Berkeley Landmarks designated in 2011

Pelican Building (photo: Daniella Thompson, 2006)

311. Pelican Building (Anthony Hall) Joseph Esherick (1956) University of California Campus Designated: 3 February 2011 In 1903, wealthy U.C. student Earle C. Anthony (1880–1961) founded the humor magazine California Pelican. From 1915 to 1958, Anthony was the Packard distributor for all of California. The Packard showrooms in San Francisco, Oakland, and Los Angeles were designed in the 1920s by Bernard Maybeck, who was also responsible for Anthony’s Los Angeles mansion. Thus, when Anthony decided in 1954 to donate $90,000 for a Berkeley campus building to house the Pelican, it was Maybeck he turned to. The elderly architect, already in his nineties, declined the commission, which was referred to Joseph Esherick (1914–1998). The Pelican Building is Esherick’s tribute to Maybeck. In materials and details, it strongly resembles Maybeck’s First Church of Christ, Scientist. As stated in the landmark application, “The building embodies the evolution of the First Bay Tradition (Maybeck) to later expressions of that tradition.” The landmark application is accessible online.

Photos: Daniella Thompson, 2010 312. Duncan & Jean McDuffie House Willis Polk (1921–1924) 22 Roble Road Designated: 3 March 2011

This rambling Mediterranean villa is believed to be the last residence designed by renowned San Francisco architect Willis Polk (1867–1924). The commission came from Duncan McDuffie (1877–1951) of Mason-McDuffie fame. The iconic Berkeley developer (Claremont Park, Claremont Court, Northbrae) and mastermind of “residence parks”—elegant subdivisions in naturalistic settings (including St. Francis Wood in San Francisco)—McDuffie was also a nature lover and environmental leader par excellence. He served twice as president of the Sierra Club, was a founder of Save-the-Redwoods League, first chair of the California State Parks Council, and a key figure in the establishment of the East Bay Regional Park District. The McDuffie house is an early example of the Mediterranean architectural style. It is set within grounds incorporating several levels of gardens designed by landscape architect James Frederick Dawson, partner in the celebrated Olmsted Brothers company of Brookline, MA. For further information, see the landmark application and related documents.

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