Remarkable at Every Turn - Page 2

Ceramicist Rhoda LeBlanc Lopez, who studied at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, added decorative ceramic tiles, as well as the surround tiles framing the front door. Fireplace mason Bill Davey was another key contributor.

Noting the home's serene koi pond and inviting garden of Japanese black pines, we were pleased to learn that much of master landscape architect Frank Koge's original design remains intact, and that a natural spring still brings water to the property, pool, and jacuzzi.

"You had a team—people who would make your house look more artistic than subcontractors," says York. "They would share how they would help the client live in art." And today, all of this art still shines, illuminated by natural light that streams in through the home's strategically placed casement windows and skylights.

"Mr. Weinberg was from Illinois, and was an executive for an engine gasket manufacturer there," York points out. "So, he had the money to hire Bruce to build a significant, large home. It was also the first home in the entire area, so it has an amazing view lot."

Architect Sim Bruce Richards (1908-1983) was born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, of Cherokee heritage. He discovered the work of Frank Lloyd Wright after his family moved to Phoenix, Arizona, and was invited to join the Taliesin Fellowship in nearby Scottsdale in the 1930s. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

Honoring Wright's teachings throughout his 40-year career, Richards' body of work includes 200 residential and commercial projects.

A never-remodeled home is a rarity, and this one even has a vintage suite of Robsjohn Gibbings furniture that was designed for Widdicomb. The kitchen and baths are also original, down to the custom Heath tile, as called for by the architect.

York is currently writing a monograph and working on an exhibition about Sim Bruce Richards. "I live in one of his houses, so I have long been fascinated by this particular architect," he says.

The exhibition is set to open at the San Diego History Center in San Diego's Balboa Park in March 2023. "My goal, both personally and professionally, is to let people know that it's not just wood—it's life, and it's historic," York says.

For more info and photographs for the Weinberg house listing, click here.