Homes That Architects Have Built for Themselves 
Tihe house is situated on the summit of a knoll well above the street, to which a sweeping entrance drive was built. Many oak trees dot the knoll, 
but not thickly enough to restrict the fine views in all directions 
THE HOME OF ELMER GREY, ARCHITECT, WHICH SHOWS CONSIDERABLE INDIVIDUALITY IN ATTACKING 
THE PROBLEMS OF SITUATION-HOW VIEW WAS A DETERMINING FACTOR IN SHAPING THE HOUSE 
T HE architect when building his 
own home is in a large degree 
free from the restrictions imposed by 
the personal tastes of a client. It is 
not necessarily true that his own home 
will be the finest architectural example 
of his work, but it is at least an ex¬ 
pression of his individuality, or, better, 
his personal tastes. Architects, as well 
as everyone else, are apt to have fixed 
ideas and some hobbies. Perhaps this 
house may appear somewhat unique to 
many, but it has satisfied the direct de¬ 
sires of its owner and in a way has 
solved for him some difficult problems 
of the site. 
The principal factors determining the 
plan of the house were its unusual loca¬ 
tion, the direction from which sunlight 
would enter the rooms, and, of course, 
the means at the disposal of the builder. 
The location which was to be treated 
by the architect was in a desirable resi¬ 
dential district of Pasadena. The land 
was quite rolling and evidenced some 
The contour of the ground was such that a series of 
terraces and steps leads to the piazza 
peculiar characteristics. The immedi¬ 
ate site was a small hilltop which is 
now called “Oak Knoll'’ because its. 
rolling surface was dotted with a num¬ 
ber of live oaks and full grown orange- 
trees. Indeed, this land was once part 
of an old ranch devoted to the growings 
of these fruits. Immediately before 
the property the street is sunk in a deep' 
valley, a veritable canon, and follows a 
very winding course. On the other 
side of this street was a triangular plot 
with eleven beautiful gnarled old oaks. 
This knoll on which the house was fi> 
be built rose about thirty feet from the 
street level to its summit. From this 
summit beautiful views might be had 
in all directions. There was the pros¬ 
pect of the knotted trees, the rolling 
land, the pleasant countryside, and it 
was this landscape which changed as 
one changed his position that the archi¬ 
tect was desirous to take advantage 
of. These views were to add to the- 
delights of living in the house. 
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