Birge Malcolm Clark (April 16, 1893 – April 30, 1989) was an American architect, called “Palo Alto's best-loved architect” by the Palo Alto Weekly; he worked largely in the Spanish Colonial Revival style.
Biography
Early life Clark was born April 16, 1893, in the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in San Francisco, California, though his birth certificate was destroyed in the San Francisco earthquake. He was the son of Hanna Grace Birge and Arthur Bridgman Clark, a professor of art and architecture at Stanford and the first mayor of Mayfield, California, later part of Palo Alto. He graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1910. He received an A.B. degree in Graphic Design from Stanford University in 1914, and received a Bachelors degree in Architecture from Columbia University in 1917. He served in the United States Army, as an observation balloon pilot in World War I; he was shot down by a German pilot and won the Silver Star for gallantry.
Clark's younger sister, Esther Clark, became one of the first women physicians in the country, and was a prominent local pediatrician and a founder of the Palo Alto Medical Clinic.
Career His principal architectural works at Stanford University are the Lou Henry Hoover House (assisting his father and now the residence of the university President), the three John Stauffer laboratories (1960’s), and the Seeley G. Mudd Chemistry Building (1977).
His principal works in Palo Alto include the old Police Station and Fire station (now the senior citizen’s center), the Lucie Stern Community Center, the President Hotel, the Palo Alto Post Office (1932), the Palo Alto Medical Clinic,“Birge: After the War,” article by Frederic O. Glover, ibid. pp. 8–9; reprinted in An Architect Grows Up in Palo Alto; Memoirs of Birge M. Clark and much of the 500 block of Ramona Street in downtown Palo Alto. Some of the notable and historic homes Clark built in Palo Alto include the Norris House at 1247 Cowper Street, the Dunker House at 420 Maple Street and Lucie Stern’s house at 1990 Cowper Street.
Personal life He was married to the former Lucile Townley, daughter of Stanford mathematician and astronomer Sidney Dean Townley, for sixty-three years, until her death in 1986. They had four sons: Richard Townley Clark, Dean Townley Clark, Birge Gaylord Clark, and Malcolm Mallory Clark, along with 18 grandchildren.
Notable buildings by Birge Clark Year builtNameCityStyleNotes1919Lou Henry Hoover House, 623 Mirada AvenueStanford, CaliforniaInternational style houseThis house was designed by Lou Hoover, with supervision by Arthur Bridgman Clark and his son, Birge Clark.1921Townleys House, 661 Cabrillo AvenueStanford, CaliforniaHe designed this home with his father, for his future in-laws. He was married here. Previously located at 613 Salvatierra.1924Addison School, 650 Addison AvenuePalo Alto, California1925Dunker House, 420 Maple StreetPalo Alto, CaliforniaSpanish Colonial Revival listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982.1926Elizabeth Hughes Chapel, Castilleja School, 1310 Bryant StreetPalo Alto, CaliforniaCraftsman style500-seat capacity auditorium. the school has no religious affiliation. The similar style building on the campus, the administration building was designed by Roy C. Heald.1926Pacific Art League, 668 Ramona StreetPalo Alto, CaliforniaSpanish Colonial Revival 1927440 – 450 Bryant StreetPalo Alto, CaliforniaSpanish Colonial Revival Former police station and fire station.1927Charles and Kathleen Norris House, 1247 Cowper StreetPalo Alto, California1929President Hotel, 480 – 498 University AvenuePalo Alto, California1932–1936Lucie Stern Community Center, 1305 Middlefield RoadPalo Alto, CaliforniaSpanish Colonial Revival A complex of buildings. The construction was done by Wells P. Goodenough.1932Alta Mesa Memorial Cemetery, 695 Arastradero RoadPalo Alto, California1932United States Post Office (Palo Alto, California)Palo Alto, CaliforniaMediterranean Revival style1932Palo Alto Medical Clinic, 300 Homer AvenuePalo Alto, CaliforniaSpanish Colonial Revival
Publications
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Santa Clara County, California
References
External links
Sound recording of Birge Clark (May 1984), from the Stanford University audio collection Birge Clark Oral History (October 1985), from Palo Alto Historical Association Moving Image and Audio Collection
Research resources Birge Malcolm Clark Papers, 1914-1985 (5 linear ft.) are housed in the Department of Special Collections and University Archives at Stanford University Libraries XML catalog of correspondence with Herbert Hoover. Guide to the Birge Malcolm Clark, Lou Henry Hoover House Papers, 1921- 1949, from the Online Archive of California