Westwood Highlands, San Francisco, California
Encyclopedia
Westwood Highlands is a neighborhood located south of San Francisco in the state of California and is one of sixteen neighbourhoods within the district. Also known as the Twin Peaks, District 4 is distinctive from other surrounding areas due its challenging topography and previously uninhabitable terrain. The Westwood Highlands is a small, private subdivision development comprising 283 homes built between 1925 and 1929. The subdivision is of a relatively small scale and is bound by five intersecting arterial roads. Westwood Highlands was a unique development as it was one of the first residential communities in the United States to agree to a set of covenants and restrictions (Brandi 2005).
The realtors of Westwood Highlands were the well established Baldwin and Howell Company who were well known for their emphasis on improving and integrating communities through design and layout. Working in correlation with a builder, Hans Nelson and an architect, Charles Strothoff, Baldwin and Howell designed this commuter suburb with the intention of harvesting ‘efficient and economical design…. for a middle-class market’ (Loeb, 2001). Unlike surrounding neighbourhoods which boasted an eclectic mix of architectural styles, the houses of Westwood Highlands were built according to specific design parameters which ensured cohesion and unity throughout the subdivision.
The elevation and natural topography of Westwood Highlands was used to the advantage of Baldwin and Howell. In contrast to the rest of San Francisco which was dominated by the grid organization, Westwood Highlands adopted the system of curvilinear streets which naturally fitted the steep environment. Corner lots had a dual purpose in both complimenting the curvilinear streets and binding the community neighbourhood. In her explanation of the Real Estate Associates, Bloomberg (1978) discusses the importance of the corner block in the city of San Francisco as providing a private-public relationship with the intersection. In the planning of Westwood Highlands, corner lots were designed to ensure they faced the street intersection on the diagonal. It was used as a systematic means of ‘softening ‘ the relationship between the public streets and the private nature of the houses suggesting a more open neighbourhood community (Loeb, 2001).
Another important consideration in the planning of Westwood Highlands was the hierarchy of streets and lots. In previous sub-developments in surrounding areas such as Westwood Park and St. Francis Wood, lots were sold as empty parcels of land in which private owners could develop as they wished. In Westwood Highlands, lots were marketed and sold as a complete package, with a predetermined existing designed house (Loeb, 2001). Again, the topography was highly influential in determining the value of each lot. Dwellings on steeper gradients generally had smaller lots (and subsequently smaller houses) with picturesque views of the city whilst the larger lots had more affordable houses and were generally located on the outer-eastern boundaries of the development.
History
In 1906 San Francisco was shaken by one of the most damaging earthquakes in the history of America and followed by subsequent fires that enveloped the city causing further destruction. The inter-war period saw significant change as developers and planners alike used the aftermath of the earthquake and fires as the catalyst for redevelopment. This redevelopment saw previously barren farmland, such as the area around the Twin Peaks, being turned into low to medium density residential housing. The Twin peaks are the second highest points in San Francisco baring approximately 280 meters over the city. In 1918 the Twin Peaks Tunnel was opened and this facilitated the construction of new suburbs and development. Muni metro ran comprehensive train services through the tunnel that lead out to the surrounding regions allowing the public to finally gain easy access to the area. As Loeb (2001) discusses, the tunnel also reduced travel time into downtown San Francisco dramatically from almost an hour down to just twenty minutes and from this, the notion of the commuter suburb was born.The realtors of Westwood Highlands were the well established Baldwin and Howell Company who were well known for their emphasis on improving and integrating communities through design and layout. Working in correlation with a builder, Hans Nelson and an architect, Charles Strothoff, Baldwin and Howell designed this commuter suburb with the intention of harvesting ‘efficient and economical design…. for a middle-class market’ (Loeb, 2001). Unlike surrounding neighbourhoods which boasted an eclectic mix of architectural styles, the houses of Westwood Highlands were built according to specific design parameters which ensured cohesion and unity throughout the subdivision.
Planning considerations
In the planning of Westwood Highlands, there was careful consideration given to the public façade of the houses. Strothoff based the housing stock on the modular system of design that allowed for interchangeable components to be added or subtracted. The principle of modules allowed units to be configured in different ways, for example Strothoff utilized three interchangeable modules: the window, the entrance and the garage (Loeb, 2001). Generally most of the dwellings conformed to three module configurations which allowed for the greatest variation in the street, however two and four module houses were not uncommon. From the streetscape, this system provided both unity and diversity as the each house could be conformed to a various configuration without essentially altering or the overall design character of the neighbourhood (Brandi, 2005). This control by Balwdwin and Howell ensured that not only the design elements were regulated but also the overall appearance of the streets.The elevation and natural topography of Westwood Highlands was used to the advantage of Baldwin and Howell. In contrast to the rest of San Francisco which was dominated by the grid organization, Westwood Highlands adopted the system of curvilinear streets which naturally fitted the steep environment. Corner lots had a dual purpose in both complimenting the curvilinear streets and binding the community neighbourhood. In her explanation of the Real Estate Associates, Bloomberg (1978) discusses the importance of the corner block in the city of San Francisco as providing a private-public relationship with the intersection. In the planning of Westwood Highlands, corner lots were designed to ensure they faced the street intersection on the diagonal. It was used as a systematic means of ‘softening ‘ the relationship between the public streets and the private nature of the houses suggesting a more open neighbourhood community (Loeb, 2001).
Another important consideration in the planning of Westwood Highlands was the hierarchy of streets and lots. In previous sub-developments in surrounding areas such as Westwood Park and St. Francis Wood, lots were sold as empty parcels of land in which private owners could develop as they wished. In Westwood Highlands, lots were marketed and sold as a complete package, with a predetermined existing designed house (Loeb, 2001). Again, the topography was highly influential in determining the value of each lot. Dwellings on steeper gradients generally had smaller lots (and subsequently smaller houses) with picturesque views of the city whilst the larger lots had more affordable houses and were generally located on the outer-eastern boundaries of the development.