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C. O.
CLAUSEN
Architect
(1886-1973)
Most of the early San Francisco architects were European-born and trained. The succeeding generations, born in California, regarded a qualification from the prestigious
École des Beaux-Arts in Paris as a worthwhile goal. However, few came from independently wealthy families or could find the sponsorship for such a lengthy time commitment. Others had to settle for the ‘Grand European Tour’.
Charles Oliver Clausen, born September 13, 1886 in Napa, California, was brought up in San Francisco, graduating from Mission High School in 1904. He started work as a draftsman with the architectural firm of Meyer & O’Brien. He was not yet 20 at the time of the 1906 earthquake and, at the stage in his life when he might have taken the Grand European Tour, he was busy developing an architectural career in San Francisco. He obtained his State Architectural license in 1909 and opened his own practice in the Phelan Building on Market Street.
Clausen began his career designing in the Mission Revival style, which was popular at the time. He was a prolific architect who designed many pairs of flats and apartment buildings, and some single-family homes. Examples include: in Pacific Heights, the triplex at 2853-57 Clay (1910) and the 12 apartments, now condos, at 2760 Sacramento (1923); in Presidio Heights, the home at 3600 Jackson and the 6 apartments at 112 Arguello (both in 1918); and on Russian Hill, the 7 apartments at 1457 Jones (1913), the 12-unit building, now condos, at 2363 Larkin (1923), and the 10-unit luxury cooperative apartment building at 2240 Hyde (1926).
On the Noe Valley/Mission district border, where the smaller buildings
were often speculatively built by contractors, there is a fine example
of Clausen’s design work in the lovely single-family home at 242 San
Jose Avenue (1916).
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242 San
Jose Avenue |
Having missed out on the Grand European Tour in his 20's, in 1926 Clausen celebrated his 40th birthday by taking a year off for travel and architectural study in Europe and Scandinavia. Some of his notes from the trip were serialized after his return in 19 consecutive issues of
Architect and Engineer (March 1928 to September 1929) under the
title of ‘My European Impressions’. The articles covered highlights
from the countries he visited, including England, Scotland, France,
Germany, Italy, Denmark, Norway and Sweden. In one of them he
described his first-ever plane flight, an excursion from London to
Paris at the bargain price of 9 pounds sterling for the round trip.
Impressed at first with the comfort of the wicker armchairs, the
provision of cotton wool for his ears, and the sensation of crossing
the English Channel at a height of 3,000 feet and a speed of 120
miles per hour, he “had the unusual and thrilling experience of a
forced landing” |
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after one of the two engines “became disabled” over Northern France.
However, according to Clausen, the pilot “knew his stuff”, switching
off the other engine and gliding the plane down safely in an
emergency landing in a grain field. Clausen was happy to get out in
one piece and accept a ride to an airfield five miles away to
continue his journey in another plane. He reported that “after a
lively evening in Paris we revived and got enough courage to make
the return trip the next day”. |
Upon his return to San Francisco in 1927 Clausen entered into a partnership with F. Frederic Amandes (1892-1951), which lasted until 1933. Examples of their apartment buildings include two fine 6-unit buildings, both of which have since been converted to condominiums, in Pacific Heights, 2785 Jackson (1927) and on Telegraph Hill, 199 Chestnut (1930).
In 1933, Clausen reestablished his own practice, designing several single-family homes, such as 50 San Rafael Way in St. Francis Wood (1935), 311 Marina Boulevard and 115 & 125 Sea Cliff Avenue (all in 1940). |
