Apr 10, 2009
John Norton House - National Register of Historic Places
Statement of Significance The lot was sold to the Nortons by William Carr, the prominent local developer (see the Poppy Peak nomination); the Buffs and Norton’s were personal friends of Conrad Buff. It was part of an older Pasadena estate whose brick walkways can still be seen at the base of the property; local mythology is that the paths led to a “party house” discreetly separated from the main estate by the Arroyo. The Norton House is an excellent example of a different type of approach used by Buff, Straub and Hensman, here to beautiful effect. Because the hill was steep but short, and because the lot was long but tight (parallel to Burleigh Road), the architects’ unique response to the site (an important tenet in Modernism, in the USC/Pasadena School, and in Buff, Straub and Hensman’s work particularly) was to not have the house unfold against the slope. Instead, extensive terracing, stepping stones and very broad staircases animate the relationship between house and slope, a very different solution compared to other contemporary houses such as the Wirick, Frank and Thompson houses. The Norton House thus demonstrates the firm’s flexibility in responding creatively to the program and site. Like so much oftheir work, its alterations reflect the continuity of collaboration between architect and client over decades. The Norton House, 1955, retains an outstanding degree of integrity, is of exceptionally high quality of design, displays the character-defining features outlined for post-and-beam construction and architecture in the Registration Requirements, and is a single-family house constructed in the period of significance, 1948 - 1968. Significance—Conclusion Argument under Criterion C- Eligible As demonstrated above, this work by Buff, Straub and Hensman meets the registration requirements as outlined in the MPS. It has retained the respective required aspects of integrity. It is an excellent example of the firm’s body of work, as well as embodying the larger architectural concerns and expressions of Pasadena’s “Recent Past’ as described in the Multiple Property Submission (MPS), Cultural Resources of the Recent Past, City of Pasadena. It is significant as embodying architectural innovation in residential Modernism within the MPS period of significance, 1948-1968. Therefore, it is eligible to qualify for listing under Criterion C, Architecture and Design, at the local level of significance, with a period of significance of 1955.
John Norton House - National Register of Historic Places
Statement of Significance The lot was sold to the Nortons by William Carr, the prominent local developer (see the Poppy Peak nomination); the Buffs and Norton’s were personal friends of Conrad Buff. It was part of an older Pasadena estate whose brick walkways can still be seen at the base of the property; local mythology is that the paths led to a “party house” discreetly separated from the main estate by the Arroyo. The Norton House is an excellent example of a different type of approach used by Buff, Straub and Hensman, here to beautiful effect. Because the hill was steep but short, and because the lot was long but tight (parallel to Burleigh Road), the architects’ unique response to the site (an important tenet in Modernism, in the USC/Pasadena School, and in Buff, Straub and Hensman’s work particularly) was to not have the house unfold against the slope. Instead, extensive terracing, stepping stones and very broad staircases animate the relationship between house and slope, a very different solution compared to other contemporary houses such as the Wirick, Frank and Thompson houses. The Norton House thus demonstrates the firm’s flexibility in responding creatively to the program and site. Like so much oftheir work, its alterations reflect the continuity of collaboration between architect and client over decades. The Norton House, 1955, retains an outstanding degree of integrity, is of exceptionally high quality of design, displays the character-defining features outlined for post-and-beam construction and architecture in the Registration Requirements, and is a single-family house constructed in the period of significance, 1948 - 1968. Significance—Conclusion Argument under Criterion C- Eligible As demonstrated above, this work by Buff, Straub and Hensman meets the registration requirements as outlined in the MPS. It has retained the respective required aspects of integrity. It is an excellent example of the firm’s body of work, as well as embodying the larger architectural concerns and expressions of Pasadena’s “Recent Past’ as described in the Multiple Property Submission (MPS), Cultural Resources of the Recent Past, City of Pasadena. It is significant as embodying architectural innovation in residential Modernism within the MPS period of significance, 1948-1968. Therefore, it is eligible to qualify for listing under Criterion C, Architecture and Design, at the local level of significance, with a period of significance of 1955.
Apr 10, 2009
Posted Date
Mar 21, 2022
Historical Record Date
Apr 10, 2009
Source Name
United States Department of Interior - National Park Service
