Among the pioneers and luminaries named for the California Hall of Fame in 2008, a woman whose vision and craftsmanship make her the greatest architectural genius, although she stood, but five feet tall. The work of Julia Morgan adorns California from the bay and far beyond its borders, crowned with its most famous work, design and construction of Hearst Castle, which hovers over San Simeon Bay.
Native architect
Born in 1872 in San Francisco, Morgan graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1894 and received a degree in civil engineering. This was probably not the first sign that Julia Morgan was destined to become young women in a profession with a predominance of men, but it was a springboard for an illustrious career that paved the way for architectural innovation.
Her skills were honed at one of the most prestigious architectural schools in the world - the Ecole des Beaux-Artes in Paris. There, pushing the limits of the convention, she was denied admission twice. According to Morgan, her refusal was based solely on the sex attitude. Finally, recognized after placing the 13th of the field of 376 applicants, in order to conduct a strict entrance exam, she became the first woman to graduate from a world school.
Career begins
Julia Morgan had a special focus - the architecture was adapted to the environment that surrounded the building. She was able to successfully combine the strictly classical studies she received in Paris with her homely love for the California landscape in its many natural variations. In 1904, she again fulfilled her individuality and founded her own architectural firm in San Francisco. She began to receive missions and gain reputation. One of her first assignments was a house in the Grasse Valley, in the foothills of the Sierra, where she built the Northern Star House in the style of "Arts and Crafts."
The widespread destruction of San Francisco after the earthquake of 1906 caused an interesting side effect, such as the urgent need to restore mitigating prejudices against a female architect. Her own office in Montgomery Street was among the hundreds that fell into ruins. Since those years of intense design and renovation, Julia Morgan has never been at a loss for her work and her reputation as steadily as her work.
Persistent and individual
Of course, eclecticism is one of the hallmarks of hundreds of houses, buildings and public buildings in Morgan. Armed with her classical education, she never fell into a particular trend, design, or architectural paradigm. Morgan designed his buildings in terms of space, use and environment. Her work ranged from unusually richly decorated and rich, simple and functional. She was comfortable working in many architectural styles and counting each commission as a new stretched canvas on which she created a masterpiece specific to the site.
The work of Julia Morgan is equally intense. It was built for billionaire magnates, such as William Randolph Hearst, but attacked more modest projects with the same focused focus. Its public buildings include the YWCA, the Riverside Art Museum and the Los Angeles Examiner Building. She also worked extensively on campuses in Northern California and designed the bell tower of Mills College, as well as buildings for churches and private houses.
She is most widely known for her work with the Hearst family. The jewel of the crown, of course, is Hearst Castle, which is visited by millions of people every year. There she was remembered for wearing stylish trousers and silk blouses, quickly scrambling for construction work to make sure that the details of her design were observed and correctly executed by craftsmen, carpenters and bricklayers. Julia Morgan has dedicated years of work, love and exceptional creativity to build a vast estate that sits on top of “La Cuesta Encantada” - The Enchanted Hill. As visitors from around the world know, it takes many hours to evaluate the 165 rooms, gardens, water features and acres that cause Hearst Castle to create women's affairs on the Pacific Coast.
From Bavaria to Wintoon
Less well known, but nevertheless, breath is the Bavarian village in Winton, built in the 1930s. It was 50,000 acres of Hearst's escape, which lies in the shadow of Mount Shasta in Northern California. In this heavily wooded place, Julia Morgan felt the cravings of Bavaria and Austria, with a wooden structure protected by tall pine trees and clean, clean air filled with the scent of pine.
To make Hearst’s many distinguished guests comfortable, Morgan designed three guest houses, each of which was three-story. In each log house there were four to eight bedrooms, as well as living rooms. Everyone was looking at the grassy space and were approaching the rushing sound of the McCloud River, which was wriggling through the estate.
True to his love and connection with the natural environment, Morgan used local stone and wood in the construction of a Bavarian village. The effect remains out of time, as the steep roofs are located upward, with many gables and faceted windows framed by massive logs. Indeed, as if a small part of Bavaria was raised and gently weakened in the California landscape. But, upon closer inspection, Julia Morgan sent a brilliant tradition of traditional architecture to new heights. The many artistic touches and unusual conventions that Morgan brought to the village are absolutely unique.
In preparation for the construction of the village, Morgan and her sister Anna traveled with Hearst to Bavaria in 1931. Some experts believe that this visit contributed to the determination of Morgan and Hirst to continue the theme of the Bavarians, because they felt the growth of Adolf Hitler could threaten the survival of the Austrian and Bavarian architectural treasures.
The guest houses of Wyntoon Bavarian Village were named after fabulous characters - Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, among others. The famous muralist from New York added his artistry to the outer walls of two buildings, painting fancy fairy tale scenes from the Brothers Grimm. Among the most decorated was Hurst's personal home on the property - Bear House. There, the muralist painted scenes from Snow White and Pink Red on the entire stucco exterior.
As in many large projects of Julia Morgan, select artisans - men and women - traveled with her to lay down their crafts in her projects. Although she never married, Morgan attracted rich friends and colleagues who had confidence and respect for their work. Wyntoon is a vivid example of such teamwork that characterized Julia Morgan’s long and successful career.
Insulated end
After hundreds of remarkable projects and widespread recognition of her considerable talents and leadership, the last years of Julia Morgan have been spent on self-isolation. When many of her friends and family left, including Hearst, who died in 1951, Morgan felt he was failing. No longer able to work to express the passion that fuels her life, she decided to become a recluse. She died on February 7, 1957, leaving donations for budding architects, scholarships and non-parallel labor.
She also left behind the road - the one that began with rough and cobbled paths, in order to maneuver only the most courageous and brave young women. Today, this road is paved, and many female architects stand on the mighty reputation of Julia Morgan, the California original.
