Edward Killingsworth
Encyclopedia
Edward Killingsworth, FAIA
(1917 – 2004) was an American
architect
. He is best known as a participant in Arts & Architecture's Case Study program in the mid-1950s. He designed and built Case Study House #25, "The Frank House," in Naples, California
. He also designed numerous luxury hotels all over the world and a large part of the California State University, Long Beach
campus. In the architecture world, his name is associated with Southern California
Post-and-Beam Mid-Century Modern.
on Nov. 4, 1917. Following the discovery of oil on Signal Hill
in 1921, his oilman father moved the family south to Long Beach
. During Killingsworth's years at Wilson High School, his original ambition was to become a painter, but he decided to major in something a little more practical at the University of Southern California
. At USC, Killingsworth excelled at the next best thing, earning not only his bachelor of architecture degree in 1940, but also the American Institute of Architects Medal for having the highest academic record in his class.
The start of Killingsworth's professional career was delayed by his service in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during World War II
. As an operations officer attached to the 654th Engineer Topographic Battalion, Killingsworth earned a Bronze Star
for supervising the production of more than 8 million photo-maps in preparation for the Allied invasion of Europe.
After returning from the war in 1945, Killingsworth went to work as an associate for Long Beach architect Kenneth S. Wing. Killingsworth was discovered in 1950 as John Entenza, creator of the Case Study Program, drove by Killingsworth's in-laws' recently built house in Los Alamitos, California
. When Entenza found out Killingsworth was the architect, he invited him to participate in the program. This house was Killingsworth's first solo project and was one of Southern California's first post and beam structures.
He went on to design many highly acclaimed projects in Long Beach. One of them, the Opdahl House, also in Naples and just blocks away from Case Study House #25, stands as a monument to Mid-Century architecture. By the early-1960s, Killingsworth also went on to design civic and commercial buildings including much of the CSULB campus.
As the years passed and the honors piled up, Killingsworth's architectural projects grew in size and scale, from residential buildings in Southern California to luxury hotels in such exotic locales as Hawaii
, Guam
, Japan
, South Korea
, Malaysia and Indonesia
.
Philosophically, like many of his contemporaries, Killingsworth believed in open spaces and floor plans. He preferred high ceilings and glass walls that invited nature in.
Edward Killingsworth partnered with Jules Brady (1908 - ) and Waugh Smith in 1953 and together they designed 4 Case Study Houses in 1960 (3 were built and are still standing, though one has been drastically altered), along with the Opdahl house and several other large projects. The partnership changed in 1964 when Waugh Smith retired. Very little biographical information was found on Jules Brady and Waugh Smith. (See www.modernsandiego.com for more details as well as several excellent sites on the Case Study Houses.)
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...
(1917 – 2004) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
. He is best known as a participant in Arts & Architecture's Case Study program in the mid-1950s. He designed and built Case Study House #25, "The Frank House," in Naples, California
Naples, Long Beach, California
Naples is a neighborhood of Long Beach, California, United States, built on a series of islands located in Alamitos Bay. Naples consists of three separate islands, divided by canals which open into the bay. Most of the streets on the island have Italianate names...
. He also designed numerous luxury hotels all over the world and a large part of the California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach is the second largest campus of the California State University system and the third largest university in the state of California by enrollment...
campus. In the architecture world, his name is associated with 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...
Post-and-Beam Mid-Century Modern.
Biography
Killingsworth was born in TaftTaft, California
Taft is a city in the foothills at the extreme southwestern edge of the San Joaquin Valley, in Kern County, California. Taft is located west-southwest of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 955 feet . The population was 9,327 at the 2010 census...
on Nov. 4, 1917. Following the discovery of oil on Signal Hill
Signal Hill, California
Signal Hill is a small city in California located in the Greater Los Angeles area. Signal Hill, completely surrounded by the city of Long Beach, was incorporated on April 22, 1924, roughly three years after oil was discovered in Signal Hill. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
in 1921, his oilman father moved the family south to Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. During Killingsworth's years at Wilson High School, his original ambition was to become a painter, but he decided to major in something a little more practical at the University of Southern California
University 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...
. At USC, Killingsworth excelled at the next best thing, earning not only his bachelor of architecture degree in 1940, but also the American Institute of Architects Medal for having the highest academic record in his class.
The start of Killingsworth's professional career was delayed by his service in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. As an operations officer attached to the 654th Engineer Topographic Battalion, Killingsworth earned a Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
for supervising the production of more than 8 million photo-maps in preparation for the Allied invasion of Europe.
After returning from the war in 1945, Killingsworth went to work as an associate for Long Beach architect Kenneth S. Wing. Killingsworth was discovered in 1950 as John Entenza, creator of the Case Study Program, drove by Killingsworth's in-laws' recently built house in Los Alamitos, California
Los Alamitos, California
Los Alamitos is a small city in Orange County, California. The city was incorporated in March 1960. The population was 11,449 at the 2010 census, down from 11,536 at the 2000 census...
. When Entenza found out Killingsworth was the architect, he invited him to participate in the program. This house was Killingsworth's first solo project and was one of Southern California's first post and beam structures.
He went on to design many highly acclaimed projects in Long Beach. One of them, the Opdahl House, also in Naples and just blocks away from Case Study House #25, stands as a monument to Mid-Century architecture. By the early-1960s, Killingsworth also went on to design civic and commercial buildings including much of the CSULB campus.
As the years passed and the honors piled up, Killingsworth's architectural projects grew in size and scale, from residential buildings in Southern California to luxury hotels in such exotic locales as Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Malaysia and Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
Philosophically, like many of his contemporaries, Killingsworth believed in open spaces and floor plans. He preferred high ceilings and glass walls that invited nature in.
Edward Killingsworth partnered with Jules Brady (1908 - ) and Waugh Smith in 1953 and together they designed 4 Case Study Houses in 1960 (3 were built and are still standing, though one has been drastically altered), along with the Opdahl house and several other large projects. The partnership changed in 1964 when Waugh Smith retired. Very little biographical information was found on Jules Brady and Waugh Smith. (See www.modernsandiego.com for more details as well as several excellent sites on the Case Study Houses.)