NoeHill: California Architects

Bakewell & Brown (1905-1928)

San Francisco City Hall Designed by Bakewell & Brown San Francisco City Hall
17 February 2004
John Bakewell, Jr. (1872-1963)
Arthur Brown, Jr. (1874-1957)

John Bakewell was born in Topeka. Arthur Brown was born in Oakland. Both architects studied at UC Berkeley, and then at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where they met.

After returning to San Francisco, they formed a partnership with Brown in charge of design and Bakewell responsible for the daily running of the business and technical operations.

Their early projects, such as Berkeley City Hall, reflect late 19th-century French neoclassical design principles, incorporating large-scale elements, lavish sculptural decoration and theatrically rusticated surfaces. Such exuberant features remained a trademark, but by 1912 they were beginning to be tempered by a strong, rectilinear compositional frame.

From Grove Art, Oxford University Press.

At least six Bakewell & Brown buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: Berkeley City Hall, City of Paris Department Store, Santa Fe Depot in San Diego, Pacific Gas & Electric Company Building, San Francisco Art Institute, and St. Joseph's Hospital.

The City of Paris Department Store is also a California Historical Landmark, and the San Francisco Art Institute is also a San Francisco Landmark.

You can view buildings designed by Bakewell & Brown in chronological order here, or use a link in the following table to visit a specific property.

See a separate listing of projects designed by Arthur Brown after the partnership was dissolved in 1928.

Name Year Address City Sort Address Sort Name
Berkeley City Hall19082134 Grove StreetBerkeleyGrove 2134Berkeley City Hall
Branner Hall1923655 Escondido RoadStanford UniversityEscondido 0655Branner Hall
Burnham Pavilion1923615 Jane Stanford WayStanford UniversityJane Stanford 0615Burnham Pavilion
City of Paris (Demolished 1981)1909Geary and Stockton StreetsSan FranciscoGearyCity of Paris (Demolished 1981)
Encina Commons1923615 Crothers Way Stanford UniversityCtothers 0615Encina Commons
Federal Office Building193450 United Nations PlazaSan FranciscoUnitedFederal Office Building
Hoover Tower1941550 Serra MallStanford UniversitySerra 0550Hoover Tower
Memorial Hall1937551 Serra MallStanford UniversitySerra 0551Memorial Hall
Montag Hall1927355 Galvez StreetStanford UniversityGalvez 0355Montag Hall
Old Union1922520 Lasuen MallStanford UniversityLasuen 0520Old Union
Pacific Gas and Electric Company1924245 Market StreetSan FranciscoMarket 0245Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Pasadena City Hall1927100 North Garfield AvenuePasadenaGarfield N 0100Pasadena City Hall
Roble Gymnasium1931375 Santa Teresa StreetStanford UniversitySanta TeresaRoble Gymnasium
San Francisco Art Institute1926800 Chestnut Street San FranciscoChestnut 0800San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco City Hall1915400 Van Ness AvenueSan FranciscoVan Ness 0400San Francisco City Hall
Santa Fe Depot19151050 Kettner BoulevardSan DiegoKettnerSanta Fe Depot
School of Education1938485 Lasuen MallStanford UniversityLasuen 0485School of Education
St. Joseph's Hospital1928355 Buena Vista Avenue East San FranciscoBuena VistaSt. Joseph's Hospital
Stanford Golf Course Clubhouse1930Links RoadStanford UniversityLinksStanford Golf Course Clubhouse
Stanford University Library Bing Wing1921459 Lasuen Mall Stanford UniversityLasuen 0459Stanford University Library Bing Wing
Temple Emanu-El19262 Lake StreetSan FranciscoLake 0002Temple Emanu-El
Toyon Hall1923455 Arguello WayStanford UniversityArguello 0455Toyon Hall
Ventura Hall1926220 Panama StreetStanford UniversityPanama 0220Ventura Hall
Welton Art Gallery1917419 Lasuen Mall Stanford UniversityLasuen 0419Welton Art Gallery
Map
Architectural Styles | Architects