Peter J. Weber House: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Weber House Sketch 12.jpg|thumb|Conceptual sketch of The Weber House by Peter J. Weber, 1932.]] |
[[File:Weber House Sketch 12.jpg|thumb|Conceptual sketch of The Weber House by Peter J. Weber, 1932.]] |
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[[File:Mosaic bathroom tile at The Weber House.jpg|thumb|Mosaic bathroom tile designed by Peter J. Weber.]] |
[[File:Mosaic bathroom tile at The Weber House.jpg|thumb|Mosaic bathroom tile designed by Peter J. Weber.]] |
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The '''Peter J. Weber House''' (also known simply as "The Weber House") is a |
The '''Peter J. Weber House''' (also known simply as "The Weber House") is a historic house and landmark in [[Riverside, California]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 11, 2023 |title=Landmarks of the City of Riverside |url=https://www.riversideca.gov/historic/pdf/landmarks-WEB.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> The house was designed and built by architect Peter J. Weber in the 1930s as a family residence and conceptual showcase of his creative work. The house is notable for its eclectic Depression-era design and its reliance on salvaged materials. |
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== Elements of Design & Construction == |
== Elements of Design & Construction == |
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Built between 1932 and 1938, the house features an abundance of recycled and reclaimed materials and finishes, ornate hand-carved details, and colorful decorated ceilings. Some ahead-of-their-time systems include a roof-mounted solar water heater enclosed by repurposed Model T windshields and seismic fittings in the basement to protect against earthquake damage, informed by Weber's early work with architects including John Galen Howard and Julia Morgan following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6772173|title= |
Built between 1932 and 1938, the house features an abundance of recycled and reclaimed materials and finishes, ornate hand-carved details, and colorful decorated ceilings. Some ahead-of-their-time systems include a 1935 roof-mounted solar water heater enclosed by repurposed Model T windshields and seismic fittings in the basement to protect against earthquake damage, informed by Weber's early work with architects including John Galen Howard and Julia Morgan following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6772173|title= |
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Solar water heaters in California, 1891--1930}}</ref> |
Solar water heaters in California, 1891--1930}}</ref> While Weber was trained and highly skilled in the Beaux Arts style of architecture, for his personal home much of the design was inspired by what he had seen on his year-long honeymoon travels in Europe and North Africa from 1931 - 1932, in particular Moorish, Spanish, and Tudor Revival architecture. The house was initially designed to be expanded into a multi-bedroom private getaway with a lookout tower (possibly as a rental vacation home), but Weber never finished the intended expansion due to increased development in the area and other practical matters. Rooms include a three-bay garage with basement, wash house, kitchen, breakfast room, and living room with one bedroom and one bathroom. The house was surrounded by 8.8 acres of citrus, stone fruit, and nut trees and bordered a branch of the Gage Canal at its south end. When mother-in-law Amelia Hartnett came to live with them in 1942 after the death of her husband, the Webers relocated their sleeping quarters to the rooftop deck with a corrugated metal shade for protection and slept there year-round. It remained the family home for Weber, his wife Clara, son Peter N., and Amelia Hartnett for 40 years. |
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== Saved from Demolition == |
== Saved from Demolition == |
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In |
In 1972, the Webers moved to Leucadia and their home was rented to a series of tenants while they searched for buyers of their property, divided into four parcels. In 1980, Bob Kneisel<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bungalow Heaven Origins |url=https://www.bungalowheaven.org/our-history/origins/ |access-date=2022-11-04 |website=www.bungalowheaven.org |language=en}}</ref> began renting the house and initiated the work of its restoration and archiving its history. Through his efforts along with Riverside’s Cultural Heritage Board, local advocacy group Old Riverside Foundation, and Alan Curl of the Riverside Metropolitan Museum, the house was recognized as Riverside City Landmark #52 in 1981. After the death of Peter J. Weber in 1983, the parcel containing the house was sold to [[Days Inn]] for redevelopment, who initially sought demolition or relocation of the house, but the Cultural Heritage Board determined the house must remain intact at its original location, so the hotel built their parking lot and swimming pool around it. It has since been restored<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fiske |first=Joanne |date=1986-07-01 |title=Saving this historic house is no easy job |pages= |work=The Press-Enterprise |url= |access-date=}}</ref> to much of its original condition and is available for private tours.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allen |first=David |date=February 11, 2023 |title=Weber House in Riverside is a folk-art wonder worth hunting for |url=https://www.pressenterprise.com/2023/02/11/weber-house-in-riverside-is-a-folk-art-wonder-worth-hunting-for/ |url-status=live |website=The Press-Enterprise}}</ref> |
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== References == |
== References == |
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Revision as of 18:01, 21 August 2023
The Peter J. Weber House (also known simply as "The Weber House") is a historic house and landmark in Riverside, California.[1] The house was designed and built by architect Peter J. Weber in the 1930s as a family residence and conceptual showcase of his creative work. The house is notable for its eclectic Depression-era design and its reliance on salvaged materials.
Elements of Design & Construction
Built between 1932 and 1938, the house features an abundance of recycled and reclaimed materials and finishes, ornate hand-carved details, and colorful decorated ceilings. Some ahead-of-their-time systems include a 1935 roof-mounted solar water heater enclosed by repurposed Model T windshields and seismic fittings in the basement to protect against earthquake damage, informed by Weber's early work with architects including John Galen Howard and Julia Morgan following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire.[2] While Weber was trained and highly skilled in the Beaux Arts style of architecture, for his personal home much of the design was inspired by what he had seen on his year-long honeymoon travels in Europe and North Africa from 1931 - 1932, in particular Moorish, Spanish, and Tudor Revival architecture. The house was initially designed to be expanded into a multi-bedroom private getaway with a lookout tower (possibly as a rental vacation home), but Weber never finished the intended expansion due to increased development in the area and other practical matters. Rooms include a three-bay garage with basement, wash house, kitchen, breakfast room, and living room with one bedroom and one bathroom. The house was surrounded by 8.8 acres of citrus, stone fruit, and nut trees and bordered a branch of the Gage Canal at its south end. When mother-in-law Amelia Hartnett came to live with them in 1942 after the death of her husband, the Webers relocated their sleeping quarters to the rooftop deck with a corrugated metal shade for protection and slept there year-round. It remained the family home for Weber, his wife Clara, son Peter N., and Amelia Hartnett for 40 years.
Saved from Demolition
In 1972, the Webers moved to Leucadia and their home was rented to a series of tenants while they searched for buyers of their property, divided into four parcels. In 1980, Bob Kneisel[3] began renting the house and initiated the work of its restoration and archiving its history. Through his efforts along with Riverside’s Cultural Heritage Board, local advocacy group Old Riverside Foundation, and Alan Curl of the Riverside Metropolitan Museum, the house was recognized as Riverside City Landmark #52 in 1981. After the death of Peter J. Weber in 1983, the parcel containing the house was sold to Days Inn for redevelopment, who initially sought demolition or relocation of the house, but the Cultural Heritage Board determined the house must remain intact at its original location, so the hotel built their parking lot and swimming pool around it. It has since been restored[4] to much of its original condition and is available for private tours.[5]
References
- ^ "Landmarks of the City of Riverside" (PDF). January 11, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Solar water heaters in California, 1891--1930".
- ^ "Bungalow Heaven Origins". www.bungalowheaven.org. Retrieved 2022-11-04.
- ^ Fiske, Joanne (1986-07-01). "Saving this historic house is no easy job". The Press-Enterprise.
- ^ Allen, David (February 11, 2023). "Weber House in Riverside is a folk-art wonder worth hunting for". The Press-Enterprise.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)