Smith and Williams records, circa 1936-circa 1987

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Summary

Title:
Smith and Williams records
Dates:
circa 1936-circa 1987
Creators:
Smith and Williams., Smith, Whitney Rowland, 1911-2002, and Williams, Wayne, 1919-2007
Extent:
236.0 Linear feet (105 boxes, 40 rolls, 25 flat file drawers, 1 presentation board, and 2 models)
Language:
Preferred citation:

Smith & Williams records, Architecture and Design Collection. Art, Design & Architecture Museum; University of California, Santa Barbara.

Background

Scope and content:

The Smith & Williams records span 236 linear feet and date from circa 1936 to circa 1987. The documents that compose the collection include architectural drawings and reprographic copies, specifications, photographs, presentation boards, models, both Smith and William’s student work, press releases, magazine and newspapers clippings, office memoranda, building material samples, and awards. The collection primarily contains the work of the firm Smith & Williams but also includes Whitney R. Smith’s work prior to the Smith & Williams’s partnership.

Biographical / historical:

The firm Smith & Williams was founded in 1949 by Whitney Rowland Smith (1911-2002) and Wayne Richard Williams (1919-2007). Whitney Smith was born on January 16, 1911 in Pasadena. He attended the University of Southern California (USC) and graduated in 1934 with his bachelor’s degree in architecture. After receiving his degree Smith went on to work as a designer for notable architects in the Los Angeles area: Lawrence Test, Harwell Hamilton Harris, Kem Weber, and William L. Pereira. From 1941 to 1942, Whitney Smith taught at USC. One of Smith’s students was Wayne Williams (1919-2007), who started working for Smith in the early 1940s. Wayne Williams was born in Los Angeles on October 17, 1919. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in architecture from USC in 1947. By 1949, Whitney Smith and Wayne Williams officially became partners. Some of their most notable early projects include Crestwood Hills (1950) and Griffith Park Girl’s Camp (1951). During the firm’s 24 years, Smith and Williams produced numerous award-winning architectural projects, including private residences, educational buildings, religious buildings, community buildings, recreational facilities, commercial buildings, and parks. The Smith & Williams’ partnership dissolved in 1973, although both Whitney Smith and Wayne Williams continued to practice. Whitney Smith died in 2002 and Wayne Williams died in 2007.

Custodial history:

Gift of Whitney R. Smith, 1982 and 1996. Additional material gifted by Ms. Paula Williams, 2011.

Physical location:
Box 1-40/ADC - regular Box 41/ADC - oversize* Box 42-103/ADC - regular Tube 103-152/Mosher - rolls Box 153-154/ADC - oversize* 25 Flat File Drawers/ADC - flat files 1 presentation board (Calif. Expo and Fair)/Mosher - pres. board 2 Models Anaheim Professional Center/Mosher - model Japanese Pavillion/Mosher - model
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Jennifer Whitlock, Chris Marino
Sponsor:
The finding aid for this collection was made possible by a Getty Foundation Archival Arrangement Description Grant.
Date Prepared:
2010
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2018-06-28T15:34-0700

Access and use

Terms of access:

Partially processed collection, open for use by qualified researchers.

Preferred citation:

Smith & Williams records, Architecture and Design Collection. Art, Design & Architecture Museum; University of California, Santa Barbara.

Location of this collection:
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-7130, US
Contact:
(805) 893-2724
adc@museum.ucsb.edu
Website