The Robin Masters Estate (Pahonu)

[Pahonu]

One point that might factor into the decision to build a Spanish Colonial design is Dr. Wall and his brothers came from California where more of this type of home was found.

Interesting! I didn't know that. Spanish Colonial Revival was not only common, but was all the rage in California during the late 20's and 30's when Pahonu was built, particularly in Southern California. Was he from here?

Thanks for clearing up the Shriner/land details.

[KENJI]

One point that might factor into the decision to build a Spanish Colonial design is Dr. Wall and his brothers came from California where more of this type of home was found.

Interesting! I didn't know that. Spanish Colonial Revival was not only common, but was all the rage in California during the late 20's and 30's when Pahonu was built, particularly in Southern California. Was he from here?

Thanks for clearing up the Shriner/land details.

Hi again Pahonu,

He was born in Santa Barbara which fits very nicely with that type of home.

[Rembrandt's Girl]

One point that might factor into the decision to build a Spanish Colonial design is Dr. Wall and his brothers came from California where more of this type of home was found.

Interesting! I didn't know that. Spanish Colonial Revival was not only common, but was all the rage in California during the late 20's and 30's when Pahonu was built, particularly in Southern California. Was he from here?

Hi Pahonu & Kenji,

A while back while researching Davis I found some information that says Spanish Colonial was popular in Hawaii as well. This is an excerpt from a National Register of Historic Places nomination form for “Lipolani”, another home Davis designed in Nuuanu Valley…

"The architect, Louis E. Davis, built many structures in the Spanish colonial revival style that was so popular in the the 1920s and early 1930s. Many professional architects practicing in Hawaii in the 1920s thought that the Spanish colonial revival style was the appropriate style for Hawaii’s semi-tropical climate which is similar to the Mediterranean."

I'm loving this renewed conversation about Pahonu!

[KENJI]

One point that might factor into the decision to build a Spanish Colonial design is Dr. Wall and his brothers came from California where more of this type of home was found.

Interesting! I didn't know that. Spanish Colonial Revival was not only common, but was all the rage in California during the late 20's and 30's when Pahonu was built, particularly in Southern California. Was he from here?

Hi Pahonu & Kenji,

A while back while researching Davis I found some information that says Spanish Colonial was popular in Hawaii as well. This is an excerpt from a National Register of Historic Places nomination form for “Lipolani”, another home Davis designed in Nuuanu Valley…

"The architect, Louis E. Davis, built many structures in the Spanish colonial revival style that was so popular in the the 1920s and early 1930s. Many professional architects practicing in Hawaii in the 1920s thought that the Spanish colonial revival style was the appropriate style for Hawaii’s semi-tropical climate which is similar to the Mediterranean."

I'm loving this renewed conversation about Pahonu!

Hi RG!

It would be interesting to know how many professionals (i.e. Walls etc.) moved from California back then. I know they came by the ship load via San Francisco. I'm guessing they were the ones demanding that style home when they moved to HI. Also your comment about the architects thinking it was an appropriate style for Hawaii is very true.....maybe they were from California too! Do we know where Louis E Davis is from (I'm not finding it right this sec)???? This a bit of old news, but it fits with this discussion...... Mr. Davis was well known for his work in the Spanish Colonial/Mission Revival style, but he also designed a very significant building that is one of the few enduring examples of rustic Mediterranean Revival architecture in the state: the Territorial Board of Agriculture and Forestry Building (1930) at the corner of Keeaumoku and King Streets in Honolulu. For this building, he employed locally quarried sandstone with distinctive green mortar, along with concrete masonry and finer sandstone for such detailing as window sills, lintels, colonnades and casements, topped by a tiled, low-pitched hip roof without eaves.

During the early 1930s, land developer Theo H. Davies & Co. hired Davis to design new homes in a "Monterey" (or Spanish eclectic) style to be built on lots being developed in the new subdivision of Kāhala.

It appears Wall and Davis were a good fit for one another!

[Rembrandt's Girl]

Hi RG!

It would be interesting to know how many professionals (i.e. Walls etc.) moved from California back then. I know they came by the ship load via San Francisco. I'm guessing they were the ones demanding that style home when they moved to HI. Also your comment about the architects thinking it was an appropriate style for Hawaii is very true.....maybe they were from California too! Do we know where Louis E Davis is from (I'm not finding it right this sec)????

Davis was from California too, lol!

[KENJI]

Hi RG!

It would be interesting to know how many professionals (i.e. Walls etc.) moved from California back then. I know they came by the ship load via San Francisco. I'm guessing they were the ones demanding that style home when they moved to HI. Also your comment about the architects thinking it was an appropriate style for Hawaii is very true.....maybe they were from California too! Do we know where Louis E Davis is from (I'm not finding it right this sec)????

Davis was from California too, lol!

Too funny! It makes sense.
A perfect match!!!!

[Rembrandt's Girl]

Another reason this idea came to me is in an analysis of the structure of the main house itself. It starts with the premise that any structure on an ocean-view property would seemingly be designed to maximize those views. Pahonu certainly does this in regards to the one-story ell along the seawall. However, the two-story main block is turned 90 degrees.

I've always thought the orientation was odd not "facing" the ocean as well, but chalked it up to this being the windward side, so their main courtyard was situated so that it's protected from the trades.

And Kenji, I totally agree...what a wonderful view from the "back" upper terraces...maybe they would sit out there and watch the sun rise behind Rabbit Island! Come to think of it, with the property up against the Ko'olaus there aren't sunset views.

My favorite part of the grounds is the lawn between the ell and the sea wall. I love the scenes from MPI when they were dining there. If Pahonu was mine I'd have the double doors wide open on that side and I'd be out there every morning sipping my coffee & watching the sun rise...sigh.

[Pahonu]

Hey RG and Kenji,

I'm enjoying this renewed discussion as well. I'm somewhat of a self-taught student of the Spanish Colonial Revival style, and I live in a place here in Long Beach with many examples from the era that I walk around a look at every day. My own place includes much of this detailing including the iconic tile roof, stucco walls, wood beamed ceilings, and balconies, though it was built in a later period. That being said, I think the orientation of the home to the ocean views fits in with at least one aspect of the Spanish Colonial Revival style. It was quite common for architects of these homes to create a rather spare, even austere facade, to the public, with expanses of stucco wall, vents and windows with wrought iron grills. The rear side of the home, in contrast, was much more open and light-filled with a close connection to the garden spaces. This concept goes directly back to Spanish precedents. Pahonu does this very clearly. The sides of the home approached by the drive are very austere, whereas the side facing the ocean and the rear we have been discussing are full of windows and glazed double doors to take in the views.

I've attached a few links to demonstrate. The first is Santa Barbara, but not ocean-front. It has several acres of dramatic gardens in the rear. The second is ocean-front in Malibu, not unlike Pahonu.

http://casadelherrero.com/explore_iframe.html

http://www.adamsonhouse.org/

[Rembrandt's Girl]

It was quite common for architects of these homes to create a rather spare, even austere facade, to the public, with expanses of stucco wall, vents and windows with wrought iron grills. The rear side of the home, in contrast, was much more open and light-filled with a close connection to the garden spaces. This concept goes directly back to Spanish precedents.

Hi Pahonu,

That's really interesting! Why did the Spanish design their homes that way? I understand that part of it maybe had to do with available materials, but do you know the cultural/regional reasons for the expanses of the austere stucco walls on the public side? Was it just to keep the house cooler in those regions?

Thanks for the great links!

[KENJI]

It was quite common for architects of these homes to create a rather spare, even austere facade, to the public, with expanses of stucco wall, vents and windows with wrought iron grills. The rear side of the home, in contrast, was much more open and light-filled with a close connection to the garden spaces. This concept goes directly back to Spanish precedents.

Hi Pahonu,

That's really interesting! Why did the Spanish design their homes that way? I understand that part of it maybe had to do with available materials, but do you know the cultural/regional reasons for the expanses of the austere stucco walls on the public side? Was it just to keep the house cooler in those regions?

Thanks for the great links!

Hi Pahonu,

I agree, great links - thanks!
Your place must be pretty nice with all of those great details!!
RG makes a few great points here.....I'm thinking the front of that type of design was built to keep the inside cool (less windows/openings etc.). What do you think or know about this Pahonu? I don't think it made a difference where Pahonu was built (trade winds, mountains etc), but in a less windy place somewhere in California it would! It could also be cultural too, but I'm not up on that bit.

[Pahonu]

To be accurate, the Spanish Colonial Revival Style in the US was modeled largely on the regions of southern Spain, specifically Andalusia. The style also drew somewhat less from other Mediterranean climates such as Southern Italy, and even the Moorish influence of North Africa. These locations were all quite warm and somewhat dry regions. When people use the term "Mediterranean Style" this is usually what they mean, though it is not very precise. Also, many homes built here in the US were not really very accurate in terms of the austere front facade as they were conforming to our bulding traditions in this way. In an interesting irony, it was the rural farm houses of Andalusia that became the model for some very high-style and expensive estates of the 20's and 30's. The links I provided are homes that fit this description, as would Pahonu.

The building style in Southern Spain had everything to do with climate. The red tile roofs and thick (12-24 inches) stucco covered white walls were great insulators. The courtyards provided shade from intense sun. The gardens too were reflective of the lack of moisture, and so focused on decorative tilework, fountains, and water channels, that recycled the water and kept the courtyards cool. This would be opposed to, say, a classic English garden with it's ornamental flowers and other plants that consume lots of water, or northern Italian gardens that focused on box-like hedges and statuary. The various garden styles of Europe is a whole subject unto itself, and in this area Pahonu is not very true to the style.

Check out these links.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_garden

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Co ... chitecture

As a side note, I live in a townhouse that was built on a newly created marina developed 40 or 50 years after the Spanish Colonial revival Style was popular. The surrounding neighborhoods were mostly developed in the 20's and 30's, so the architecture of our complex looks to the neighborhood for inspiration. Therefore, we have the tile roof, etc... It's just not the same, though. I'm not complaining. I feel very fortunate to live where I do, but newer construction always seems to lack the craftsmanship of these older styles. If you care to see it, I can attach a link to our community website.

[KENJI]

Excellent info Pahonu!!
I enjoyed the links and would love to see your community link to see the details that you are talking about!

[Pahonu]

Excellent info Pahonu!!
I enjoyed the links and would love to see your community link to see the details that you are talking about!

Here you go: http://www.marinapacificahoa.com/photoa ... ocation!_1

Here's another: http://www.marinapacifica.com/

Unfortunately there aren't alot of close-ups of the detailing, mostly wide views of the marina. You can see the tile roof, stucco walls, and balconies, though. Interestingly, another popular style in the neighborhood is Craftsman Style, and there are a few bits of that style also if you know what to look for. The wall shingles in particular are craftsman, but they have all been removed recently and replaced with stucco and tile. Also the wide roof overhang is more Craftsman Style than Spanish Colonial revival.

As I write this it just occured to me that the entrance side of the units are quite austere as we discussed above, with only a single window and door, while the water-view side is literally a wall of glass. I have no idea if the architect had that element in mind during the design. Funny that just came to me as we have lived here for 15 years! That's why I like these discusiions so much. They get you thinking and making connections. Lots of fun.

[Rembrandt's Girl]

Excellent info Pahonu!!
I enjoyed the links and would love to see your community link to see the details that you are talking about!

Quite!

[KENJI]

As I write this it just occured to me that the entrance side of the units are quite austere as we discussed above, with only a single window and door, while the water-view side is literally a wall of glass. I have know idea if the architect had that element in mind during the design. Funny that just came to me as we have lived here for 15 years! That's why I like these discusiions so much. They get you thinking and making connections. Lots of fun.[/quote]

I agree with you 100% on this one Pahonu!!!

Thanks for the link to your beautiful community!
You live in a very nice place indeed!!