LOS ANGELES, Jan. 18, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Through spellbinding images and poetic text, CALIFORNIA ROMANTICA, by academy award winning actress and architectural aficionado, Diane Keaton with text by Donald Waldie, exalts the golden age of Southern California's Spanish Colonial/Mediterranean Revival architecture. Ms. Keaton laments that unfortunately many of these beautiful houses are being destroyed by the rapacious real estate environment, and their legacy appears to be a by-gone era. There is, however, a noteworthy exception in her book. CALIFORNIA ROMANTICA features only two new projects -- Michael Burch worked on both -- continuing the romantic tradition of the great 1920s Period Revival architects.
Late preeminent Southern Californian Architectural historian, David Gebhard, once stated that "In the twentieth-century American architectural scene, there has been only one brief period of time and only one restricted geographic area in which there existed anything approaching unanimity of architectural form. This was the period, from approximately 1920 to the early 1930s, when the Spanish Colonial or the Mediterranean Revival was virtually the accepted norm in Southern California."
Michael Burch is an expert whose specialty is the Spanish Colonial Revival/Mediterranean Style. He is a 4th generation Southern Californian and Pasadena native. Michael's grandfather built many of the noted Spanish Style buildings of the 1920s including his own Spanish Revival house in Hancock Park, designed by noted architect Arthur Kelly. Michael and his wife/partner, Diane Wilk, recently purchased and renovated Kelly's own Spanish Style home in La Canada. They then had triplets and doubled its size. Critics pronounced the home magnificent and perfect and the couple vowed never to move again. Michael and Diane, however, love to tour great residences when they come on the market and almost immediately found another neglected Spanish Style masterpiece one block away, which they are currently renovating.
The romance and drama of the firm's work, whether new construction or renovations/additions, captures the imagination; it certainly did Diane Keaton's. Their client list includes: Rod Stewart, Bruce Springsteen, James Belushi, John Getty, Victoria Principal and George Wendt. Their work will also be featured in the upcoming book DREAM HOMES OF LOS ANGELES by Panache Press.
For more information please visit their website at www.michaelburcharchitects.com or contact Diane Wilk at diane@michaelburcharchitects.com Telephone(626) 482-6465.
Photos available upon request (download at www.aubreyco.com/PR/Burch/)
ABOUT MICHAEL BURCH ARCHITECTS
Michael Burch AIA, Registered Architect, California
Michael is a 4th generation Californian born in Pasadena, California. He has been practicing architecture in California since 1982. After graduation from Yale, Michael worked for several prominent firms before starting his own architectural practice in 1986. Michael has been published in Architectural Digest, Progressive Architecture and many other magazines and has won a number of awards for his designs. In addition to his practice, he has also taught architecture at the University of Southern California. Public service is also extremely important to Michael. He has served the City of South Pasadena as a member of the Planning Commission and Design Review Boards. He also worked on the South Pasadena General Plan which won an American Planning Association Award. In his spare time, Michael enjoys snow skiing, golf and sailing.
Education:
Yale University, Master of Architecture, 1982 University of California, Berkeley, B.A. (Architecture), 1975 Occidental College, Undergraduate Studies, 1971 thru 1972
Diane Wilk, Registered Architect, California, Colorado & NCARB
Diane Wilk is also a native Californian who brings with her both academic and professional experience. She has worked for a number of prestigious firms prior to joining Michael Burch Architects in 1998. Prior to joining Michael Burch Architects, Diane was the Director of Graduate Programs in Architecture & Urban Design at University of Colorado where she also taught design, drawing and architectural history. She also served as a visiting critic at Yale, Columbia, Harvard, Syracuse University and the University of California, Berkeley. In addition to teaching, Diane has published numerous articles on architectural and landscape architectural history and 3 guide books. Diane is an accomplished cellist, paints and enjoys participating in sports, especially sailing, skiing and golf.
Education:
Yale University, Master of Architecture, 1981 University of Southern California, B.S. in Architecture, 1977 Stanford University, Graduate work in Architectural History, 1982
COMMENTS ABOUT MICHAEL BURCH ARCHITECTS' WORK
"If you are looking for a house with architectural integrity, you
won't find anything better than this"
- Don Kasper
Coldwell Banker, La Canada Flintridge, CA
"Magnificent. A triumph. George Washington Smith would be envious."
- Stephen Harby
Architectural Critic, Yale University
"I always find something to criticize (architecturally), but this
house is perfect."
- Richard Selije
Architect, Pasadena, CA
"Better than almost anything you'd find in Europe."
- Monique de Warren
Licorne Antiques, Melrose Place, Los Angeles
"The best addition to a period house I've ever seen"
- Jerome Jahn, Realtor
South Pasadena, CA