- Born:
- April 26, 1870 — Tully, New York, US
- Died:
- October 7, 1936 — Carlsbad, California, US (age 66)
Gill stripped the California house down to plain white walls, flat roofs and arches cut clean into stucco. He called ornament a dust trap and left shadow, vines and sun to decorate the surface.
He tested tilt-slab concrete, casting walls flat on the ground and lifting them into place. Inside, corners were rounded, baseboards sat flush and doors had no trim, so rooms could be cleaned with a hose and a mop.
Most of the work stands in San Diego and Los Angeles County: houses, churches, schools and workers’ cottages. Some of the best houses were demolished before their value was widely recognized.
