensman, from which Hensman retired in 1998. Smith carries on in the practice, located in Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
.
The Buff, Straub, and Hensman firm's masterwork was Case Study House #20, the Saul Bass
Saul Bass
Saul Bass was a Jewish-American graphic designer and filmmaker, best known for his design of motion picture title sequences....
House (Altadena, 1958). It was built of factory-produced stressed skin panels and plywood vaults. Despite thorough engineering calculations, the architects were not awarded a building permit until a sample plywood vault had been temporarily erected and loaded with weights. Its open plan introduced the concept of zoning: the owner's zone with studio office, garden, master bedroom & bath; a formal zone with living and dining rooms and entry atrium; a family zone with kitchen, family room, dining terrace, two additional bedrooms and swimming pool.
Architect Calvin Straub's own post-and-beam home in Pasadena was another project that brought the practice commissions.
Significant projects
- 1958 Saul BassSaul BassSaul Bass was a Jewish-American graphic designer and filmmaker, best known for his design of motion picture title sequences....
Residence (Case Study House #20), Altadena - 1959 Frank Residence, Pasadena
- 1961 John Thomson Residence
- 1962 Sidney Fine Residence
- 1962 Residence for Mr.Steve McQueen, Los Angeles
- 1963 Residence for Mr&Mrs [Marcus Whiffen]http://www.lib.asu.edu/architecture/collections/whiffen, Phoenix Az.
- 1963 Harry Roth Residence, Beverly Hills
- Penn/Walter Van der Kamp Residence, Los Angeles
- 1965 Case Study House #28
- 1967 M.C. Gill Residence, Pasadena
- 1968 Renovation for Judge Sandra Day O'Connor
Sources
- Case Study Houses by: Elizabeth Smith, Peter Goessel (ed). Taschen, February, 2002 ISBN 3-8228-6412-9 , edited by Robert Winter, University of California Press,1997 ISBN 0-520-20916-8