Mr. Paul Revere Williams’ (1894-1980) artistic genius became and remains the signature for quintessential California elegance. Despite choosing to work in a segregated industry, he was the first Black architect to become a member of the national professional organization, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 1923. He became a Fellow in 1957 (FAIA). In 2017, Williams posthumously received the Institute’s highest honor, the AIA Gold Medal.
Paul’s artistic gifts became clear at a young age. As was a usual pattern, non-Black educators discouraged his artistic talents tracing their prejudice with the claim that a Negro would have difficulty securing business in white communities. Thankfully Paul and his family thought otherwise. He enrolled in the local engineering school in Los Angeles and graduated in 1919 from the University of Southern California (USC). His next step was to further his career ambitions at the Beaux-Arts Institute of Design in New York City. He was one of the first Black students to attend this institution which modeled its architectural curriculum after the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris.
His ambition and confidence served him well. At 25, he won an important competition. At 28, he returned to Los Angeles to open his own practice where he quickly learned to adapt to cultural realities. Clients were astonished to discover his race upon meeting him in person. He recorded in an article that they would freeze. In order to stay in practice and advance his portfolio, he developed sales, physical and psychological techniques to secure commissions. He sketched upside-down to illustrate his ideas to white clients which was an impressive artistic feat that also allowed him to keep a physical distance so that they would feel comfortable. In a sales conversation, he offered to provide ideas to projects in a lower price range even though they were outside of his normal scope. He prepared himself with a mental determination to achieve success.
One of his most notable public projects, and a structure that is globally recognized, is the iconic Theme Building at Los Angeles International Airport. He was secured to design an extension to the iconic pink-and-green Beverly Hills Hotel, a property that he couldn’t even traverse without the owner escorting him. He was also responsible for the Al Jolson Memorial Shrine, the First AME Church of Los Angeles, the Golden State Mutual Building and Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. He and St. Jude’s charity founder Danny Thomas developed a close friendship. Mr. Williams provided pro bono work for the St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis.
Although Mr. Williams didn’t have a distinctive architectural signature; his designs were noticeably stylized and elegant. By the 1950’s, Paul’s flair became the standard of style and taste throughout Los Angeles. His genius is woven throughout some of Los Angeles’ most swanky neighborhoods such as Hancock Park, Brentwood, La Cañada, Los Feliz, Lafayette Square and Beverly Hills.
He masterfully transcribed architectural styles from English Tudor, Spanish Colonial, French Norman, l, Italianate, Georgian, and Regency. His style evolved into a more proto-modernist style and then a more futuristic modernism style. Paul was known for creating majestic residences that were grand, yet not excessively ornate. His design philosophy learned towards the conservative because of longevity of style. Throughout his career, he designed over 2,500 homes in Southern California. In fact, some of the most beautiful homes in Hollywood can be traced back to him. Stars such as Lucille Ball, Bert Lahr, Martin Landau, Frank Sinatra and Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. His design was used for exterior scenes of the Clampett mansion on television’s “The Beverly Hillbillies.” His homes still command top dollar today and remain status symbols.
The fervor for preserving any and all records of Paul’s work includes the AIA Memphis, the University of Memphis, and other organizations. His granddaughter, Karen E. Hudson, has been documenting his life and work and the 2000 Rizzoli book, Paul R. Williams Architect: a legacy of style by Karen Hudson, remains in print. She also published The Will and the Way: Paul R. Williams. Alongside these more recent publications, two small books of plans that Paul published in the 1940’s are still available. These titles include, The Small Home of Tomorrow and New Homes for Today. The Small Home of Tomorrow covered smaller footprint homes that were popular during post war time.
Mr. Williams left a blueprint for design and life over a 50 year period and designed over 3,000 architectural gems that are still admired today. Learn more about him here.
Images ©AIA
