The California Houses Of Gordon Drake

In the Aftermath of the Winter Floods

Watching local TV news of a coastal community pulling together after the devastation caused by a storms John Donne's "No man is an Island" came to mind.

Any designer looking to contribute to the affordable homes debate should get a copy of "California Houses of Gordon Drake". Gordon is today a lesser known contemporary of George Nelson and Richard Neutra, stellar names in Mid Century Design, but arguably in his short career, Gordon through his houses and teaching was as influential as either.

In the depressed post war years Gordon developed his Californian take on designing high quality, liveable and affordable homes. Constructing homes that were aware of their environmental impact and framed human activity within nature. sixty years later his message is clear and relevant.

Gordon Drake’s Unit House not so lost after all

Unfortunately, Drake’s only commission in the East Bay would end up being one of his last. In January of 1952, shortly after the Unit House was completed, Gordon Drake would die in a tragic skiing accident in the Sierras. He was 34 years old, in his pocket was this John Donne extract from "Devotions" written in 1623.

“No man is an island, Entire of itself,
 Every man is a piece of the continent, A part of the main.


If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less.


As well as if a promontory were.


As well as if a manor of thy friend's Or of thine own were:
 Any man's death diminishes me, Because I am involved in mankind,


And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.“

A great orator of the English Renaissance speaking clearly today.

"California Houses of Gordon Drake" by Douglas Baylis and Joan Parry. Published 1956 by Reinhold Publishing although it is probably easier and cheaper to get the reprint by William Stout Publishing.

To put Gordon Drake into context this is a great blog also another article about Gordon Drake