‘Case Study’ Architect at 100

Bay Area born and bred, renowned architect Beverley David Thorne went out of his way to avoid fame during his mid‐century heyday.

But some acclaim he just couldn't avoid. Like in 1953, when attention was thrust upon him in a big way with his design of the magnificent and dramatic steel‐framed Dave Brubeck House in Oakland.

Today, the innovative designs of the ever‐humble Case Study House architect, who would have celebrated his 100th birthday this year (Thorne passed in 2017), continue to be the subject of endless study.

One design that hits all the right notes is Thorne's 'Music House,' in Kensington, which is now on the market, priced at $1,600,000.

To give a wider audience the opportunity to experience this unique house while honoring the architect's centennial birthday, Docomomo's NorCal chapter hosted a special event at the Music House on August 3, combining a house tour with a live musical performance.

Located at 38 Sunset Drive in Kensington, the Music House is represented by realtor Michael Plotkowski of Compass Realty, a longtime friend of the current owners. Built on an 8,000‐square‐foot lot, the 2,002‐square‐foot home has two bedrooms and three baths.

"The Music House is in a forest with an absolutely enormous, faceted skylight that refracts light," says Plotkowski. "It's a very bright home, yet embedded in the trees. In the main room there's a wall of glass [facing] toward magnolia trees, so you're right in the foliage."

Built in 1970, the home is distinguished by an unusual, triangular‐shaped steel framework that arches over Cerrito Creek. Known for his hands‐on approach, Thorne was very involved in the design and construction of his residential projects, including this one, and maintained relationships with steel suppliers such as Bethlehem Steel.

Cord Struckmann, an architect who owns Case Study House No. 26 in San Rafael, another exquisite home designed by Thorne, explains that the Music House's property seemed to be an unbuildable land parcel in the beginning.

"When I think more about it, it was really this leftover space," he says. "Thorne really kind of took these down sites that people might have thought of as awkward, and created these amazing spaces."

In the early days, says Struckmann, "Thorne did a lot of the welding himself on his steel‐framed houses. He attended welding classes in the evening so that he could…show contractors how the welds should look."

But over the years, Thorne's works, for the most part, have remained 'under the radar' of media and public attention. An architect who ventured out on his own with original ideas and building methods, such as building homes from steel instead of wood, Thorne was also an introvert and shunned publicity.