Getty Villa construction records, 1960, 1964, 1968-1986, undated (bulk 1971-1974)

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Summary

Creators:
J. Paul Getty Museum
Abstract:
Correspondence, reports from the architects and builders, legal and financial documents, blueprints and models, photos, printed matter and oral histories, dating 1960, 1964, 1968-1986, undated (bulk 1971-1974) concern the design and construction of the J. Paul Getty Museum (Villa).
Extent:
41.4 linear feet (30 boxes, 6 oversize boxes, 3 photo albums, 6 flat file drawers)
Language:
Collection material is in English

Background

Scope and content:

Records consist of correspondence, memoranda, reports, legal and financial documents, drawings, blueline drawings, minutes, architectural models, photographic images, notes, printed matter, audiocassette tapes, lists, articles, clippings, indexes, contracts, drafts, amendments, permits, deeds, oral histories, and a bond, dating 1960, 1964, 1968-1986, undated (bulk 1971-1974), pertaining to the conceptual development and construction of the J. Paul Getty Museum (Villa). Norris Bramlett, Stephen Garrett, Langdon & Wilson, Norman Neuerburg, are especially prominent in the collection. Much of the correspondence consists of copies of outgoing letters and original incoming letters maintained by either Bramlett or Garrett; discussions concern Villa design, construction, maintenance, landscaping and irrigation, boundaries and easements, security, and various administrative and staff issues. Reports include material produced by Garrett for J. Paul Getty, site studies submitted to Langdon & Wilson, Architects, and "Specifications for Construction of the J. Paul Getty Museum" (and additional bulletins) produced by Langdon & Wilson. Legal documents include permits, permissions, and inspections required by the City of Los Angeles, a performance bond, guarantees and warranties, and contracts with the consultants and companies. Architects and consultants budgets record the budget estimates, invoices, and expenses of the architects and consultants who worked on the Villa construction project.

Dinwiddie Construction Co. records include minutes and supporting documentation summarize meetings held by Dinwiddie Construction Co. and attended by various contractors and consultants, job diaries filled out by the Dinwiddie site superintendent to document the ongoing construction, schedules, and budget, billing, and payroll files. An incomplete set of blueline prints and architectural drawings were created for the Villa construction project by Langdon & Wilson, the primary architects, and by Stephen Garrett, John S. Gregory Co, Emmet Wemple, Garth Benton, and David Wilkins. The drawings were used to describe, in technical detail, various aspect of the Villa building, from the overall site plan to cross-sectional views and to details of both mosaic floors and plumbing schematics.

Additional records include models representing the Decorative Arts Period Rooms of the Villa museum, photographs documenting the entire construction process, oral histories describing the development of the Villa, and a few printed materials.

Organization

The collection is organized into ten series: Series I. Correspondence, 1968-1981;Series II. Reports, 1968-1974;Series III. Legal, 1968-1975;Series IV. Architect and consultant budgets, 1968-1976; Series V. Dinwiddie Construction Company records, 1970-1975;Series VI. Blueline prints and architectural drawings, 1964, 1968, 1970-1977, undated;Series VII. Models, 1972-1973, 1987, undated;Series VIII. Photographs, 1969-1974, 1976, undated;Series IX. Oral and written histories, 1972, 1980, 1986;Series X. Printed matter and notes, 1960, undated.

Biographical / historical:

After considering various options for expanding his ranch house in Malibu California which had served as a private museum since 1954, J. Paul Getty decided in the fall of 1968 to build a new museum on the same property, in the form of a first-century Roman country house, based primarily on the plans of the ancient Villa dei Papiri just outside of Herculaneum. The archaeologist Norman Neuerburg, who had studied the ruins of Herculaneum and was an authority on Roman domestic architecture, was retained as a consultant for the project. The Santa Monica firm Langdon & Wilson was hired as architect, and Stephen Garrett, who had served as Getty's consultant in the remodeling of a Getty home in Posillipo, Italy, was retained as overseer of the construction. Landscape architect Emmet Wemple designed the gardens, Garth Benton worked on the murals, and Bruce Ptolomy worked on the fountains. The construction itself was done by Dinwiddie Construction Co., with various subcontractors. Construction began on December 21, 1970, and the new museum opened to the public on January 16, 1974. Despite the enthusiastic public response, mixed critical response questioned the decision to recreate an ancient building.

Upon the death of Mr. Getty and the subsequent establishment of the J. Paul Getty Trust, the Getty Villa became part of a larger vision. The Villa was redesigned by architects Machado and Silvetti Associates and reopened in 2006. While most of the Museum's collections are housed at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, the antiquities collection is still housed at the Villa. The Getty Villa serves a varied audience through the permanent collection, changing exhibitions, conservation, scholarship, research, and public programs in an intimate setting overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Public and scholarly programs at the Villa include lectures, seminars, conferences, workshops, symposia, film series, musical concerts, and theatrical performances in the Barbara and Lawrence Fleischman Outdoor Classical Theater.

Acquisition information:
Assembled from the following acquisitions:1986.IA.08; 1986.IA.19; 1986.IA.36; 1987.IA.02; 1987.IA.03; 1987.IA.24; 2009.IA.28; and 2013.IA.35.
Physical location:
To access physical materials at the Getty, go to the library catalog record for this collection and click "Request an Item." Click here for general library access policy. See the Administrative Information section of this finding aid for access restrictions specific to the records described below. Please note, some of the records may be stored off site; advanced notice is required for access to these materials.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Location of this collection:
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA 90049-1688, US
Contact:
(310) 440-7390
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