In 1923, Paul Revere Williams (1894–1980) became the first African-American architect to join the American Institute of Architecture. Nearly a century later in 2017, the organization posthumously awarded him its most prestigious honor, the AIA Gold Medal. In doing so, the country’s standard bearer for the field belatedly acknowledged Williams’s significant contributions to Los Angeles, both as a prolific and versatile designer and as a trailblazing community leader. Several factors account for this delay, starting with widespread discrimination in a profession that still struggles with racial and gender diversity. In addition, Williams was a master of many styles (including revivals), and not uniformly committed to the modernist aesthetic favored by prominent critics.
Over the last several years, photographer Janna Ireland has endeavored to preserve a record of Williams’s achievements and affirm his rightful position in history. She was drawn to the project as a way to further her visual exploration of Black life. Her lyrical black and white images often emphasize the elegant details that define Williams’s architecture, from the sinuous curving walls and staircases to the intricate trims. In her own words, this allows Ireland to "focus on form and design" and convey the "meticulous yet really warm and human" aspects of his work.
Though best known for his glamorous mansions for the Los Angeles elite, Williams also designed beautiful homes for more modest budgets. This series of 17 photographs document SeaView, a 190-unit subdivision that opened in Rancho Palos Verdes in 1960. Williams developed 41 different exterior styles and nine floor plans, providing customizable luxury to middle-class clients. An extensive publicity campaign in the Los Angeles Times touted the "eminent" architect’s prestigious credentials and famous clients, promising "opulent details" such as a disappearing shoji screen wall and floor-to ceiling stone fireplaces while also highlighting the affordable payment plans.
Staci Steinberger, Associate Curator, Decorative Arts and Design, 2021
