Seaward - (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The first book dedicated to Seaward, the extraordinary achievement of Charles Sumner Greene, one of the great masters of the American Arts and Crafts style.

Perched on the rugged cliffs of Carmel Highlands in California, Seaward is among the greatest houses built by Charles Sumner Greene. Designed for D.L. and Lillie James and completed in 1922, the house represents the fullest realization of Greene's artistic vision - a work in which architecture, landscape, and craftsmanship merge into a singular whole.

This new book, the first ever to be published on Seaward, offers a fresh perspective on an extraordinary house through the remarkable photographs of William Reagh. Best known for his sensitive documentation of Los Angeles, Reagh approached Seaward - then the home of his friend Dan James - not as a conventional architectural photographer but as a documentarian attuned to the life of places. Working with lightweight cameras and available light, he captured not only Greene's exceptional artisanship and the dramatic coastal setting but also the atmosphere and lived experience that define the house.

Reagh's photographs reveal Seaward as far more than an architectural masterpiece. They portray a home shaped by its owners and enriched by decades of use. Three accompanying essays deepen our understanding of the house and the people who brought it to life. Edward R. Bosley examines the design and construction of Seaward as the culmination of Greene's career, exploring the inspirations that informed this unique project. Ian C. Martin places the Jameses within the cultural and social world of Carmel, while Timothy J. Andersen traces the lives of Dan James and William Reagh, illuminating the friendship that led to this candid photographic record. Together, these insightful texts and evocative images celebrate the creative partnership between architect and client, and affirm the enduring legacy of one of America's most spectacular houses.