Tour Alan Liddle's Home on Saturday

Are you one of the many historic preservation or architecture fans in town? Are you looking for something to do this weekend? If so, here’s a very unique opportunity for you.

As many of you know, our office, Suite133, was the working office for Tacoma architect Alan Liddle. Liddle was a graduate of Stadium High School and a leading modernist architect in the Pacific Northwest. He was featured in Sunset Magazine and was a staunch advocate of historic preservation in Tacoma at a time when nobody else seemed to care. He passed away in May and his unique home down on Gravelly Lake is now for sale.

The fine folks at Docomomo WEWA and Historic Tacoma have made it possible to open the house up to the public for three hours on Saturday for public tours tours.

Tacoma architect Alan Liddle’s Lakewood home overlooking Gravelly Lake was completed in 1969. Parker Gadd was the builder. The house was widely publicized after its construction and received numerous design awards including an honor award from the Southwest Washington Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The house was also a citation winner in the ninth biennial round of the AIA-Sunset Magazine Western Home Awards in 1973. The contemporary Northwest style house sits on a heavily wooded site at the highest elevation overlooking the lake. The design was inspired by Finnish architecture, incorporating brick floors (continued from the courtyard to the interior), sloping wood ceilings, and a freestanding fireplace. The house was designed to provide ample sunlight even though the lake side of the structure has a northern exposure. The sun-trap courtyard, nestled between the carport and the house is a major exterior feature and successfully provides the outdoor-indoor living effect so popular among residences of the Modern era.

The house was designed by Alan Liddle as his own residence and represents the unique, personal space of one of Tacoma’s most prominent architects. Up until he passed away in May 2009, the house remained true to its late 1960s/early 1970s appearance, complete with original furnishings, artwork, and book collection. Members of the Docomomo WEWA Board of Directors met with Alan in his home in 2006. We were graciously welcomed and entertained by his many stories about architecture, art, and design. The house was deeded to the Tacoma Art Museum.

Details
Saturday, January 16th – 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
12735 Gravelly Lake Dr. SW, Lakewood
Donations Appreciated

Link to Docomomo WEWA

Looking to buy? Here’s the listing.