Architecture Field Trip - Glendale (mini)

This was a fun mini architecture fieldtrip in Glendale that included a house by architect A. Quincy Jones, a mid-century church and a mid-century library. It took all of an hour, including transportation!

Webber House, 268 W Kenneth Rd, Glendale, CA Architect: A. Quincy Jones (1950)

I had just watched a YouTube video of the Webber House when I learned that it was listed on the market. Because I had never toured the interior of a home by the architect A. Quincy Jones, I decided to overcome my inherent laziness to make the short drive to the Glendale neighborhood near Brand Library.

The Webber House is just one of three “Sun Villa” residences built in LA. Completed circa 1950, the home showcases Jones’s signature post-and-beam design across an airy indoor-outdoor layout.

Clerestory windows and glass sliders bring sunlight into living spaces anchored by concrete and cork floors.

I was happy to view the modest 2 bedroom, 2 bath home. The lot was generously sized and private. There was a lovely pool and separate home office structure addition.

On my way home from the open house, I drove past a mid-century church and decided to park nearby and walk back to take a closer look.

Salem Lutheran Church and School (1959), 1211 N Brand Blvd. Glendale, CA

Though I don’t know who designed the church, there were interesting details that I liked such as the modern cut-out design in the concrete wall along E. Stoker St., the tile work on that side of the church and the blue cross and stained glass insets on the courtyard facing side.

Glendale Public Library, Casa Verdugo Branch, 1151 N Brand Blvd, Glendale. Architect: Adrian Wilson (1951)

Along the way to the church, I walked by a branch library designed by Adrian Wilson Architect (1951). Adrian Wilson is well-known for larger civic projects around LA, such as 2 courthouses in downtown as well as the Anaheim Convention Center. So it was fun to find out that he designed this small branch library, too!

Circular ceiling cutouts allow natural light into the covered walkway.

Display cases with mosaics by Hannah Maximova guide you to the library entry. Per the artist, the mosaics show ancient animals reading about their modern descendants. How cool is that!