The Architecture of Ratcliff

Woodruff Minor

232 pages (9 x 9)
Cloth, ISBN: 978-1-59714-042-3, $39.95

The story of an architecture firm that has shaped the Bay Area for over one hundred years.

The Architecture of Ratcliff is a lavish look at three generations of one company’s architects who have left a significant imprint on West Coast design and continue to lead the way in innovative, creative building solutions. Their accomplishments are many, including Oakland International Airport's Terminal 2, Mills College’s Concert Hall, buildings on Berkeley’s “Holy Hill,” and a rich array of houses, from the charming to the contemporary. Throughout it all, Ratcliff has maintained its commitment to family, the environment, and to excellence in design.

Advance Praise:

"The story of a family, a business…[and] the path of architecture in the past century."—John King, San Francisco Chronicle

"A testimony to the virtues of integrity, vision, and the search for quality and service….A reminder that our daily professional struggles can add up to something remarkable."—Harrison Fraker, Dean, College of Environmental Design, University of  California, Berkeley

"A rare opportunity to follow the history of one of the Bay Area's major architecture firms through the careers of three generations of family members who shaped its practice."—Sally B. Woodbridge, author of San Francisco Architecture

"In these pages you will discover a remarkable range of work, from comfortable quirky Arts and Crafts houses in the eras of Julia Morgan and Bernard Maybeck to sleek twenty-first-century computer technology centers….An essential addition to any library of Bay Region design."—Daniel P. Gregory, Sunset Magazine

"Part architectural and cultural history, part urban history, part institutional history, this book will appeal to readers with a range of interests."—Michael Corbett, author of Splendid Survivors: San Francisco’s Downtown Architectural Heritage

"A compelling human story….The author deftly and sensitively imparts the sense of fulfillment inherent in the successful realization of an architect’s vision."—Anthony Bruce, Executive Director, Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association

"Woodruff Minor expertly places Ratcliff and his long-lived firm in context with other Bay Area masters such as Bernard Maybeck, John Howard, and Julia Morgan."—Annalee Allen, Oakland Tribune