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Noted San Diego modernist Sim Bruce Richards
was born in 1908 in Oklahoma and came to Phoenix in 1920 with
his family. The move was, in part, an effort to find better
health care for Richards who as a child developed a severe
jaw bone infection when a wheat kernel lodged deep in his
gum. It was in Phoenix that Richards first came to know of
Frank Lloyd Wright. In 1930, Richards attended Cal Berkley
to study architecture. Frustrated with the program and faculty,
he transferred to the Art Department and honed his skills
as a weaver of abstract rug designs. Frank Lloyd Wright saw
some of those designs at a San Francisco exhibit and asked
that Richards contact him. At the age of 26, Richards was
invited by Wright to join his Taliesin Fellowship. Richards
studied at Taliesin from May 1934 through September
1935, coming to San Diego in 1938 to join the Navy. He met
his wife Janet at a party and in May 1944 they married. Prior
to starting his own San Diego practice, Richards worked for
La Jolla architect Harold Abrams, who told him in 1949 to
take a vacation, "and you don't have to come back."
He didn't, practicing on his own until his death in 1983.
His body of work is extensive with some 200 projects which
are detailed at www.modernsandiego.com.
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Much of Sim Bruce Richards' San Diego work is characterized
by the use of natural wood and glass. Here in the Anza Borrego
desert, Richards has created a haven in adobe - a hacienda
in the traditions of early California.
Designed for the McGuire family in 1969, it wasn't until 1975
that the home was built by Weir Brothers Construction, noted
for its work in Rancho Santa Fe. The walls are made from adobe,
treated at the foundations to retard moisture. The courtyard,
its reflecting pool and entrance were all designed by Richards.
The home contains three bedrooms and three baths. The living
room and master bedroom feature a fireplace accessible to
both rooms. The tiles are from Mexico and specified on the
construction plans as being supplied by the owners.
Many of the entry doors, and decorative tiles along with other
decorative elements were purchased in Mexico and brought to
the site. The plans call for the owners' tile to be installed
in the fireplace and other areas. Short adobe walls in the
interior separate the space, yet do not block the light or
movement of air. Arches in the living and master bedroom frame
the view to the west of Indian Head. The adobe wall surrounding
the home defines the space and creates privacy. Fountains
provide visual and aural interest.
The kitchen of the home has been remodeled, with an interior
half-wall of cabinets removed to create a dining space and
open the kitchen to the living area.
The initial sketches for this home, done in Richards' own
hand, are now housed in the archives of the San Diego Historical
Society.
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