Portland architect William Fletcher isn’t as well known as his contemporaries John Yeon, Pietro Belluschi and John Storrs, but they all shaped the Northwest Regional Style decades ago and forever endeared the look of modernism using local wood, stone and glass.
Fletcher only designed a limited number of dwellings, but they continue to be appealing because of their graceful geometric forms, highly livable layouts and carefully positioned windows and skylights that draw in natural light.
The late architect is also credited with advancing modernist tenets of open floor plans and efficient kitchens.
One of his rare residential works, at 6130 S.W. Thomas St. in Southwest Portland’s Bridlemile neighborhood, was put on the market on Aug 17.
The price: $3.9 million.
The 8,108-square-foot home, commissioned by Portland businessman and art collector Harold Saltzman and his wife, Ruth, was completed in 1969.
Fletcher relied on travertine, granite, walnut and glass to deliver elegance to the midcentury modern home that was carefully sited on 3.27 acres.
Custom entry doors open to a wide foyer with travertine floors, creating a gallery-like impression, says listing agent Lance George Marrs of Living Room Realty.
The sunken living room looks out to the exterior deck, rolling hills and a forest. There are formal patios, gardens and tall trees on flat land, and stairs to lower yard and sports court plus paths that link to private trails and a pond.
Dale Farr, Fletcher’s former business partner at the Portland-based architecture firm Fletcher Farr Ayotte (now FFA Architecture and Interiors, Inc.), told Marrs:
“I believe that the Saltzman house would appeal to anyone that appreciates classic modern design. Its clear and ordered plan and elevations give it a feeling of light and openness and connection to its site that is timeless.
“This is not a house that will ever look dated,” says Farr.
Marrs describes the silhouette of the structure as carefully considered cubes of varying dimensions offering “beautiful impressions from every viewpoint.”
The main level includes a two-story library and a large kitchen with a sunroom. The master suite has a fireplace, two closets and a deck. There is a walk-in shower in the master bathroom. The custom home has five more bedrooms, three more full bathrooms and two powder rooms.
Inspired by a Modernist Trailblazer
In the 1950s, Fletcher graduated from the University of Oregon's School of Architecture and set up shop in the basement of his Portland home.
His designs were guided by the works by modernist trailblazer, Mies van der Rohe, and the spare International Style movement.
While classic revival styles dominated the drawing boards at most firms, Fletcher joined a handful of outliers designing pared-down dwellings encased by glass and native timber.
In 1956, Fletcher opened a downtown studio and earned the geographic moniker as the leader of the “14th Street Gang” of architects.
He shared the office with architect Donald Blair as well as Saul Zaik, who also rose to prominence as an architect skilled in executing the exacting features of Northwest regional modernism. Rounding out the rest of the gang were John Reese, Frank Blachly, Alex Pierce and designer George Schwarz.
Later, Fletcher partnered with Curt Finch, then Farr and finally Hal Ayotte to form what is now FFA, which continues to design sustainable residential and commercial projects.
Troy Ainsworth, the head of FFA, who worked with Fletcher in the 1990s, believes the 14th Street Gang saw themselves as progressives, design pioneers searching for ways to make International Modernism more user-friendly and relevant to building in the cloudy, well-timbered Pacific Northwest.
Fletcher, who lived from 1925 to 1998, was rewarded for making the most of a site’s natural features, orienting openings to frame views while mirroring roof lines to the landscape. He created buildings that blend, rather than look boastful.
For his exceptional work and contributions to architecture and society, he was named a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, the organization’s highest membership honor.
In many of Fletcher's homes, locally grown, clear vertical-grain cedar covered ceilings that extended just far enough past exterior walls to deflect rain and provide shade without blocking natural light.
Cutting-edge light switches, intercoms and other Jet Age elements ushered in the promise of a connected, high-tech world.
Instead of rooms concealed behind interior doors and walls, guests stepping into one of Fletcher’s light-filled entries could scan the living room and beyond. Glass atriums and see-through sliding doors framed landscaping, and minimized the boundaries between inside and out.
Although Fletcher’s residential projects were spotlighted in a 2017 midcentury modern tour by the preservation organization Restore Oregon, his commercial projects include Black Butte Ranch residential resort near Sisters and Rex Hill winery in Newberg, where he famously designed a space for a steel sculpture by Lee Kelly.
Fletcher, who was an art appreciator, had deep respect for Portland sculptors like Kelly and Bonnie Bronson.
In his residential projects such as the Saltzman home, spacious walls were used as prime backdrops for art that was illuminated by perfectly positioned windows drawing in sunlight.
“Bill’s work was often enhanced by fine art, and by his own love of jazz, being a drummer with a drum kit ready for use at any time in the trunk of his car,” according to FFA Architecture and Interiors’ website.
— Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072
jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman
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