Gamble House

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The Gamble House, seen in April 2005
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The Gamble House, seen in April 2005

The Gamble House (constructed 1908 - 1909) is a National Historic Landmark and tourist attraction in Pasadena, California designed by the architect brothers Greene and Greene, Charles Sumner Greene and Henry Mather Greene, for David B. Gamble of the Procter & Gamble company.

Built as a winter residence, the three-story Gamble House is a residential ark commonly described as America's Arts and Crafts masterpiece, whose style shows influence from traditional Japanese aesthetics and a certain California spaciousness born of cheap land and a permissive climate. Arts-and-Crafts architecture was all about superb materials, excruciating attention to detail, aesthetic harmony, and brilliant craftsmanship.

Every room in the Gamble House was assembled in multiple kinds of wood, wood that looks (in Charles Moore's phrase) lovingly rubbed. The teak, maple, oak, Port Orford Cedar and mahogany surfaces are placed in rhythmic sequences that bring out their contrasts of color, tone and grain, no peg or air vent or bracket or knob singing off key. Inlay in the custom furniture matches inlay in the mantlepieces. The joinery on the main staircase is exposed like an interlocking puzzle. One of the big wooden panels along the solid wall is actually a secret door that leads to the kitchen. The Greenes used local contractors who had worked together for them on Orange Grove Avenue (Millionaire's Row) in Pasadena on a dozen previous homes, an experienced team of contractors playing together like musicians.

The sensuous woods, the generously low and horizontal room shapes, and the quality of natural light that filters through the art glass exterior windows, coexist with a relatively traditional plan, in which most rooms are regularly shaped and organized around a central hall. Although the house is not as spatially adventurous as the contemporary works of Frank Lloyd Wright or even of the earlier New England "Shingle Style," its mood is casual and its symmetries tend to be localized - i.e. symmetrically organized spaces and forms in asymmetrical relationships to one another. Although there is no variation in ceiling height, and few territorial nooks and crannies, the forms and scales of the spaces are constantly shifting, especially as one moves from the interior of the house to its semienclosed porches and its free-form terrace. The third floor was planned as a billiard room, but was used as an attic by the Gamble family.

Outdoor space was as important as the interior spaces. Sleeping porches are found off three of the bedrooms and were used for sleeping or entertaining. The main patio in the back of the house has a large koi pond and clinker brick walls. Arroyo stone paths are set to mimic a running brook and lead to the rose gardens.

David and Mary lived in the house during the winter months until their deaths in 1923 and 1929, respectively. Julia (Mary's younger sister) lived in the house until her death in 1943. Cecil Huggins Gamble and his wife Louise Gibbs Gamble lived in the house beginning in 1946 and briefly considered selling it. They soon changed their minds, however, when prospective buyers spoke of painting the interior teak and mahogany woodwork white. The Gambles realized the artistic importance of the house and it remained in the Gamble family until 1966, when it was deeded to the city of Pasadena in a joint agreement with the University of Southern California School of Architecture.

[edit] Trivia

  • The house and garage were seen as the residence of Doctor Emmett Brown in the Back To The Future films.
  • A Greene and Greene lantern that was stolen from the outside of the house in the 1970s showed up for sale on eBay in 2005.
  • Two USC architecture students live in the house full-time. The selected students change yearly.
  • David Gamble collected door knockers. Many knockers from his collection can be found hung in the house.
  • The Gamble family crest is the crane and trailing rose. The crest or parts of it can be spotted in many locations around the house.
  • The California Live Oak tree made in art glass on the front door has ginkgo leaves rather than oak leaves. This was done on purpose to highlight the Asian influence in the house.

[edit] External links

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