A. Quincy Jones
Encyclopedia
Archibald Quincy Jones, FAIA
(1913–1979) was a prolific Los Angeles
-based architect
and educator known for innovative buildings in the modernist
style and for urban planning
that pioneered the use of greenbelt
s and green design.
, in 1913. He was raised in the city of Gardena
in Southern California
, but finished high school in Seattle. Afterwards he enrolled in the University of Washington program in architecture, where he was particularly influenced by faculty member Lionel Pries
, and graduated with Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) in 1936.
After marrying a fellow architecture student (Ruth Schneider), Jones returned to Los Angeles, working first in the offices of the modernist architects Douglas Honnold and George Vernon Russell from 1936 to 1937, and Burton A. Schutt from 1937 to 1939.
From 1939 to 1940, he worked for the renowned architect, Paul R. Williams
. Next he worked for Allied Engineers, Inc. of San Pedro from 1940 to 1942, where he met the architect Frederick Emmons, with whom he would later partner. Jones was responsible for the development and layout of Roosevelt Base in San Pedro and the Naval Reserve Air Base in Los Alamitos
.
In 1942, Jones received his California architect certification, divorced and received a commission as a lieutenant commander in the United States Navy
. He was assigned to the aircraft carrier
USS Lexington
, which was serving in the Pacific theater.
he had built with his former wife. On his first day in business Jones had secured his first client.
The years after the war again saw Jones partnering with Paul R. Williams on several projects in the Palm Springs
area. These include the Palm Springs Tennis Club (1947), the Town & Country restaurant (1948), and the restaurant Romanoff's On the Rocks (1950). Jones also participated in John Entenza
's Case Study House program.
The December 1950 issue of the magazine Architectural Forum
featured a "Builder's House of the Year" designed by A. Quincy Jones. The same issue also awarded the innovative Palo Alto building magnate Joseph Eichler
"Subdivision of the Year". Eichler then invited Jones to tour the Palo Alto development he had just completed where he suggested to Jones that the Builder of the Year team with the Architect of the Year. This relationship continued until Eichler's death in 1974.
It was through this relationship that Jones was provided both the venue and the freedom to implement his concepts of incorporating park-like common areas in tract housing
developments. His were some of the first greenbelt
s incorporated into moderate income tract housing in the United States. In 1960, Jones was hired by William Pereira
as a planning partner in the development of the city of Irvine, California
, which has since become a model for the integration of greenbelts into urban development.
The Eichler commission prompted Jones to form a partnership with his prewar acquaintance, architect Frederick Emmons. The Jones and Emmons partnership lasted from 1951 until Emmons' retirement in 1969. Their designs are reflected in some 5,000 of Eichler's homes, by Emmons' estimate. Jones and Emmons were awarded national AIA
Firm of the Year in 1969.
's School of Architecture from 1951 through 1967. By the 1960s Jones was designing a number of university campus buildings and larger office buildings, including the 1963 IBM
Aerospace Headquarters in Westchester, California. Several University of California
campuses feature significant examples of Jones' work. In 1966 Jones designed "Sunnylands
," the 650 acre (2.6 km²) estate and 32,000 square foot (3,000 m²) home of Walter Annenberg
in Rancho Mirage, California
.
Jones raised the tract house in California
from the simple stucco box to a logically designed structure integrated into the landscape and surrounded by greenbelts. He introduced new materials as well as a new way of living within the built environment and popularized an informal, outdoor-oriented open plan. More than just abstractions of the suburban ranch house, most Jones and Emmons designs incorporated a usable atrium
, high ceilings, post-and-beam construction and walls of glass. For the postwar moderate-income family, his work bridged the gap between custom-built and developer-built homes.
Jones often took advantage of industrial prefabricated units to provide affordable yet refined architecture
. His larger buildings brought innovations to the integration of mechanical systems, improving their efficiency and maximizing retrievable space. Jones' aesthetic style, precise detailing and siting made his buildings quintessential embodiments of mid-century American architecture.
FAIA
Fellow of the American Institute of Architects is a postnomial, designating an individual who has been named a fellow of the American Institute of Architects...
(1913–1979) was a prolific Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
-based architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and educator known for innovative buildings in the modernist
Modernism
Modernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
style and for urban planning
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
that pioneered the use of greenbelt
Green belt
A green belt or greenbelt is a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges which have a linear character and may run through an...
s and green design.
Childhood and early career
Jones was born in Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, in 1913. He was raised in the city of Gardena
Gardena, California
Gardena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 58,829 at the 2010 census, up from 57,746 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Gardena is located at ....
in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
, but finished high school in Seattle. Afterwards he enrolled in the University of Washington program in architecture, where he was particularly influenced by faculty member Lionel Pries
Lionel Pries
Lionel H. Pries , was a leading architect, artist, and educator in the Pacific Northwest.Pries was born in San Francisco and raised in Oakland. He graduated with a B.A. in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1920, where he studied under John Galen Howard...
, and graduated with Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) in 1936.
After marrying a fellow architecture student (Ruth Schneider), Jones returned to Los Angeles, working first in the offices of the modernist architects Douglas Honnold and George Vernon Russell from 1936 to 1937, and Burton A. Schutt from 1937 to 1939.
From 1939 to 1940, he worked for the renowned architect, Paul R. Williams
Paul Williams (architect)
Paul Revere Williams, FAIA was a Los Angeles-based, American architect. He practiced largely in Southern California and designed the homes of numerous stars including Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball/Desi Arnaz, Lon Chaney, and Charles Correll...
. Next he worked for Allied Engineers, Inc. of San Pedro from 1940 to 1942, where he met the architect Frederick Emmons, with whom he would later partner. Jones was responsible for the development and layout of Roosevelt Base in San Pedro and the Naval Reserve Air Base in Los Alamitos
Los Alamitos
Los Alamitos can mean:* Los Alamitos, California, a city in Orange County, California**Los Alamitos High School**Los Alamitos Army Airfield...
.
In 1942, Jones received his California architect certification, divorced and received a commission as a lieutenant commander in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. He was assigned to the aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
USS Lexington
USS Lexington (CV-16)
USS Lexington , known as "The Blue Ghost", is one of 24 s built during World War II for the United States Navy. The ship, the fifth US Navy ship to bear the name, is named in honor of the Revolutionary War Battle of Lexington...
, which was serving in the Pacific theater.
Architecture office
Discharged from the Navy in 1945, Jones returned to Los Angeles and opened an architectural office in one of the two buildings of the house in Laurel CanyonLaurel Canyon, Los Angeles, California
Laurel Canyon is a canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It was first developed in the 1910s, and became a part of the city of Los Angeles in 1923 ....
he had built with his former wife. On his first day in business Jones had secured his first client.
The years after the war again saw Jones partnering with Paul R. Williams on several projects in the Palm Springs
Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley is a large valley landform in Southern California. The valley extends for approximately 45 miles in Riverside County southeast from the San Bernardino Mountains to the saltwater Salton Sea, the largest lake in California...
area. These include the Palm Springs Tennis Club (1947), the Town & Country restaurant (1948), and the restaurant Romanoff's On the Rocks (1950). Jones also participated in John Entenza
John Entenza
John Entenza , born in Calumet, Michigan, was one of the pivotal figures in the growth of American modernism: in the fields of environmental, architectural, landscape, and product design; and fine arts, and artisan crafts; in post-war California and the United States.-Arts + Architecture...
's Case Study House program.
The December 1950 issue of the magazine Architectural Forum
Architectural Forum
Architectural Forum was an American magazine that covered the home-building industry and architecture. Started in 1892, it absorbed the magazine Architect's world in October 1938, and ceased publication in 1974.-Other titles:...
featured a "Builder's House of the Year" designed by A. Quincy Jones. The same issue also awarded the innovative Palo Alto building magnate Joseph Eichler
Joseph Eichler
Joseph Eichler was a 20th century post-war U.S. American real estate developer known for developing distinctive residential subdivisions of Mid-Century modern style Tract housing in California, United States. He was one of the influential advocates of bringing modern architecture from custom...
"Subdivision of the Year". Eichler then invited Jones to tour the Palo Alto development he had just completed where he suggested to Jones that the Builder of the Year team with the Architect of the Year. This relationship continued until Eichler's death in 1974.
It was through this relationship that Jones was provided both the venue and the freedom to implement his concepts of incorporating park-like common areas in tract housing
Tract housing
Tract housing is a style of housing development in which multiple similar homes are built on a tract of land which is subdivided into individual small lots...
developments. His were some of the first greenbelt
Green belt
A green belt or greenbelt is a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges which have a linear character and may run through an...
s incorporated into moderate income tract housing in the United States. In 1960, Jones was hired by William Pereira
William Pereira
William Leonard Pereira was an American architect from Chicago, Illinois, of Portuguese ancestry who was noted for his futuristic designs of landmark buildings such as the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco...
as a planning partner in the development of the city of Irvine, California
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
, which has since become a model for the integration of greenbelts into urban development.
The Eichler commission prompted Jones to form a partnership with his prewar acquaintance, architect Frederick Emmons. The Jones and Emmons partnership lasted from 1951 until Emmons' retirement in 1969. Their designs are reflected in some 5,000 of Eichler's homes, by Emmons' estimate. Jones and Emmons were awarded national AIA
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...
Firm of the Year in 1969.
Teaching and influence
Jones was also a professor and later dean of architecture at the University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity 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...
's School of Architecture from 1951 through 1967. By the 1960s Jones was designing a number of university campus buildings and larger office buildings, including the 1963 IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
Aerospace Headquarters in Westchester, California. Several University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
campuses feature significant examples of Jones' work. In 1966 Jones designed "Sunnylands
Sunnylands
Sunnylands, the Annenberg Estate, located in Rancho Mirage, California, is a compound which is currently in possession of an Annenberg family trust. The property was owned by Walter and Leonore Annenberg until 2009 and had been used as a winter retreat by the couple since 1963...
," the 650 acre (2.6 km²) estate and 32,000 square foot (3,000 m²) home of Walter Annenberg
Walter Annenberg
Walter Hubert Annenberg was an American publisher, philanthropist, and diplomat.-Early life:Walter Annenberg was born to a Jewish family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on March 13, 1908. He was the son of Sarah and Moses "Moe" Annenberg, who published The Daily Racing Form and purchased The Philadelphia...
in Rancho Mirage, 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...
.
Jones raised the tract house in 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...
from the simple stucco box to a logically designed structure integrated into the landscape and surrounded by greenbelts. He introduced new materials as well as a new way of living within the built environment and popularized an informal, outdoor-oriented open plan. More than just abstractions of the suburban ranch house, most Jones and Emmons designs incorporated a usable atrium
Atrium (architecture)
In modern architecture, an atrium is a large open space, often several stories high and having a glazed roof and/or large windows, often situated within a larger multistory building and often located immediately beyond the main entrance doors...
, high ceilings, post-and-beam construction and walls of glass. For the postwar moderate-income family, his work bridged the gap between custom-built and developer-built homes.
Jones often took advantage of industrial prefabricated units to provide affordable yet refined architecture
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...
. His larger buildings brought innovations to the integration of mechanical systems, improving their efficiency and maximizing retrievable space. Jones' aesthetic style, precise detailing and siting made his buildings quintessential embodiments of mid-century American architecture.
Significant buildings
- 1938 Jones House and Studio, 8661 Nash, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
- 1947 Palm Springs Tennis Club Addition, with Paul R. Williams. Palm Springs, California
- 1948
- Pueblo Gardens housing development, for developer Del WebbDel WebbDelbert Eugene Webb was an American construction magnate, real estate developer and sports-team owner, who is most significant for founding and developing the retirement community of Sun City, Arizona.-Early life:...
, Tucson, Arizona - Town & Country Restaurant, with Paul R. Williams. Palm Springs, California. (altered)
- Romanoff's on the Rocks, Palm Springs, California (altered)
- Nordlinger House, 11492 Thurston Circle, Bel Air, Los Angeles, California
- Pueblo Gardens housing development, for developer Del Webb
- 1950
- BrodyFrances Lasker BrodyFrances Lasker Brody, was an American arts advocate, collector and philanthropist who influenced the development of Los Angeles' cultural life as a founding benefactor of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and later as a guiding patron of the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Gardens.Mrs....
House, 360 South Mapleton Drive, Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, California - Mutual Housing Association Development (Crestwood Hills), with Smith and Contini. Los Angeles, California
- Hvistendahl House, San Diego
- Andrew Fuller House, Charron Lane, Fort Worth, Texas
- Brody
- 1951 Campbell Hall School, 4717 Laurel Canyon, North Hollywood, California
- 1952 House, Bienveneda and Marquette Streets, Pacific Palisades, California
- 1953 House, 503 N Oakhurst Drive, Beverly Hills, California (destroyed by new owner circa 1995)
- 1954
- Emmons House, 661 Brooktree, Pacific Palisades, California
- U.S. Gypsum Research Village House, Barrington, Illinois
- 1955 Jones House, 1223 Tigertail Road, Los Angeles (destroyed by fire)
- 1956 Eichler Steel House X-100, San Mateo, California
- 1957 Lido Sands Development, [Newport Beach, California] (82 houses)
- 1959 Biological Sciences Building, University of California at Santa Barbara
- 1960 Faculty Center, University of Southern California Los Angeles, California
- 1961 Case Study House No. 24, Chatsworth, California (unbuilt)
- 1963 Shorecliff Tower Apartments, 535 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, California
- 1964
- Joseph Eichler Housing Development, Granada Hills, California
- University Research Library, unit I, University of California at Los Angeles
- Laguna Eichler Apartments, 66 Cleary Court, San Francisco, California
- Joseph Eichler Housing Development, Thousand Oaks, California
- Long Beach Naval Station Family Housing, Long Beach, California
- 1965 University of California, IrvineUniversity of California, IrvineThe University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
(partnership with William PereiraWilliam PereiraWilliam Leonard Pereira was an American architect from Chicago, Illinois, of Portuguese ancestry who was noted for his futuristic designs of landmark buildings such as the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco...
) - 1966
- Walter Annenberg Estate "Sunnylands," Rancho Mirage, California
- Carillon Tower, University of California, Riverside, California
- Edward Chiles Residence, Shady Oaks Lane, Fort Worth, Texas
- 1967 Chemistry Building, University of California, Riverside, California
- 1971 Research Library, unit II, University of California, Los Angeles, California
- 1975 Mandeville Center for the Arts, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, California
- 1976 Annenberg School of Communication, unit I, University of Southern California, Los Angeles California
- 1979 Annenberg School of Communication, unit II, University of Southern California, Los Angeles California.
Additional reading
- A. Quincy Jones by Cory Buckner. Phaidon Press Inc., May 2002. 272 pages. ISBN 0-7148-4074-2
- Eichler: Modernism Rebuilds the American Dream by Paul Adamson. Gibbs Smith Publisher, 2002.
- A. Quincy Jones Eichler Housing Development in San Francisco