The Robin Masters Estate (Pahonu)

[KENJI]

Hi Pahonu,
Yes, not knowing the exact layout has the mind cranking endless possibilities which is great fun.
Glad to hear we are on the same page with the window wells. They are an eyesore so less is best, but they were also necessary to let in some light and a bit of air too. I picture that basement being very musty, but given the chance I would've raced down those stairs to see how it was mapped out....how many rooms etc.. We know it was unfinished which would've been expected back then....it was basically storage where servants went so it didn't need the lipstick that upstairs had. I agree with your comment about the vented windows/"grills"/camouflage in the kitchen wing..... back then the kitchen was basically for servants/staff so the view out didn't have to be nice/unobstruced for them and the view in should be screened as the owners and their guests wouldn't want their view spoiled by someone staring back at them while washing dishes or prepping dinner. Oh you're killing me here......I picture a beautiful walled garden back there that may have been similar to the front! I think all of the bedrooms upstairs had breathtaking views out to Rabbit Island. I'm sure they had neighbors, but many of the buildings next door were probably not there and the trees were either not there or very small. It think the outer perimeter wall blocked the view from the wall garden/courtyard, but at the same time it created a buffer from the wind.

I agree those stairs are a logical place, but we just don't know so better to keep them out for now. Maybe make a footnote that they could be there which I'm sure you've already did years ago ....that's all you can do until we know for sure. Think of back in the day.....there were usually one or two back servant staircases in the bigger homes so staff could move around and do their work without being seen that much so it's quite possible, plus they had oodles of cash so why not have an elevator and two staircases down there. I would still go with a footnote or asterisk for now, but the answer will surface. I would think the elevator goes to the basement with a pit for the mechanics etc.. I also think it would make things easier and quicker for staff to pull up additional tables and chairs etc. for parties from that location so they can set them up in the courtyard. I agree with the location of the new stairwell too....I picture a delivery coming in from rear yard/service yard out of sight of the owners and taken down what looks to be a long and straight stairwell to the basement which is under the kitchen. I came up with another scenario, but it was too revealing to the owners so it has to be under the kitchen, coming out at the end facing the service yard. I'll have another look at some pics and see it I can pinpoint it a bit better for you.

What are your thoughts on the fountain in the middle of the courtyard?
I wonder if it was installed and later removed like the tennis court was (thanks RG for solving that one) or never put in.

[Pahonu]

I thought you, Kenji the gardener, might have considered the possibility of a rear walled garden. You're so right about the views of Rabbit Island before the yard became overgrown. The fountain possibility is certainly a puzzle. Several things from the architectural drawings changed during construction, but that fountain would have been beautiful. Perhaps you're right and it was removed like the tennis court... or it was Mad Buck Gibson's fault! Good point about the elevator accessing both front and rear courtyards with table, etc... from the basement. Also, about deliveries taken from the rear to the kitchen or basement.

What was your other idea about the basement stairs? Brainstorming never hurts!

[KENJI]

I thought you, Kenji the gardener, might have considered the possibility of a rear walled garden. You're so right about the views of Rabbit Island before the yard became overgrown. The fountain possibility is certainly a puzzle. Several things from the architectural drawings changed during construction, but that fountain would have been beautiful. Perhaps you're right and it was removed like the tennis court... or it was Mad Buck Gibson's fault! Good point about the elevator accessing both front and rear courtyards with table, etc... from the basement. Also, about deliveries taken from the rear to the kitchen or basement.

What was your other idea about the basement stairs? Brainstorming never hurts!

Hi Pahonu,

Sorry for the delay and the long winded response!
Kenji the gardener does see a garden in the walled section/rear courtyard, but closer to the front courtyard design .....plants being located in the corners, plus I would've hoped the one large inset/alcove in front of the bathhouse was full of plants to hide that structure.....note: the front courtyard also had an inset/alcove that was once a flower bed too...I think they had palms in the sketch (I'll need to go back and look to verify). Also, I would've hoped the service wing and window wells would've been camouflaged to softened that view a bit more. We can see in a few pics that there appeared to be some sort of old garden bed with a few plants still against the kitchen wall so I think it's fair to say that was probably an original bed. One additional thought, the wall facing the ocean could've had a garden bed beside it as the height was roughly 5ft tall so they could've continued the planting from the back corner down the whole length towards the exit point facing the ocean. It would've softened the wall and you wouldn't have lost any view due to the height of the courtyard wall. I'm thinking some large pots between the numerous door openings would've been the best options for softening the house portion. Always love a water feature, but no idea if there was one back there. Honestly, I wish the backyard was bigger so they could've pulled off a real good size and true walled garden with an elaborate water feature, I feel this one was tight for space so filling it up too much with plants would've have left little room for a decent size patch of grass in the middle to entertain on. I love the whole property, the driveway etc., but always thought the backyard should've been larger (not balanced enough- most of the land is out front). In a perfect world, if the Walls had purchased at least the lot behind them they could've created a horseshoe driveway.......gatehouse to the breezeway, out back to garage courtyard and then out via the neighbor's driveway. Deliveries would've come in and out of the neighbor's gate and it would've also created a larger place out back for guests to park when parties were going on, leaving the main drive out front free and clear of vehicles etc.. The additional space would've also allowed for the walled garden to have been a real show stopper. My guess, I think is was a beautiful, but simple layout with some strategic planting to allow for entertaining as well. The ocean view out to Rabbit Island was probably the estate's water feature What do you picture back there?

Getting to the basement stairs......my very brief idea lasted only a second in my head before it was riddled with my own bullets.....it's dead P! Taking a second look at the stairwell in RG's demo pic, I'm now thinking the basement stairs (assuming it's a stairwell, it sure looks that way) were in the garage wing under the two rooms right next to the garage bay, closest to the house (I can't read the titles you have for them-sorry)......so at the end of that section, right beside the small gate going into the service courtyard there may have been an opening to a long stairwell going straight down to the basement with the entry to the basement on the right. You have to visualize where things were located before the wrecking ball, but the general location seems to fit, plus the location is perfect for a delivery too. What do you think? Feel free to poke holes in anything above. It's fun piecing things together with RG, Sam and yourself. I'm trying to dig up a pic to see if there is any visual proof, but I'm not seeing any in my collection. How about you guys and gal ?

Do you think the chickens were located in the service courtyard or maybe a small kitchen garden was located in there or something else? The location is great for kitchen staff to grab what they need, but the smell and noise might've been an issue for the owners and their guests. Maybe the chickens were closer to the gatehouse. Any thoughts?

[Rembrandt's Girl]

Do you think the chickens were located in the service courtyard or maybe a small kitchen garden was located in there or something else? The location is great for kitchen staff to grab what they need, but the smell and noise might've been an issue for the owners and their guests. Maybe the chickens were closer to the gatehouse. Any thoughts?

I was about to post that I really haven't spent much time at all thinking about the basement but I've been wondering about where they kept the chickens, and now I see that Kenji has mentioned the chickens too. (Oh my gosh, if Eve is reading this she's probably thinking "What a bunch of whack-a-doodles wondering about plant locations and chickens?!?!" )

Anyway, I too was thinking that they might not be too far from the kitchen for easy access to eggs. This got me to wondering about the low concrete partition here... is it original or something Eve put in and why, and what are the fenced off areas for?

[KENJI]

Do you think the chickens were located in the service courtyard or maybe a small kitchen garden was located in there or something else? The location is great for kitchen staff to grab what they need, but the smell and noise might've been an issue for the owners and their guests. Maybe the chickens were closer to the gatehouse. Any thoughts?

I was about to post that I really haven't spent much time at all thinking about the basement but I've been wondering about where they kept the chickens, and now I see that Kenji has mentioned the chickens too. (Oh my gosh, if Eve is reading this she's probably thinking "What a bunch of whack-a-doodles wondering about plant locations and chickens?!?!" )

Anyway, I too was thinking that they might not be too far from the kitchen for easy access to eggs. This got me to wondering about the low concrete partition here... is it original or something Eve put in and why, and what are the fenced off areas for?

Hi RG,
Oh yeah, I'm sure we are a bunch of whack-a-doodles in her eyes.
It does make sense to have the chickens close to the kitchen to grab some eggs or even a chicken for breakfast, lunch or dinner......maybe if they only had half a dozen or so the smell wouldn't be too bad.
The service area makes the most sense then. As for the fenced off areas, I would say that was at one time used as pens for Eve's collection of animals (dogs, maybe a pot belly pig or two etc....no idea what or how many she had, but maybe she was even breeding some dogs or they could've been rescue dogs as she was involved in dog groups and organizations etc.. The fencing looks in fairly new condition so I doubt it was an original layout back there.....also wondering if that is a concrete partition you have circled, could be a just some boards to keep the animals from digging under the fence....hard to tell without getting a closer.
If it is concrete that could make for an interesting step up in the garden...maybe two levels of lawn with a garden bed in that bathhouse inset or just one massive garden bed. I'm thinking it's just wood to keep the animals in.

[Rembrandt's Girl]

It does make sense to have the chickens close to the kitchen to grab some eggs or even a chicken for breakfast, lunch or dinner......maybe if they only had half a dozen or so the smell wouldn't be too bad.
The service area makes the most sense then.

Thanks Kenji, all good thoughts! Who knows... with such a large property you'd think there would be plenty of room elsewhere for the animals.

As Pahonu said, some changes were made during construction but this pic is from just before completion, and I noticed the courtyard gate is now in the correct/final location. Not sure what other changes might be shown here, Pahonu?

Honolulu Advertiser, May 3, 1931



Just for fun I went back and grabbed this to look at again to see what was perhaps on the other parts of the property when Julia Wall acquired the lots ....

ca. 1930...

[KENJI]

Hi RG,
I think Eve picked that spot because it was already fenced with the wall so she only had to fence off sections within the wall. The animals would be safer and more secure there, plus there was some shade for the animals and they would've been tucked away and not an eyesore from the rest of the property. She could feed and watch over them in close proximity to the main house too. Who knows, but I could see her doing that.

[Rembrandt's Girl]

Hi RG,
I think Eve picked that spot because it was already fenced with the wall so she only had to fence off sections within the wall. The animals would be safer and more secure there, plus there was some shade for the animals and they would've been tucked away and not an eyesore from the rest of the property. She could feed and watch over them in close proximity to the main house too. Who knows, but I could see her doing that.

Hey Kenji,

I probably confused you because I shifted gears and was no longer talking about Eve when I said "with such a large property you'd think there would be plenty of room elsewhere for the animals". I was actually referring to Julia et al, and where they originally kept the animals. That's why I posted the old sketch & map. Sorry for any confusion

[KENJI]

Hi RG,
I think Eve picked that spot because it was already fenced with the wall so she only had to fence off sections within the wall. The animals would be safer and more secure there, plus there was some shade for the animals and they would've been tucked away and not an eyesore from the rest of the property. She could feed and watch over them in close proximity to the main house too. Who knows, but I could see her doing that.

Hey Kenji,

I probably confused you because I shifted gears and was no longer talking about Eve when I said "with such a large property you'd think there would be plenty of room elsewhere for the animals". I was actually referring to Julia et al, and where they originally kept the animals. That's why I posted the old sketch & map. Sorry for any confusion

GOTCHA!
We are on the same page now!!
I just love that old sketch and your map overlay is fantastic-well done RG!

[J.J. Walters]

Honolulu Advertiser, May 3, 1931

Oh, wow! That is so freakin' cool! A 1931 newspaper drawing of The Estate! Are you kidding me! ... RG, thank you so much for posting that!!

Many differences between 1931 and 1980! Is that a statue in the middle of where the roudabout used to be?

[Pahonu]

I thought you, Kenji the gardener, might have considered the possibility of a rear walled garden. You're so right about the views of Rabbit Island before the yard became overgrown. The fountain possibility is certainly a puzzle. Several things from the architectural drawings changed during construction, but that fountain would have been beautiful. Perhaps you're right and it was removed like the tennis court... or it was Mad Buck Gibson's fault! Good point about the elevator accessing both front and rear courtyards with table, etc... from the basement. Also, about deliveries taken from the rear to the kitchen or basement.

What was your other idea about the basement stairs? Brainstorming never hurts!

Hi Pahonu,

Sorry for the delay and the long winded response!
Kenji the gardener does see a garden in the walled section/rear courtyard, but closer to the front courtyard design .....plants being located in the corners, plus I would've hoped the one large inset/alcove in front of the bathhouse was full of plants to hide that structure.....note: the front courtyard also had an inset/alcove that was once a flower bed too...I think they had palms in the sketch (I'll need to go back and look to verify). Also, I would've hoped the service wing and window wells would've been camouflaged to softened that view a bit more. We can see in a few pics that there appeared to be some sort of old garden bed with a few plants still against the kitchen wall so I think it's fair to say that was probably an original bed. One additional thought, the wall facing the ocean could've had a garden bed beside it as the height was roughly 5ft tall so they could've continued the planting from the back corner down the whole length towards the exit point facing the ocean. It would've softened the wall and you wouldn't have lost any view due to the height of the courtyard wall. I'm thinking some large pots between the numerous door openings would've been the best options for softening the house portion. Always love a water feature, but no idea if there was one back there. Honestly, I wish the backyard was bigger so they could've pulled off a real good size and true walled garden with an elaborate water feature, I feel this one was tight for space so filling it up too much with plants would've have left little room for a decent size patch of grass in the middle to entertain on. I love the whole property, the driveway etc., but always thought the backyard should've been larger (not balanced enough- most of the land is out front). In a perfect world, if the Walls had purchased at least the lot behind them they could've created a horseshoe driveway.......gatehouse to the breezeway, out back to garage courtyard and then out via the neighbor's driveway. Deliveries would've come in and out of the neighbor's gate and it would've also created a larger place out back for guests to park when parties were going on, leaving the main drive out front free and clear of vehicles etc.. The additional space would've also allowed for the walled garden to have been a real show stopper. My guess, I think is was a beautiful, but simple layout with some strategic planting to allow for entertaining as well. The ocean view out to Rabbit Island was probably the estate's water feature What do you picture back there?

Getting to the basement stairs......my very brief idea lasted only a second in my head before it was riddled with my own bullets.....it's dead P! Taking a second look at the stairwell in RG's demo pic, I'm now thinking the basement stairs (assuming it's a stairwell, it sure looks that way) were in the garage wing under the two rooms right next to the garage bay, closest to the house (I can't read the titles you have for them-sorry)......so at the end of that section, right beside the small gate going into the service courtyard there may have been an opening to a long stairwell going straight down to the basement with the entry to the basement on the right. You have to visualize where things were located before the wrecking ball, but the general location seems to fit, plus the location is perfect for a delivery too. What do you think? Feel free to poke holes in anything above. It's fun piecing things together with RG, Sam and yourself. I'm trying to dig up a pic to see if there is any visual proof, but I'm not seeing any in my collection. How about you guys and gal ?

Do you think the chickens were located in the service courtyard or maybe a small kitchen garden was located in there or something else? The location is great for kitchen staff to grab what they need, but the smell and noise might've been an issue for the owners and their guests. Maybe the chickens were closer to the gatehouse. Any thoughts?

Hey Kenji,

I agree the rear yard seems as though it should have been elaborately planted. We might never know. The rear courtyard is actually quite bit larger than the front one, so even screening the bath house and kitchen walls with foliage would leave lots of space. It's funny that you brought up how close the home is to one end of the property. I puzzled about that for years, toying with the idea that the property had once been bigger, then parts sold off. Thanks to RG, we now know the property was actually assembled from existing built-up lots, and that I think, explains why the main house was sited there. If you remember, the plats of the property showed two seawalls already existed at each end of the current property, but as separate properties. The land between them was some kind of drainage from the old road cutting through. When the property was combined and the two seawalls connected, an easement was included to drain the new highway, and it exits by the gate to the beach. The architect, rightly I think, sited the main house at the highest point with the best views on the property. That pushed it toward one side, but there is plenty of space in the motor court to turn around an park, etc...

As I think about it, I've visited another large beachfront property arranged similarly. Check out the Adamson House in Malibu CA and you will see a similar, though reversed arrangement on the property. The main house was sited on a rise at one end of the property with a drive winding across the property from the other side. There is even a building at the front gate for the caretaker. Also, there's a much smaller boat house, actual guest house, slat house, and pool house like the bath house at Pahonu. It was used for both the beach and the saltwater heated pool. The museum on the property (G) was the guest house.

Check it out:

http://wodcityofangels.com/images/Chang ... aquero.png

[Pahonu]

As for the basement stairs, that's precisely where I think they are located. That area is labeled as a pantry and the laundry in my model. I'm toying with placing the stair in the plans, then into the model. Maybe I'll send you a pic of my idea before changing the model?

I also realized that the Adamson house, mentioned above, had a yard for animals like Pahonu did originally. Both properties were, initially at least, a bit isolated from nearby towns, and fresh eggs, etc... would have been possible that way. Remember the photo from Mad Buck Gibson that JJ posted a few years ago with a chicken in the rear yard.

[Pahonu]

Honolulu Advertiser, May 3, 1931

Oh, wow! That is so freakin' cool! A 1931 newspaper drawing of The Estate! Are you kidding me! ... RG, thank you so much for posting that!!

Many differences between 1931 and 1980! Is that a statue in the middle of where the roudabout used to be?

JJ,

Have you seen the elevations she posted? There were three different articles I believe, including an early architectural rendering from before construction.

Good eye, that looks like a statue or small planting bed for what might become a large tree in the middle of the roundabout.

[Pahonu]

It does make sense to have the chickens close to the kitchen to grab some eggs or even a chicken for breakfast, lunch or dinner......maybe if they only had half a dozen or so the smell wouldn't be too bad.
The service area makes the most sense then.

Thanks Kenji, all good thoughts! Who knows... with such a large property you'd think there would be plenty of room elsewhere for the animals.

As Pahonu said, some changes were made during construction but this pic is from just before completion, and I noticed the courtyard gate is now in the correct/final location. Not sure what other changes might be shown here, Pahonu? Also, take a look at the partitions behind the service wing & garages...

Honolulu Advertiser, May 3, 1931



Just for fun I went back and grabbed this to look at again to see what was perhaps on the other parts of the property when Julia Wall acquired the lots ....

ca. 1930...

Hey RG,

That drawing was published less than a month before expected completion. Thanks for pointing that out to me! Duh! That means it's probably almost exactly as Pahonu was built, not the architects vision in the earlier rendering. That would therefore include the courtyard fountain. Notice also how it has four paths leading from it. These paths would head exactly to the four brick-paved pads in the courtyard. I've always wondered about them. The one by the gate makes sense. The two at the columns less so. Why put bricks only in those spots when one could step off the lanais at other locations onto the grass, unless... they were connected via these paths. The fourth one is in front of the semi-circular planter by the trunk room. These all line up axially in both directions. The stair hall doors and one set of the living room doors are on axis with the gate and the semi-circular planter. Brilliant!

JJ also noticed the statue or planter in the motor court. That was likely built as well. I'm leaning to the planter concept with a large central tree, but who knows?

These two things are the only differences I can see from the Pahonu we knew, whereas the earlier renderings have quite a few differences. Also, thanks again for the overlay map, so helpful!

[Pahonu]

Having written all this, I think it should be noted, the only exterior part of all Pahonu's structures not documented with photos remains the rear area service porch and service court. Unless I'm forgetting something, I think it's the only part of the façade I have had to completely guess at. I drew columns and an open porch, but it may be more enclosed, though almost definitely a porch as it is several steps lower than the main floor level.

Sleuths out there...

Edit:

I forgot something, the rear of the workshop at the end of the garage wing. I drew a vented window, but the other two sides aren't vented so maybe I'll change that. Maybe it's a door at the back, or is the door through the garage ???

We're sooooo close to nailing down the exterior!