Utilizing our Mechanics’ Institute Library Archives, member Kevin H. Souza authored the illuminating article, "Architectural Innovations at the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition: Three Modernist Landmarks" (Souza, 2024), which sheds light on a fascinating, often-overlooked aspect of the fair's architecture: its pockets of modernism amidst the dominant "Pacifica" style.
What makes this particularly relevant to us is our direct connection to one of the architects Souza discusses, William Gladstone Merchant. Merchant, who served as a dedicated Trustee from 1935 and later as our President from 1949 until his death in 1961, was also the architect behind the Exposition's modernist Pacific House. Souza's research highlights Merchant's innovative use of materials like steel-reinforced concrete in Pacific House, a significant departure from the fair's more ornamental designs. This connection underscores the Mechanics’ Institute's historical ties to innovative thinkers and creators in the Bay Area.
Souza's article delves into how Merchant's Pacific House, along with other modernist structures, offered a contrasting vision to the prevailing aesthetic of the GGIE. To learn more about these architectural nuances and the significant contributions of figures like our own William G. Merchant, we encourage you to read Souza's full article here. You might be surprised by what this new research has uncovered!
Reference:
Souza, K. H. (2024, March 24). Architectural Innovations at the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition: Three Modernist Landmarks. Docomomo Northern California. Retrieved May 7, 2025, from https://www.docomomo-noca.org/features/treasure-island-modernism
William G. Mechant’s Pacific House. Courtesy of the OpenSFHistory / wnp14.4912
