Revealed, Reviled & Reborn: 100 years of California's Spanish Colonial/Mediterranean Revival

Architect Michael Burch, AIA offers a brief history of the Spanish Colonial/Mediterranean Revival style as seen from California. He covers the style’s origins, it’s Golden Age, Hollywood’s impact, what the style was like at mid-century, the return to its roots and some thoughts on the present and hope for the future. Humor, horror and celebrity crimes are included. The second part of the talk focuses on the work of Michael Burch Architects. photo credit: Melba Levick

[@jamesb95]

Thanks for the presentation. Very good. I’m obsessed with authentic Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. I live in Florida and rarely see it done right. Two piece clay barrel tiles, exposed rafter tails, low pitched roof, thick walls, casement windows, gable roofs, and of course thoughtful massing of structures are the keys to success.

[@grettalemabouchou6779]

I am in United States but am of Spanish heritage. I am currently remaking our home which is a cottage.....1600 sq. ft. into my dream house and garden with elements of this design style. I cannot get enough...having been to many of the California missions and marrying there, it's def. a thing and a big one. I recently found an olde thick wooden door at Hab. for Humanity with leading that I am itching to redo this spring....soon going to San Antonio to vaca and pick up some planters and tiles Talaveres of course. I made my kitchen adobe with joint compound even the ceiling...lol it looks great after decades no peeling flaking etc. Thanks for this video.♥ Mission San Luis Rey is particularly special.....there is a fabulous bakery not far from there. Authentic food!

[@kbezier7484]

Great presentation.
As someone who fell in love with this architecture many decades ago in Santa Barbara that was a very informative piece.
Also for explaining why America architects who pre WW 2 were such masters at interpreting and reinterpreting historical and regional styles in t he decades since then have mostly become the purveyors of so much artless ersatz kitsch. The lack of a firm grounding in historical styles during training and the attachment to a long abandoned ideology. Reminds me of academic music departments whose graduates produce so much "modern" music that no one wants to listen to.

[@beckysatter2373]

Loved this presentation. This architecture is my absolute favorite.

[@rebeccabrockway8258]

Michael Burch: My dream is to restore a neglected 1920s-1930s Spanish casita in San Luis Obispo, CA. When the time comes, I want to do it right. Your calm narration - embellished with a dose of wry humor - which explored Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, and their restorations, was fascinating and educational. Alas, I'm sickened to learn that Steve Jobs, and a Barbara Streisand associate, demolished priceless historical property! I enjoyed viewing your designs - with vaulted ceilings, of course. :) Gorgeous! Thank you, kind sir!

[@varsityeagle89]

I hope you hurry up! These aren't lasting long, especially in today's market. I'm located here in San Diego, and my dream is to renovate or build a Spanish home from the ground up!

[@ephemeralcreek]

What a great video, I am doing some research to try and come up with a decent design for an addition to a somewhat confused Spanish Revival(sort of house) and your words and projects and images of other projects are very inspirational - thank you!

[@RVBadlands2015]

We are building a Spanish modern, our neighbors is Spanish Pueblo. I love all the Spanish homes. There’s not many Spanish colonials left in northern calif.

[@PrinceKumar-cf7ek]

God bless you🙏 💐

[@maricelaaguirre8486]

Wow so beautiful documentary. I love it. Very interesting

[@kenhunt5153]

Diane Keaton has restored pueblos in Tucson also.

[@punchline43]

32:47 l think that meant to say "Los Feliz", Los Angeles, not Los Felix lol.

[@franciscojosecano2217]

preciosas casas estilo ANDALUSI cortijos con mucha estela tartesia como en ANDALUSIA y el sur del mediterraneo
arquitecto con mucho gusto y paredes encalada

[@lauralintonmacfarlane5264]

Money does not buy taste

[@MegaAli213]

Not.....Spanish but Moorish (Muslim Architecture) stop misleading the people. The Spaniards never built anything outside of wooden medieval structures. My ancestors were the Moors who conquered the Iberian peninsula, when the Spanish Christians were in the dark ages. I am a Muslim of Moroccan and Native American heritage.

[@dimitrovajunkie]

Uh, no. Churrigueresque, Gaudi, Calatrava--the Spanish have their own architectural tradition. There is Moorish influence in some of it but also Italianate and Roman, of course. Spanish colonial architecture in the U.S. is actually an Anglo adaptation of old Mexican buildings with red tile roofs and thick stucco walls and open courtyards. These were derived from Spanish traditions, of course, which in some part took their inspiration from the Islamic world, which dominated Spanish culture during the Middle Ages. But there were non-Islamic influences as well.

[@miketackabery7521]

The video neglects to add another, equal reason for the trashiness of modern California-ish architecture. Good, or even better work is much more expensive.
It wasn't before because there wasn't the ubiquity of standardized inexpensive materials. So much work then was done onsite and/or by commission. Building a George Washington Smith 1500 square foot house now would be a million dollar project.

[@michaelburch8553]

Correct. My critique is with those who can afford to do better but don't. Vulgarity isn't inexpensive.