Price Gilbert Jr. House: Southern Hospitality in Modernism

At the beginning of World War II, from 1939 to 1940, an eccentric house was built on 2772 Arden Road in the suburbs of Buckhead, the most affluent and conservative neighborhood in Atlanta, Georgia (Figure 1). The owner was the well-connected and easygoing bachelor Stirling Price Gilbert, Jr., the retired Vice President of advertising of Coca-Cola and son of Judge Stirling Price Gilbert of the Supreme Court of Georgia.  ^[1]   Designed by the architect James R. Wilkinson, the house boasted large sliding doors, flat roof, and unadorned white exterior – hallmarks of the International Style, which had spread to the United States from Europe.  ^[2]   The house differed from the traditional mansions of its neighbors and rose as one of the first Modernist buildings in Atlanta. This paper discusses how Gilbert House compared with its contemporary houses in Atlanta, how Wilkinson fulfilled Gilbert’s desire for a house of entertainment while challenging the stereotypes of Modernism, and why it was demolished despite its historical significance.

Although Stirling Price Gilbert, Jr. was a bachelor living alone, the house did not lack human presence (Figure 2). Often bustling with people, Gilbert’s house was the venue for parties and gatherings of varying scales that he hosted for his friends and neighbors. Guests swam in the large outdoor pool on the terrace and listened to Gilbert’s expensive record collection in the living room.  ^[3]   Gilbert probably did not have difficulty making guest lists for his gatherings, given the wide net of connections he had from his high-level position at Coca-Cola and his prominent family. He also served as Commander in the U.S. Navy during WWII, further expanding his social circle.  ^[4]   Beyond the fulfillment of basic needs as a shelter, the main function of his house was entertainment and leisure.

Gilbert’s unusual choice of Modernist architecture for his house was at least partially rooted in his appreciation for the ocean and ships since early Modernist architects like Walter Gropius, Le Corbusier, and JJP Oud often incorporated ship imagery into their buildings.  ^[5]   His parents lived at Sea Island, Georgia, a resort by the seaside, which he often visited and invited friends to – just like he hosted guests at Gilbert House.  ^[6]   Unsurprisingly, navy and marine imagery permeated the architecture and furniture of Gilbert House. Although the construction of Gilbert House predated his joining the Navy, Gilbert even volunteered to compile and edit photographs of escort carriers, which he had directly worked with during WWII, for the 1946 book The Escort Carriers in Action: The Story, In Pictures, Of the Escort Carrier Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.  ^[7]   The client was also very particular about the house’s aesthetic and even sent Wilkinson to Florida to see buildings designed in the architectural style Gilbert wanted.  ^[8]  

Modern architecture originated in Europe in the 1920s, began spreading to the U.S. in the 1930s, and seriously set its roots in the U.S. in the post-WWII period. Georgia was no exception in the spread of Modernism.  ^[9]   New construction techniques, materials, and visual language reflected a break from the past and a vision toward the future with technological advances and social progress.  ^[10]   However, while Modern architecture gained influence in Georgia, it was primarily applied to commercial and public buildings, not houses.  ^[11]   Public housing and apartment towers were the only residential buildings that spoke the language of modern architecture. It was not necessarily because of aesthetic preference but due to the affordability of Modern building materials and the utilitarian quality of the design.  ^[12]   Traditional revivalist architecture, such as Colonial Revival, Georgian Revival, and Federal Revival, that took cues from pre-Civil War American houses, was overwhelmingly favored for single-family homes if the clients could afford them.  ^[13]   Despite Atlantans’ preference for traditional houses, there were a small number of Modernist houses in Atlanta. Unlike Gilbert House, nearly all were designed by and for Modernist architects. With themselves as clients, architects experimented with Modernism through their houses (Figure 4). These houses were scattered in the undeveloped areas of the northwestern quadrant of Atlanta (which is also where Gilbert House was located) (Figure 3).  ^[14]  

Gilbert House was featured in the June 7th, 1948, issue of Life magazine as part of an article introducing the homes of wealthy Atlantans. Gilbert House was the only house in the article featured exclusively in its own section titled “A Bachelor’s House,” highlighting the house’s uniqueness. Other houses in the article reflected the traditional residential aesthetic in Atlanta, providing excellent comparisons to Gilbert House. Revivalist architecture, carefully curated gardens, a grand facade that stands out from the landscape, and extravagant furniture are all common features of houses of wealthy Atlantans (Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8).  ^[15]   These contrast with Gilbert House’s unadorned facade, untouched landscape, and functional aesthetic that are typical of the International Style.

However, these traditional revivalist houses and the Gilbert House have a common goal: to be spaces of hospitality and leisure. Upper-class Atlantans traditionally entertained guests at home rather than through organized nightlife in the city. Rather than going out during weekends and vacations, wealthy Atlantans relaxed at their homes and invited guests. Likewise, the Gilbert House was a venue for parties of all kinds – breakfast, Coca-Cola, tea, and pool (Figure 9). Social life was centered at the home rather than an external urban center.  ^[16]    Gilbert House retains the Southern tradition of hospitality and leisure despite the difference in architectural expression.

“We simply considered ourselves Atlanta’s foremost exponents of contemporary functional architecture at its best.”

James R. Wilkinson   ^[17]  

Many architects working in Atlanta during the postwar period agreed that no local firms would be able to make a business from just designing Modernist homes.  ^[18]   Even the firm of Burge and Stevens that designed the Gilbert House built more traditional Colonial Revival, simplified Tudor, and neoclassical houses in the 1920s.  ^[19]  

James R. Wilkinson, a well-traveled architect, joined Burge and Stevens in 1936. He was heavily influenced by the International Style and became its major proponent in Atlanta. While modern architecture was already spreading in Atlanta, Wilkinson played a major role in directing the firm towards Modernism, especially after he became a partner in 1946 (changing the firm’s name to Stevens and Wilkinson). It was one of the first Atlanta architectural firms to embrace Modernism, and Gilbert House was one of Wilkinson’s first works in Atlanta. Contemporary to Gilbert House, Wilkinson also designed Peachtree Hills Apartment (1938), Highland Lake Apartments (1939), and College Park High School (1939), but they were all apartments or public spaces, not houses (Figures 10, 11, and 12).  ^[20]  

Because the International Style is utilitarian and functional, and could be more affordable to build, the application of Modernism to residential buildings was usually associated with dense apartment blocks, which prioritized affordability for residents and profitability for landlords. International Style buildings could easily become boring and monotonous without careful design and consideration of user experience.  ^[21]   However, Wilkinson proved his skillfulness in using Modern aesthetics, materials, and techniques to design an affordable building that is both utilitarian and thoughtful through Peachtree Hills Apartment (Figure 10). Wilkinson took advantage of the existing, heavily wooded site for pleasant natural surroundings. He minimized grading and removal of trees and maximized natural light with wrap-around windows and balconies. Reinforced concrete, cement, and gypsum plaster, rather than bricks and stones, reduced expenses for construction and maintenance while expressing Modern visual language.  ^[22]  

It is important to note that Peachtree Hills Apartment was on the more expensive end among affordable apartments. Low-income families that could not afford Peachtree Hills could live in simpler, smaller International Style apartments like John Hope Homes (1939). While John Hope Homes also utilized the characteristics of the International Style to provide green spaces and large windows, it was more standardized, denser, and plainer to accommodate more residents for a lower price.  ^[23]   A bird-view comparison demonstrates this difference (Figures 13 and 14). Sometimes, there are assumptions that since the International Style is utilitarian, it must also be cheap. However, not even the International Style is completely free from financial constraints, and a price floor certainly exists for optimal user experience and aesthetic effect value.

Gilbert House liberated Wilkinson from concerns about cost and allowed him to fully explore the potential of the International Style in residential architecture. Challenging the notion that Modern residential buildings are boring and low quality, Wilkinson used Modern aesthetics and materials to make a fun and creative house for upper-class leisure.

The house was 3,200 square feet, which was on the small side, considering that most mansions of other wealthy Atlantans were at least 5,000 square feet.  ^[24]   The plan consisted of a garage, a swimming pool, a wooded terrace, a dancing patio, a veranda, and only four rooms (Figure 15). The outdoor terrace, patio, and swimming pool took up most of the space on the floor plan. On the other hand, the indoor spaces were quite modest, with a living room, two bedrooms, and a solarium (Figure 16).

The house sat on the most elevated portion of the lot with many trees. Wilkinson paid attention to the original topography and natural setting so that the house could work with, rather than on the environment. He marked the location, size, and species of trees and chose to build around them, rather than cutting them down (Figure 17). For example, he cut out a semicircle from a retaining wall to fit an existing 15” diameter oak tree, making it seem like the tree is part of the building (circled in blue), and he decided to preserve three trees on the terraces (circled in purple). Only three trees were removed on the entire lot and only for necessity (circled in green). The two trees impeding the path to the garage were cut, and an oak tree blocking the view and path to the living room was cut. The overall effect was an unpretentious facade that blended in with nature instead of standing out, which is characteristic of Modernist architecture, contrasting with the grand facade of traditional mansions on trimmed lawns.  ^[25]   This effect was reinforced by the floral pattern of the garden grills that visually repeated the natural landscape (Figure 18).

Like the rest of the house’s exterior, the entrance into the house was inconspicuous (Figure 19). Instead of having a central path leading to an obvious main entrance, guests entered through either of the two small doors set off to the sides (Figure 20). Guests had to navigate the wooded terrace and go past another stucco wall to reach the patio, where the entrance to the main building would finally be visible. The experience of reaching the large, open patio could be akin to discovering a hidden haven at the center of a forest. The facade, which betrayed a sense of anonymity and privacy, was juxtaposed with the central dancing patio, which was the center of social activity in Gilbert House.

The swimming pool was one of the most prominent features of the house (Figure 21). A flat stone awning extending from the roof of the main building terminated a little after the end of the pool and met a vertical panel with a fireplace. The panel had a mural of banana tree leaves and was flanked by walls with large cut-outs at the top, bringing the natural landscape into the built environment (Figures 22 and 23).  ^[26]   As a result, it became ambiguous whether the pool was outside or inside. The roof and fireplace wall created the impression of an interior space while the vegetal mural, cut-outs into the wall, and unwalled sides of the pool gave the impression of an exterior space. The swimming pool was also one of the many marine motifs of Gilbert House. The decorative life preservers on the sides of the central mural and metal pipe columns supporting the roof, as well as the seahorse-shaped faucet, reinforced the ship imagery (Figures 22 and 24).  ^[27]  

Next to the swimming pool was the dancing patio (Figure 25). The floor was made of rectilinear wooden boards since concrete and cement were not ideal for dancing and could be strenuous on the joints. Educated in engineering, in addition to architecture, Wilkinson was very deliberate in making sure his design and materials were practical and optimal for the program.  ^[28]   For example, he considered how wooden boards would be secured for optimal performance and stability (Figure 26). From the dance floor, one could enter the main building through the steps leading to the slightly elevated porch and living room. The flat roof extended over the veranda and was supported by metal pipe columns – like the roof of the swimming pool was – and metal railings wrapped around the edge of the roof (Figure 27). Together, the patio’s floor and the main building’s columns and rails echoed the wooden deck and the metal pipes of a ship, respectively, continuing the naval imagery established by the swimming pool.

Marine imagery existed in the interior spaces, as well. For example, the material for the living room floor was battleship linoleum, which was originally made for U.S. Navy warship decks.  ^[29]   Seahorse motifs were also prevalent. The interior handrails of the living room were in the shape of a seahorse, and seahorses were carved and etched onto wooden coffee tables, magazine racks, ashtrays, and drinking glasses (Figure 28).  ^[30]    The naval motifs reflected Gilbert’s appreciation for ships and echoed the machine aesthetic of Modernist architecture through industrial appearance, functional simplicity, and advanced technology of machines. Looking from the pool, the entire house resembled the appearance of a docked boat (Figure 1).

The entrance to the living room was through a large sliding glass door, which meant that much of the interior could be viewed from the patio and vice versa, even when the door was closed (Figure 29). The wall opposite the door also had large plate glass windows in steel frame, bringing a natural outdoor view into the interior (Figure 30).  ^[31]   The glass portions on opposite walls created a sense of openness and continuity, as if one was still outside despite entering the living room (Figure 27). This quality blurred the line between private and public realms within the house. After all, the living room functioned as the main interior area for social activity for guests, such as listening to the record collection and drinking bourbon in the evening (Figure 31).  ^[32]  

Cutouts into the walls and ceiling provided neat visual dynamism and served functional roles. A big rectangular cutout in the ceiling allowed extra natural light to enter, and asymmetrical rectilinear cutouts into the walls provided space for object display, bookshelves, and a fireplace (Figures 32 and 33). Cabinets and shelves, which often also had sliding doors, built flatly into the wall prevented clutter, saved space, and contributed to the minimalist aesthetic. There was a wall cutout storage specifically for Gilbert’s expensive record collection, which reflects Wilkinson’s efforts to tailor the house to his client (Figure 33). This careful planning of the use of space represented the essence of Modern architecture.

As mentioned repeatedly, the private and public, and the inside and outside, often interpenetrated. Gilbert House’s ability to transform the private home into a public venue successfully served Gilbert’s goal of a house for hospitality and entertainment. However, Gilbert’s social nature did not mean he did not value privacy. For example, despite the blurred line between private and public spaces, there was still a clear gradient of increasing public character as one moved away from the most private master bedroom at the corner of the building. The entrance to the house is also not the easiest to reach and navigate, emphasizing that only invited people could enjoy the social gatherings by Gilbert. The openness of the Modern plan was convenient and flexible for parties of all sizes, including being home alone. Even this aspect is much like being the owner of a ship. Gilbert can either invite all his friends for a lively time or enjoy the isolation of sailing alone.

When Stirling Price Gilbert, Jr. died in 1973, his friend bought the lot, along with Gilbert House. Although the new owner withheld demolishing the house and subdividing the lot for new and smaller houses, the house fell into disrepair from neglect. In 1975, a tornado exacerbated the poor condition by destroying parts of the woodland, garage, and pool roof. In 1978, a sliver of hope appeared for Gilbert House when an interior designer bought the estate for his family and restored the house. However, the house was only temporarily saved since it was never recommended for preservation by local historic preservationists.  ^[33]   In 1978, the Atlanta Urban Design Commission proposed 98 sites for preservation in the Atlanta Historic Resources Workbook 1978. The workbook mentioned Gilbert House as an example of the International Style in the history of Atlanta architecture, but the house was not included in the list.  ^[34]   As a result, in 1986, when a new owner bought the house, nothing could stop the owner’s decision to demolish the house.

The story of Gilbert House’s demise reflects a general difficulty in designating a Modern building as historic. This was a problem in preservation efforts nationally, not just in Atlanta. For example, almost all buildings protected by the Society for Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA) were built before the Civil War, and a building must be at least 50 years old to be listed as historic property on the National Register. Likewise, most buildings in the Atlanta Historic Resources Workbook 1981, which compiled Atlanta sites and districts officially designated for preservation, were built in the 1800s or were revivalist. The few Modernist buildings were commercial or public housing projects.  ^[35]  

Even when the house was in disrepair, it did not appear old.  ^[36]   This was a double-edged sword. While the house did not look outdated or tacky, it also did not look historic like revivalist houses did. Both their relatively young age and their Modernist appearance made buildings like Gilbert House difficult to cite as historically important or requiring preservation. Even today, it is easy to dismiss Modern buildings as less substantial or important than older or revivalist buildings without knowing the full historical context.

Atlanta’s trend of demolishing older buildings for new ones to revitalize neighborhoods and garner profit continues today. Gilbert House was one of many other Modern houses demolished in the northwestern quadrant of Atlanta during this time. Because the neighborhood of this area was upper-class, it was especially favorable for development to build smaller traditional houses to sell. For buildings that managed to escape demolition, the modern characteristics have often been obscured by renovations.  ^[37]  

There is no doubt that Gilbert House was historically significant. Daringly anti-historicist, the International Style Gilbert House challenged the traditional and conservative community lined with revivalist houses. Wilkinson also pushed the limits of what the International Style could accomplish beyond affordability and practicality. Through clever design choices, the house fluidly combined Gilbert’s value of Southern hospitality and social culture with Modernist principles. Finally, the fact that the Gilbert House was not considered historic enough for preservation and fell victim to Atlanta’s cycle of demolition also makes this house historically significant.

Andee Koo is an Art History and Chemistry major at Emory University College of Arts & Sciences. She enjoys studying architecture.

Keywords: International Style, Modern architecture, Southern homes, historic preservation, demolition

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