Cottages, Flats, Buildings & Bungalows: 102 Designs from Wolfe & McKenzie, 1907

by George Espinola

Wolfe & McKenzie was the most prolific and one of the most prominent architectural firms practicing in San Jose during the first decade of the twentieth century. They designed hundreds of homes throughout Northern California and did more than any other architects to define the residential character of San Jose during its transition from the Victorian to the modern era. In 1907 Wolfe & McKenzie published their Book of Designs, a pattern book that featured 102 buildings that had been built over the previous twelve years. In Cottages, Flats, Buildings and 102 Designs from Wolfe & McKenzie, 1907, architectural historian George Espinola reproduces the photographs and accompanying floor plans from the original Book of Designs, identifies the locations of the buildings, and recounts the history of who built and lived in these houses. The original plan sequence has been rearranged to present the designs in a more meaningful order, one that illustrates the evolution of their work from some of Frank Wolfe's solo commissions of the 1890s to some Arts & Crafts inspired houses finished just weeks before the book was published. Cottages, Flats, Buildings and Bungalows is both an insightful introduction to the Wolfe & McKenzie style and a wonderful snapshot of what was turn-of-the-century San Jose.

264 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2004

Reviews

[Jennifer Emmer]

Living in San Jose, I have an obvious affinity for this book. I thought the floor plans and text were very good, but I think the black and white photographs could have been better quality. They all have a sort of graininess that makes them rather lackluster. And it's not because they are old - old photos, if scanned, can have an incredibly high resolution.

[Bonnie]

I read this book over and over. I was the editor and publisher! Thanks, Cici, for reminding me to put this one on my list!

I own about 28 copies of this book. Buy it at Amazon.com or at Recycle Books (both locations).