Bernard Maybeck: An Arts and Crafts Architect in California

Pre-tour lecture by
Sissel Hamre Dagsland
Wednesday, 23 April 2008
8:00 pm
The Hillside Club
2286 Cedar Street, Berkeley
$15 at the door

Sissel Hamre Dagsland is visiting from Norway, where her book Bernard Maybeck: en arts and crafts-arkitekt was recently published by Bodoni Forlag.

As she writes in the book’s introduction, “Berkeley was [...] my own city for ten important younger years, including most of my school years [...]. Through a number of later visits to close relatives in Berkeley my own interest in Maybeck has increased. This growing interest is also influenced by my numerous years as a journalist in the cultural department of the Bergen newspaper Bergens Tidende. An important part of my work there has concerned architecture, older building styles, cultural history, and problems of conservation and restoration of buildings. ...[In my book on Maybeck] I have concentrated on important background material as well as what I personally have observed and experienced. In a final chapter I have tried to clarify resemblances and possible connections between Maybeck’s work and Norwegian traditions. This includes the relationship between Maybeck’s architecture and Norwegian stave churches, as well as inspiration from the Arts and Crafts movement which is a common feature for Maybeck and the so-called Bergen school of architects.”

This lecture is being offered in conjunction with our Spring House Tour.