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Finding Aid of the Carl Maston papers

Finding aid prepared by Yvonne Lee and Ruth Wallach, 2011

Summary Information

Repository
USC Libraries Helen Topping Architecture & Fine Arts Library
Creator - Architect
Maston, Carl, 1915-1992
Title
Carl Maston papers
Collection no.
4002
Date [inclusive]
1946-1989
Extent
24.0 Cubic feet, (8 document boxes of photographs, project files, research and miscellaneous; 15 rolls of architectural drawings; 25 presentation boards; and 1 record box of of miscellaneous loose leaf materials).
Language
English
Mixed materials [Box]
White Box 1
Abstract
USC alumnus Carl Maston was an influential Los Angeles mid-century modern architect. Upon graduation, Maston worked for the offices of Floyd Rible, A. Quincy Jones, Fred Emmons, Phil Daniel, and Allied Architects before opening his own office. His homes, shopping centers, military housing units, and university buildings can be found throughout Southern California. Known for his stark, no-frills modern buildings such as the Maston (or Marmont) Residence and Hillside House, his career spanned over 40 years in public and private sectors. The bulk of the collection consists of architectural project files as well as architectural photographs by longtime-collaborator Julius Shulman.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Carl Maston papers, Collection no. 4002, Helen Topping Architecture and Fine Arts Library, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

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Biographical Note

Carl Maston (1915-1992) was an influential mid-century modern architect based in Los Angeles. Known for his stark modern style and inventive use of concrete structural solutions, his 100+ works can be seen throughout Southern California. Born Carl Mastopietro in Jacksonville, Illinois, he first studied music before settling on architecture while at USC. Upon graduating in 1937, he went to work for several local architectural offices before setting off on his own in 1946.

For the next 40 years, Maston and his office completed projects such as commercial buildings, shopping centers, institutional buildings, private homes, residential buildings, and military housing units locally and nationally. His first of several design awards was for Maston (or Marmont) House in West Hollywood, a late Craftsman-style home. In 1946, he was commissioned to build the Pandora Apartments -- the first of his experiments with the garden aparment design. Along with Ray Kappe, Maston went on to contribute to the quintessential California apartment complex, particularly with the National Boulevard Apartments. Other notable completed projects include Hillside House, the Cal Poly Pomona College of Environmental Design, the Chiat House in South Pasadena, Valley Ice Skating Center in Tarzana, and the Creative Arts Building at Cal State San Bernardino. In addition, he helped create the Los Angeles Community Design Center and served on the Los Angeles Planning Commission for five years.

Maston was the 1989 recipient of the USC Distinguished Alumni Award for excellence in design and innovative leadership in public service. Semi-retired but still teaching courses at USC and accepting architectural commissions, Carl Maston was 77 when he died of colon cancer in Los Angeles.

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Scope and Content

The archive documents the professional career of southern California architect Carl Maston. It is unclear how much the collection covers of Maston's career as the archive was a gift from Los Angeles realtor Crosby Doe, whose professional interest in mid-century modern architecture prompted his acquisition of the collection several years prior. Nonetheless, the collection covers a variety of public and private commissions including commercial buildings, university buildings, and residential structures. The majority of the archive consists of project notes as well as the black-and-white architectural photography by Julius Shulman. The collection also includes slides and negatives, architectural drawings, correspondence, and published articles about Maston's projects.

Series 1. Project files and photographs form the bulk of the collection. This includes notes, brochures, correspondence, as well as 8x10" photographs and proofs. Files are loosely organized alphabetically by project name and housed in 8 document boxes.

Series 2. Rolls of large architectural drawings include finished and unfinished projects. Many different projects are housed in a single roll. The rolls are organized thematically according to type of structure described.

Series 3. Presentation boards include finished and unfinished project renderings mounted to a firm support. Many drawings remain unidentified.

Series 4. Miscellaneous includes prints, negatives, and loose leaf materials that have yet to be identified. These materials are housed in 1 white record storage carton.

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Arrangement

The collection is organized in four series: Series 1. Project Files; Series 2. Rolls; Series 3. Presentation Boards; Series 4. Miscellaneous.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

USC Libraries Helen Topping Architecture & Fine Arts Library
2011
Watt Hall B-4
850 Bloom Walk
Los Angeles, California, 90089-0294
(213)740-1956
afa@usc.edu

Conditions Governing Access

The portions of the collection that have been processed are open for research use. Advance notice required for access.

Conditions Governing Use

The collection contains published materials; researchers are reminded of the copyright restrictions imposed by publishers on reusing their articles and parts of books. It is the responsibility of the researchers to acquire permission from publishers when reusing such materials. The copyright to unpublished materials belongs to the heirs of the writers. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

Acquisition Note

The collection was donated to USC Helen Topping Architecture and Fine Arts Library in 1998 by Los Angeles realtor Crosby Doe.

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Controlled Access Headings

Genre(s)

  • Architectural drawings (visual works)
  • Slides (photographs)
  • Specifications

Personal Name(s)

  • Maston, Carl, 1915-1992 -- Archives
  • Shulman, Julius -- Archives

Subject(s)

  • Architecture, Modern--20th century--Archival resources
  • Architecture--California--Los Angeles--History--20th century--Archival resources

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Collection Inventory

Series 1:  Project Files 

 315 Virgil Avenue 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 7 8

 920 La Cienaga Boulevard 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 1 1

 Abichandane Residence 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 1 2

 Addison Residence 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 1 3

 Apartments 
Box Folder

 916 New Hampshire Apartments 

 1 5
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 1 5

 National Boulevard Apartments 

 1 4
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 1 4

 Bank of America, Diamond Bar 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 1 6

 Bath Residence 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 1 7

 Bauer House 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 1 8

 Brochures 
Box

 Notes and invoices 

 8

 California Polytechnic Pomona, Environmental Design Building 

 Notes and photographs 


    Box Folder
Mixed materials   1 11
    Box Folder
Mixed materials   1 10
    Box Folder
Mixed materials   1 9

 California State University San Bernadino, Creative Arts/ Performing Arts Center 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 1 12

 Chiat Residence 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 2 1

 Comerford House 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 2 2

 Deleco 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 2 3

 DMV, Arleta 
Box floppy_disk

 Notes and photographs 

 2 5

 Doble Residence 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 2 4

 Dr. Jump Medical Clinic 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 4 1

 Dr. Jump Residence 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 4 2

 Dunham Residence 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 2 6

 Dunlap's 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 2 7

 Emelita School 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 2 8

 Encino Ice Rink 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 3 5

 Factory Apron and Towel Supply Company 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 2 11

 FedMart City Bank, San Diego 

 Notes and photographs 


    Box Folder
Mixed materials   2 10
    Box Folder
Mixed materials   2 9

 First Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Long Beach 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 2 12

 Fourth Street Apartment 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 2 14

 Fox Market 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 2 13

 Goldwater Apartments 

 Notes and photographs 


    Box Folder
Mixed materials   3 2
    Box Folder
Mixed materials   3 1

 Hahn's Hide-A-Way 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 3 3

 Hellinger Residence 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 3 4

 Interstate Electronics Corporation 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 3 7

 Killefer Residence 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 4 3

 Maston Office 

 Notes and photographs 


    Box Folder
Mixed materials   4 5
    Box Folder
Mixed materials   4 6
    Box Folder
Mixed materials   4 4

 Maston Residence 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 4 7

 Mattei's Tavern 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 5 1

 Miscellaneous Project Files 
Box Box

 Unidentified and/or miscellaneous project files 

 8 9

 Pepper House, Pasadena 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 5 2

 Rigby Residence 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 5 6

 Rodeffer Investment Office 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 5 4

 Rodeffer Residence 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 5 3

 Runciman 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 5 5

 Simi Valley Library 

 Notes and photographs 


    Box Folder
Mixed materials   6 2
    Box Folder
Mixed materials   6 1

 Smith House 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 6 3

 St. Ives Residence 

 Notes and photographs 


    Box Folder
Mixed materials   7 2
    Box Folder
Mixed materials   7 1

 Studio Village Shopping Center 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 7 3

 Tarzana Ice Rink 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 3 6

 Thies Residence 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 7 4

 Unaccompanied Enlisted Personnel Housing 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 7 5

 Valencia Apartments 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 7 6

 Ventura County Library 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 7 7

 Von's Market 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 7 9

 Western Home Awards AIA 1967-1968 
Box Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 7 10

 Wing Residence 
Binder Folder

 Notes and photographs 

 7 11

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Series 2:  Rolls 

 Bank of America, Los Angeles 
Roll

 Drawings 

 9

 Bauer Residence, Santa Barbara 
Roll

 Drawings 

 3

 Blumstein Residence 
Roll

 Drawings 

 1

 Britt's Department Store, Alhambra 
Roll

 Drawings. See roll with Bauer Residence. 

 3

 Ernest E. Peterson Commercial Development, National City 
Roll

 Drawings 

 14

 Food Basket, San Diego 
Roll

 Drawings. See roll with Bauer Residence. 

 3

 Gragg Residence 
Roll

 Drawings. See roll with Bauer Residence. 

 3

 Los Angeles Unified School District 

 3318 Hoover Street 
Roll

 Drawings 

 6

 Hoover Elementary, 2726 Francis Street 
Roll

 Drawings 

 7

 Plasencia Elementary School, 1321 Cortez Street 
Roll

 Drawings 

 13

 Rosemont Avenue Elementary, 421 North Rosemont Avenue 
Roll

 Drawings 

 2

 Lucky Market 
Roll

 Drawings. See roll with Bauer Residence. 

 3

 Nix Residence 
Roll

 Drawings 

 15

 Otto Square Shopping Center 
Roll

 Drawings 

 11

 Perspectival Drawings 
Roll

 Drawings 

 5

 Professional Building, 6624 Melrose Avenue 
Roll

 Drawings 

 8

 Ralke AV Engineers 
Roll

 Drawings 

 10

 Security First National Bank 
Roll

 Drawings. See roll with Bauer Residence. 

 3

 Unidentified Floor Plans 
Roll

 Drawings 

 4

 Unidentified Interior 
Roll

 Drawings. See roll with Bauer Residence. 

 3

 Unidentified Residence 
Roll

 Drawings. See roll with Bauer Residence. 

 3

 Von's Market, Huntington Beach 
Roll

 Drawings 

 12

 Woody's Smorgasburger 
Roll

 Drawings. See roll with Bauer Residence. 

 3

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Series 3:  Presentation Boards 

 Bauer Residence 
Object

 Drawing 

 D5

 Cummins Residence 
Object

 Drawing 

 D11

 Deleco Office and Plant Addition 
Object

 Drawing 

 D8

 Dr. Beauchamp and Mr. Brown Store Building, Reseda 
Object

 Drawing 

 D6

 FedMart Corporation General Offices, Anaheim 
Object

 Drawing 

 D2

 FedMart Retail Store, Yuma, Arizona 
Object

 Drawing 

 D3

 First Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Long Beach 
Object

 Drawing 

 D4

 Huntington Village Shopping Center 
Object

 Drawing 

 D12

 Lucky Supermarket 
Object

 Drawing 

 D13

 Runciman House 
Object

 Drawing 

 D10

 Studio Village Shopping Center 
Object

 Drawing 

 D9

 Unidentified Structures 

 Von's Market, Long Beach 
Object

 Drawing 

 D7

 West Los Angeles Sewer Maintenance Yard 
Object

 Drawing 

 D1

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Series 4:  Miscellaneous 

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