For more reading:
Greene & Greene
by Edward R. Bosley
The Last of the Ultimate Bungalows: The William R. Thorsen House of Greene and Greene
Edited by Edward R. Bosley, Robert Judson Clark and Randell L. Makinson
Greene & Greene: Furniture and Related Designs
by Randell L. Makinson
Greene & Greene: Architecture as a Fine Art
by Randell L. Makinson
Greene & Greene: Developing A California Architecture
by Bruce Smith
Greene & Greene Masterworks
by Bruce Smith
Greene and Greene
Charles Sumner Greene was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on October 12th, 1868. Henry Mather Greene was born later, on January 23rd, 1870.Their father had envisioned an architectural career for his sons and so as teenagers, enrolled them in Calvin Woodward’s Manual Training School of Washington University in St Louis, where the family moved.
The Manual Training School split the curriculum between traditional academic subjects and the manual trades such as metalworking and woodworking, giving the boys a firm understanding of tools, materials, and craftsmanship. Both Charles and Henry were to become lifelong amateur woodworkers.
In 1888, the boys enrolled in the two year partial Architectural Course at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston. After completing their studies they worked independently as apprentices for a variety of Architectural firms in Boston — many of which were spin-offs of HH Richardson. In 1893 the brothers left Boston to visit their parents, now living in Pasadena. They ended up staying in Pasadena and starting their own Architectural practice in 1894.
With their practice set up, each brother found his niche. Charles was more creative and is credited with much of the design work. While Henry was a competent designer in his own right, his strongest suit was engineering and organization.
By 1903 the Greenes were starting to develop their own unique style which was influenced amongst others, by the American Arts & Crafts Movement and Japanese motifs. Their designs were rapidly outpacing the abilities of the craftsman who were building their houses and furniture.
In 1907 the Greenes brought on board the Hall Brothers (Peter & John) to build the first of several large projects. The Halls were trained in the Swedish Sloyd method, which taught traditional crafts but stressed design as well.
The Greene brothers and the Hall brothers were a perfect match — sometimes being referred to as the “Divine Collaboration”. Each set of brothers knew something of the others' specialty. The Greenes, as the designers, had knowledge, materials and craftsmanship. The Halls, as the craftsmen, had knowledge of design. With a deeper understanding of one another, the two sets of brothers produced some of the finest examples of both design and craftsmanship to be found in American architecture and furniture.
The American Arts & Crafts Movement began by celebrating craftsmanship and making it accessible to all. The designs were simple and even those with very rudimentary skills were invited to join in. The Greenes also celebrated craftsmanship, but in a much different way. Their designs were very demanding of even the best of craftsman, and so paid homage to the highest order of the craft itself.
The Greenes produced four Ultimate Bungalows, which stand as tributes to the worlds of Art, Architecture, and Craftsmanship. Amazingly all four houses are still standing: the Blacker and Gamble houses both in Pasadena, the Pratt House in Ojai, and the only Ultimate Bungalow outside of Southern California — the Thorsen House in Berkeley.