History
Some of Flewelling’s most noteworthy designs include the Beverly Hills Post Office, USC’s Seeley W. Mudd Memorial Hall of Philosophy, and Caltech’s Millikan Memorial Library.
During the post-war “baby boom,” the Firm emerged as one of six Southern California companies specializing in architectural design for public schools and higher education facilities. Ralph Hunter Flewelling, son of Ralph Carlin, took on the leadership of the Firm from 1965 to 1995. The Firm continues to focus on the values initiated by the Flewellings: Innovative Design, Integrity, and value.
Today, Flewelling and Moody offers a full range of architectural, engineering and planning services. We maintain fully staffed offices in Pasadena and Lancaster, CA and strive to be client centric.
Notable Projects
Mudd Memorial Hall of Philosophy
University of Southern California Los Angeles, California Conforming in spirit with the other buildings on the USC campus, Mudd Hall possesses a number of distinctive features, the most striking being the 140-foot tower that stands at one corner of a rectangular courtyard. The building, built in 1930, was devoted entirely to housing the offices, classrooms, seminar rooms and lecture halls of USC’s department of philosophy. Hoose Library is also part of the hall, housing more than 200,000 volumes. The building donation was provided by Colonel Seeley W. Mudd and totaled approximately $265,000. The Fisher Gallery of Art lies adjacent to Mudd Hall, along Exposition Boulevard. This building is still used as an exhibition hall for the fine arts students.
Wilshire Electric Fountain
In 1930, Flewelling was commissioned to design a fountain as a tangible symbol of the Beverly Gardens Park’s mission to preserve space for cultural and art events for local residents. The first of its kind anywhere, the fountain merged the cutting-edge science of its day with Flewelling’s keen sense of aesthetic beauty. Its innovative use of automatic water sprays accompanied by changeable neon inverted lighting received more attention and praise then than any other sight in Beverly Hills.
Hawthorne Grammar School
The new construction of Hawthorne Grammar School consisted of earthquake-proof and fire-proof structures housing kindergarten, manual training classes and a cafeteria. The rebuilding was made possible through a bond measure, and completed with decorative details cast in place.
Beverly Hills Post Office
In 1933, Flewelling designed the Beverly Hills Post Office, the first Federal Works Project Facility, which today is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its design emulated the Romanesque style of the early Italian Renaissance whose outward appearance required construction materials (concrete, brick and terra cotta) that were readily available in Southern California. The architectural detail for the interior lobby was simplified, creating a modern atmosphere. The craftsmanship of marble work, of moldings and cornices, and of ornamental metal that formed the lobby screen grilles was as much a credit to the dozens of skilled artisans as it was to Flewelling’s vision. He acknowledged the outstanding craftsmanship as “unusual in this age of mass production.”
First United Methodist Church of Glendale
Here is a church designed in the traditional style, making use of contemporary materials and methods of construction. The non-secular symbolism and forms of the traditional cathedrals of the Old World have been blended into and around this modern structure. The supporting structure was pre-cast and post-tensioned, the 3" thin-shell roof spans across the nave without the use of heavy beams and girders. The nave is designed to seat approximately 1,200. It is bordered on each side by five stained glass windows which are forty feet high. Double glazed windows lend great color value to the light and make the air conditioning more effective as well.
