Andrew Willatsen (8 October 1876 – 25 July 1974) was an

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

chiefly remembered for bringing the influence of

Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright Sr. (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed List of Frank Lloyd Wright works, more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key ...

and the

Prairie School Prairie School is a late 19th and early 20th-century architectural style, most common in the Midwestern United States. The style is usually marked by horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad overhanging eaves, windows grouped i ...

to the

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Early life and emigration

Andrew Christian Peter Willatzen was born in

Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein (; ; ; ; ; occasionally in English ''Sleswick-Holsatia'') is the Northern Germany, northernmost of the 16 states of Germany, comprising most of the historical Duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of S ...

, northern

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in 1876 and came to the

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in 1900. Born with the last name ''Willatzen'', he changed the spelling to Willatsen c. 1918 due to

anti-German sentiment Anti-German sentiment (also known as anti-Germanism, Germanophobia or Teutophobia) is fear or dislike of Germany, its Germans, people, and its Culture of Germany, culture. Its opposite is Germanophile, Germanophilia. Anti-German sentiment main ...

during

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. This may also explain the fact that later he always identified with the Danish in his background.

Career

He first worked as a

carpenter Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. Carpenter ...

, then as a

draftsman A drafter (also draughtsman / draughtswoman in British and Commonwealth English, draftsman / draftswoman, drafting technician, or CAD technician in American and Canadian English) is an engineering technician who makes detailed technical drawi ...

, and arrived at Frank Lloyd Wright's Studio in

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in 1902 or 1903. The Studio was just entering its most creative period, and Willatzen soon became a valued

apprentice Apprenticeship is a system for training a potential new practitioners of a Tradesman, trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. Apprenticeships may also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in ...

. He later claimed "full responsibility" for Wright's 1905 remodeling of the lobbies of

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Rookery Building The Rookery Building is a historic office building located at 209 South LaSalle Street in the Chicago Loop. Completed by architects Daniel Burnham and John Wellborn Root of Burnham and Root in 1888, it is considered one of their masterpie ...

, and said that "The Boss" accepted his design for the fence of the

Larkin Administration Building The Larkin Building was an office building at 680 Seneca Street in Buffalo, New York, United States. Designed in 1903 by Frank Lloyd Wright, it was built in 1904–1906 for the Larkin Soap Company. The building was noted for innovations that ...

(Buffalo, NY, 1907, destroyed) without changes. Willatzen also worked on the interiors of the Martin House in

Buffalo Buffalo most commonly refers to: * True buffalo or Bubalina, a subtribe of wild cattle, including most "Old World" buffalo, such as water buffalo * Bison, a genus of wild cattle, including the American buffalo * Buffalo, New York, a city in the n ...

and was hired by the Martins for a 1920 remodel, while Wright was away in Japan. He also worked for the Chicago firms of Spencer and Powers and

Pond and Pond Pond and Pond was an American architecture firm established by the Chicago architects Irving Kane Pond and Allen Bartlitt Pond. Overview Working in the Arts and Crafts idiom, the brothers gained renown for elaborately detailed brickwork and irr ...

. By 1907, Willatzen had about three years experience off and on with Wright. That year he moved to

Spokane, Washington Spokane ( ) is the most populous city in eastern Washington and the county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It lies along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, south o ...

, secured a position with the prestigious firm of

Cutter & Malmgren Cutter & Malmgren was an architectural firm of Kirtland K. Cutter and Karl G. Malmgren in Spokane, Washington that existed from c.1889 to 1917. The firm designed multiple buildings that are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places ...

, and was soon sent to head the

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

office and supervise the construction of the Seattle Golf & Country Club (1908) at The Highlands, north of the city. In 1909, Willatzen formed a partnership with Francis

Barry Byrne Francis Barry Byrne (December 19, 1883 – December 18, 1967) was a member of the group of architects known as the Prairie School. After the demise of the Prairie School, about 1914 to 1916, Byrne continued as a successful architect by dev ...

(1883–1967), whom he had known at Wright's office. The new firm quickly began a series of homes adapting Wright's principles to the Northwest environment. The Charles E. Clarke House (1909) at The Highlands, and the Frederick Handschy House (1910) at 2433 9th Ave. W.,

, are large bungalows which draw on Wright's early gable-roofed Prairie houses, and also show influences from other Prairie School architects such as

Walter Burley Griffin Walter Burley Griffin (November 24, 1876February 11, 1937) was an American architect and landscape architect. He designed Canberra, Australia's capital city, the New South Wales towns of Griffith, New South Wales, Griffith and Leeton, New So ...

. The George Matzen House (1910) at 320 Kinnear Place,

, is hipped-roofed,

stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and ...

ed, with a stunted cruciform plan typical of the Prairie style confined by a narrow, sloping site. The interlocking spaces of the interior and the custom designed leaded glass, light fixtures and furniture combined to give the Matzen House perhaps the finest of Willatzen and Byrne's executed interiors. The proposal for the A.S. Kerry Mansion (1910) at The Highlands (constructed 1911 in an abbreviated form), reflected Wright's long, low, more expansive designs. Although lacking the grand living and dining spaces of the original project, this house remains an impressive design; it is perhaps the best known of Willatzen and Byrne's work and is sometimes mistakenly attributed to Frank Lloyd Wright. The Oscar E. Maurer House (1910) at 2715 Belvidere,

, the John T. McVay House (1911) at 1025 Belmont Place,

, the George Bellman House (1912) at 2021 E. Lynn,

, and the L. George Hagar House (1913) at 303 W. Prospect,

, (also scaled down from a grander first proposal) are typical of the firm's handling of more modest homes. Willatzen and Byrne also designed in the Craftsman mode and various period revival styles. Most significant of these is the Stickleyesque George E. Felmlay House (1911) at 6975 47th Ave. S.W.,

, and the Carleton Huiscamp House at The Highlands (1912), the firm's most important eclectic work. This imposing Dutch Colonial's strong lines and fine detailing show that the partners were comfortable with period revival design. Later additions have unfortunately detracted from the house's original appearance. The firm also produced numerous business, commercial, and industrial structures, including their first project, the many oriel-windowed Nelson, Tagholm and Jensen Building (Hotel Louisa) at King Street & 7th Ave. S.,

, (1909).

left

early in 1913, moving first to California and eventually returning to the Midwest. Byrne had a long and celebrated career, mainly in the designing of Catholic churches. Our Lady of Good Help (1910) in

Hoquiam, Washington Hoquiam ( ) is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, Grays Harbor County, Washington (state), Washington, United States. It borders the city of Aberdeen, Washington, Aberdeen at Myrtle Street, with Hoquiam to the west. The two cities share a ...

, appears to be the first of this line. In solo practice, Willatsen continued to design homes reflecting the Prairie idiom, including his most noted solo work, the Joseph Black House (1914) at 222 W. Highland Dr.,

, which illustrated the Prairie Style adapted to a more conventional, central hall type plan. The Black House was the prototype for several other Willatsen designs over the following decade, but its sweeping

gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...

roof and continuous band of second floor windows set it apart from the others. The curved entrance canopy became a sort of Willatsen trademark, gracing numerous homes of both Prairie and Period design, and one church. This magnificent home was illegally destroyed over the

Martin Luther King holiday Martin Luther King Jr. Day (officially Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., and often referred to shorthand as MLK Day) is a federal holiday in the United States observed on the third Monday of January each year. King was the chief spokespers ...

weekend in 2004. The William E. Robinson House (1913) at 2011 11th Ave. E.,

, and the E.E. Vogue House (1918–19) at 1016 E. Lynn St., Seattle, are good examples of his approach to more modest homes, while the Gustav V. Rasmussen House (1921–25) at 3211 Cascadia Ave., Seattle, and Willatsen's favorite project, the O.L. Martin House (1928) at 3722 E. Prospect, Seattle, illustrate his handling of larger budget residences. Traditional homes also remained in his repertoire. Two 1914 commissions reflected the Tudor style. The Frederick Hurlbut House at 1015 E. Prospect,

, is a very personal design with Prairie overtones. Willatsen's typical attention to detail, such as the type of hardware used, is readily apparent in this house. The Jeremiah Neterer House at 2702 Broadway E.,

, is a more academic work. The John H. Carter House (1916) at 1615 36th Ave.,

, and the Fred Burwell House (1925) at 425 35th Ave.,

, illustrate the Classical and Federal revival styles respectively. Besides custom homes, Willatsen produced designs for builders. A group of homes for Carl Hedeen at 1711, 1717, and 1809 NE. 63rd St. and 1738 Naomi Place, all in

, (1915–17) have been identified. After the decline in the popularity of the Prairie School, Willatsen worked in a wide variety of styles, designing stores, churches, and many other types of structures. From 1915 to the 1960s, he was the architect for general alterations to the

Pike Place Market Pike Place Market is a Marketplaces#Types, public market in Seattle, Washington, United States. It opened on August 17, 1907, and is one of the oldest continuously operated public farmers' markets in the United States. Overlooking the Elliott B ...

. The simplicity and common sense of his work won many loyal customers who turned repeatedly to him for their architectural needs until his retirement in the late 1940s. He continued to work occasionally in his retirement, mainly for friends and old clients. Two modest standouts from this period are the 1955 Church & North Office at 3701 SW Alaska St.,

, and the Richard Desimone House of 1959 at 2605 SW 170th St. in

Normandy Park, Washington Normandy Park is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 6,771 at the 2020 census. History Normandy Park was officially incorporated on June 8, 1953. The city is located in King County and is bordered on the nor ...

, a Midwest-style rambler in

Roman brick Roman brick is a type of brick used in ancient Roman architecture and spread by the Romans to the lands they conquered, or a modern adaptation inspired by the ancient prototypes. Both types are characteristically longer and flatter than standard ...

. Andrew Willatsen died in

in 1974 at the age of 97. His papers, drawings, and the furniture and art glass windows from the 1915 remodeling of his Boston Block office were acquired from Willatsen by the

University of Washington The University of Washington (UW and informally U-Dub or U Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast of the Uni ...

shortly before his death. The windows are in the Architectural Library in Gould Hall. The table and chairs are in the University's Branch Office at the Palazzo Pio,

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. A bookcase with leaded glass doors is in the office of the Dean of Architecture in Gould Hall. These are the only examples of Willatsen's furniture known to still exist. Willatsen was a major contributor to the development of progressive architecture in the Northwest, and he, along with Byrne, must be credited with bringing the Prairie Style to Seattle over 30 years before Wright's first Northwest commission.

Bibliographical note

His surviving drawings, some notebooks, papers, and a transcription of his personal project ledger are in the Special Collections and Manuscript Sections of The University of Washington Libraries. A copy is available in the University Architecture Library in Gould Hall. Much work is also documented in contemporary periodicals such as ''Pacific Builder & Engineer'', ''Pacific Coast Architect'', and ''Bungalow Magazine''. Early photos of the Clarke and Kerry Houses can be found in ''Homes and Gardens of the Pacific Coast'' (

Frank Calvert Frank Calvert (1828–1908) was an English immigrant who was a consular official in the eastern Mediterranean region and an amateur archaeologist. He began exploratory excavations on the mound at Hisarlık (the site of the ancient city of Troy) ...

; Editor, 1913) reprinted by the Queen Anne Historical Society, Seattle, (1988).

Work

* Black Manufacturing Company building (1914), Seattle

Gallery

Image:Willatzen&Byrne NelsonTagholmJensenBuilding Seattle 1909 01.jpg, Willatzen & Byrne, Nelson, Tagholm & Jensen Building, 1909 Image:Willatzen&Byrne Clarke House Highlands 1909 01.jpg, Willatzen & Byrne, Charles Clarke House, 1909 Image:Willatzen&Byrne Kerry House Highlands 1910Project.jpg, Willatzen & Byrne, A. S. Kerry House Project, 1910 Image:Willatzen&Byrne Handschy House Seattle 1910 01.jpg, Willatzen & Byrne, Frederick Handschy House, 1910 Image:Willatzen&Byrne Matzen House Seattle 1910 02.jpg, Willatzen & Byrne, George Matzen House, 1910 Image:Willatzen&Byrne OurLadyOfGoodHelp Hoquiam built in 1910 01.jpg, Willatzen & Byrne, Our Lady of Good Help Catholic Church, 1910 Image:Willatzen&Byrne Bellman House Seattle 1913 01.jpg, Willatzen & Byrne, George Bellman House, 1912 Image:Willatzen&Byrne Hagar House Seattle 1913 01.jpg, Willatzen & Byrne, L. George Hagar House, 1913 Image:Willatzen Andrew Black House Seattle 1914 01.jpg, Andrew Willatzen, Joseph Black House, 1914 (Destroyed) Image:Willatzen Andrew Hurlbut Frederick House Seattle 1914 02.jpg, Andrew Willatzen, Frederick Hurlbut House, 1914 Image:Willatzen Andrew OfficeWindows 1915 01.jpg, Andrew Willatzen's Office Windows, 1915 Image:Willatzen Andrew Church&NorthOffice Seattle 1955.jpg, Andrew Willatzen, Church & North Office, 1955 Image:Willatzen Andrew Desimone House NormandyPark 1959.jpg, Andrew Willatzen, Richard Desimone House, Normandy Park, WA., 1959

References

Other sources

*H. Allen Brooks, ''The Prairie School'' (Toronto, Norton Press, 1972) *Grant Carpenter Manson, ''Frank Lloyd Wright To 1910'' (NY., Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1958) *Silvia Lynn Gills, ''Andrew C.P. Willatsen, Architect, A.I.A. (1876-1974)'' (Unpublished thesis. 1980)