Paul R. Williams, Architect
Los Angeles International Airport, FlyKonstantin via flickr; Beverly Hills Hotel, T Hoffarth via flickr; /Artwork:
designslinger]
To celebrate Black History month, I thought it would be appropriate to write about an
outstanding African American pioneer in the history of LA's architectural heritage. Paul Williams came to be known as the "architect to the stars" and for a reason. He designed homes for some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry in the 1930s-50s. Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Frank Sinatra, Tyrone Power, the Paleys, Danny Thomas, you get the idea. Jay Paley's house is now owned by Barron Hilton, Paris' father.
He was a style master. Here's what I mean by that; Williams could take any historic style,
revise it and rework it to suit the times, and produce one stunning piece of architecture. He had a great sensibility when it came to proportion and picking just the right historic detail to make the thing work. As his career progressed into the 50s and 60s, Williams adapted and became a modernist of sorts. The Theme Building at LAX was designed by Williams, who was part of a team of architects that drew-up the plans for the airport.
In the 1940s, he was asked to design a new wing for the Beverly Hills Hotel as well as
oversee a redo of the older portions of the facility. The famous green and pink, along with the hotel lettering on the wall of the addition, are all Williams. His practice wasn't all glamor and kleig lights, he believed in giving back to the community, and was the lead architect on the Pueblo del Rio public housing project in the LA area.
He started practicing architecture in the 20s and retired in the mid-70's. By the time he
retired, he had designed and built over 3,000 buildings. It is a tribute to the man, his demeanor, his talent and his drive, that an African American was able to develop a thriving architectural practice at a time when even he casually held his hands behind his back, so that none of his white clientèle would ever feel uncomfortable touching a black man's hands. If that's what he had to do to, then that's what he had to do, because getting the job came first.
His granddaughter, Karen Hughes, wrote a wonderful book, Paul R. Williams, Architect:
A Legacy of Style, about his life and career with lots of great pictures. Check your local library, or the Amazon link here.
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