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Maston (Carl) papers
4002
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Title: Carl Maston papers
Creator:
Maston, Carl
Identifier/Call Number: 4002
Identifier/Call Number: /repositories/3/resources/1537
Physical Description:
28.42 Linear Feet
22 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1946-1989
Abstract: This collection documents the professional career of southern California architect Carl Maston. The collection covers a variety
of public and private commissions including commercial buildings, university buildings, and residential structures. The majority
of the archive consists of project notes as well as the black-and-white architectural photography by Julius Shulman. The collection
also includes slides and negatives, architectural drawings, correspondence, and published articles about Maston's projects.
Language of Material:
English
.
Carl Maston (1915-1992) was an influential mid-century modern architect based in Los Angeles. Known for his stark modern style
and inventive use of concrete structural solutions, his 100+ works can be seen throughout Southern California. Born Carl Mastopietro
in Jacksonville, Illinois, he first studied music before settling on architecture while at USC. Upon graduating in 1937, he
went to work for several local architectural offices before setting off on his own in 1946.
For the next 40 years, Maston and his office completed projects such as commercial buildings, shopping centers, institutional
buildings, private homes, residential buildings, and military housing units locally and nationally. His first of several design
awards was for Maston (or Marmont) House in West Hollywood, a late Craftsman-style home. In 1946, he was commissioned to build
the Pandora Apartments -- the first of his experiments with the garden apartment design. Along with Ray Kappe, Maston went
on to contribute to the quintessential California apartment complex, particularly with the National Boulevard Apartments.
Other notable completed projects include Hillside House, the Cal Poly Pomona College of Environmental Design, the Chiat House
in South Pasadena, Valley Ice Skating Center in Tarzana, and the Creative Arts Building at Cal State San Bernardino. In addition,
he helped create the Los Angeles Community Design Center and served on the Los Angeles Planning Commission for five years.
Maston was the 1989 recipient of the USC Distinguished Alumni Award for excellence in design and innovative leadership in
public service. Semi-retired but still teaching courses at USC and accepting architectural commissions, Carl Maston was 77
when he died of colon cancer in Los Angeles.
This collection documents the professional career of southern California architect Carl Maston. The collection covers a variety
of public and private commissions including commercial buildings, university buildings, and residential structures. The majority
of the archive consists of project notes as well as the black-and-white architectural photography by Julius Shulman. The collection
also includes slides and negatives, architectural drawings, correspondence, and published articles about Maston's projects.
Project files and photographs form the bulk of the collection. This includes notes, brochures, correspondence, as well as
8"x10" photographs and proofs, and rolls of large architectural drawings include finished and unfinished projects. The rolls
are organized thematically according to type of structure described. Miscellaneous includes prints, negatives, and loose-leaf
materials that have yet to be identified. Presentation boards include finished and unfinished project renderings mounted to
a firm support.
Advance notice required for access.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Department of Special
Collections at specol@usc.edu. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical
items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
Finding aid description and metadata are licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
The collection was donated to USC Helen Topping Architecture and Fine Arts Library in 1998 by Los Angeles realtor Crosby Doe.
[Box/folder no. or item name], Carl Maston papers, Collection no. 4002, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of
Southern California.
This collection is not fully processed.
The USC Libraries Architecture & Fine Arts Library transferred custody of the Carl Maston papers to the USC Libraries Special
Collections unit on April 15, 2024. The collection's box labels still list the Architecture & Fine Arts Library as the holding
repository.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Specifications
Architecture, Modern -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Slides (photographs)
Architectural drawings (visual works)
Architecture -- California -- Los Angeles -- History -- Archival resources
Maston, Carl -- Archives
Shulman, Julius -- Archives