Lilian Bridgman
Lilian Bridgman (1866–1948) was an American architect and scientist. Bridgman was originally from Kansas, where she obtained her science degree in 1888 from Kansas State Agricultural College. She then went on to study science at the University of California, Berkeley where she earned a master's degree in 1893. After graduation, she taught physics and chemistry at several schools in California, including the California School of Mechanical Arts, between 1893 and 1912. She was also a writer, authoring short stories and poems which were published in popular journals.[1]
In 1899 Bridgman designed her own home near Blackberry Canyon in Berkeley. While building the home, she received advice from architect and friend Bernard Maybeck. The house focused on natural light and a lack of symmetry. The home's exterior features include barn shingles and clapboards. The interior featured local redwood paneling and built-in window seats that were able to be transformed into beds for visitors.[1]
After her first architectural experience, Bridgman went to the University of California to study architecture in 1912. Three years later she became a certified architect in California. After World War I, she received her first major commission, the Bioletti House, an Italianate villa overlooking the San Francisco Bay. The project also included furniture design for the home. The 1923 Berkeley Fire created new opportunities for work as well. Bridgman used the Hotel Whitecotton as a meeting place for clients. Bridgman also had clients in Kansas.[1]
Some of her buildings include:[1]
- Lilian Bridgman House, 1715 La Loma Avenue., Berkeley, California (with Bernard Maybeck, 1899-1900)
- Lilian Bridgeman Studio, A La Loma Ave., Berkeley, CA (1908)
- Professor and Mrs. F. T. Bioletti House, 2440 Martinez Ave., Berkeley, CA (1920)
- Cannon House, 2629 La Vareda Ave., at Hilgard, Berkeley (ca. 1920)
Some of her writings include:[1]
- "Lost Prairie." Harper's Magazine, ca. 1910.
- "Spirit and Flesh." Century Magazine, ca. 1899.
- "To A Wayfarer." Harper's Magazine, February 1906.
References
External links
- Lilian Bridgman Photograph Collection, ca. 1881-1940, The Bancroft Library
- Guide to the Lilian Bridgman Papers, 1881-1977, The Bancroft Library