Design Legacy of John Marsh Davis: Early Career: Wood Expressionism 1961-1979

Make no little plans, they have no magic to stir men’s blood. In his homes and on jobsites, designer John Marsh Davis, Jr. displayed a framed transcription of Daniel Burnham’s directive. The epigraph describes what Davis’ legacy impressively embodies in tactile sensuality and visionary formalist expressionism―indeed, architecture’s power to elevate life, nourish the spirit, and enkindle the imagination. Spanning dramatic coastal residences and magisterial timber-framed Napa winery complexes, this biography of Davis’early career includes captivating anecdotes about his creative process and insightful architectural appreciations borne of author Hans R. Baldauf’s sustained years-long engagement with Davis’ oeuvre. When Joseph Phelphs Vineyards commissioned Baldauf’s firm BCV Architecture + Interiors to re-imagine Davis’ original winery building and enhance its connection with the surrounding landscape, Baldauf discovered that no scholarship on Davis as yet existed. Since then, BCV has worked on two additional Davis-designed projects. Lavishly illustrated with detailed plans and stunning photography, this is an inspiring, essential addition to the history of modern American architectural and design culture.