Pauline Lowe Residence
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Pauline Lowe Residence | |
|---|---|
 Floor plan of Pauline Lowe Residence, from a 1934 publication | |
| General information | |
| Status | Destroyed in 2025 Eaton Fire |
| Architectural style | Modernist |
| Location | 596 East Punahou Street, Altadena, California, U.S. |
| Year built | 1934 |
| Owner | Pauline Lowe |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Harwell Hamlton Harris |
The Pauline Lowe Residence or Pauline Lowe House was a private home in Altadena, California, built in 1934, designed by Harwell Hamilton Harris. It was destroyed in the Eaton Fire in 2025.
Pauline J. Lowe (1896–1983)[1] worked for the Bullocks Wilshire department store in Los Angeles,[2] and later was store manager at I. Magnin's Pasadena location.[3][4] She asked her friend Harwell H. Harris to design a small one-story home for her. The modernist residence built in 1934 on East Punahou Street in Altadena, California, for about $4000.[2] It was Harris's first independent project, after leaving the Richard Neutra office.[5] The house was considered stylish; it was featured in California Arts and Architecture[6] and other publications.[7][8][9] The design won honorable mention in a House Beautiful competition,[10] and its elements were copied elsewhere.[2] Frank Lloyd Wright "acknowledged his admiration" for the Lowe residence.[11]
The Lowe residence was built from redwood, and noted for its efficient use of a narrow lot, strategic shade placement, and earthquake safety features.[8][12] Among its distinctive features were 21 exterior doors,[5] some of them opening onto private exterior spaces for outdoor sleeping.[13] The distinctive doors were initially sliding doors inspired by Japanese design;[10][14] these were soon replaced with hinged doors, when Lowe complained about the original installations rattling in the wind.[15] Harris's original design called for a flat roof, but the house had a hip roof when built.[16]