- Greene & Greene: Developing a California Architecture, by Bruce Smith (Gibbs Smith Publishers, 192 pages) $56
IN 1907 the Greene brothers completed an addition and restoration on the home of Theodore Irwin, the most expensive project they'd worked on to that point in their careers.
The work done on this project laid the foundation for the style that they would continue to develop over the years.
This book focuses on that period from 1902 to 1907 and begins and ends with the Duncan-Irwin house. It is filled with drawings and photographs, both new and historical, so that we see the stages of development as the project moves towards completion. The use of local materials pulled together the different aspects of California that the brothers drew upon for inspiration.
The very different temperaments of the brothers combined in a vision of design that embraced both refinement and simplicity. The elegance of their craftsmanship blended with the exoticism of Japanese aesthetic became a trademark with their open-air design and the California style of architecture.
