EDWARD HALE FICKETT, FAIA (1916-1999)

Fickett was born in Los Angeles CA. He attended Beverly Hills High School, the University of Southern California, and the Art Center College of Design. Fickett was a draftsman under Paul Williams, Sumner Spaulding (1935-1936 and 1939-1940), and Gordon B. Kaufman (1938). He served in the US Navy Civil Engineer Corps Sea Bees and left as a lieutenant commander.  After that, Fickett was a partner in Los Angeles with Francis Heusel then founded his own firm around 1946. He was the Architectural Advisor to President Eisenhower on housing through the FHA's Architectural Standards Advisory Committee.  He taught at UCLA in the late 1970's. Fickett married Lucile Millicent Moore in 1944 and Joycie Helen Steinberg in 1980.

Fickett designed more than 60,000 post-war homes, along the way pioneering and promoting Modernism, including 70 seventy residential communities with 40,000 houses. 14 of these developments were cited by the AIA and others for design excellence. Better Homes and Gardens declared Fickett the Frank Lloyd Wright of the 1950s. He was also nicknamed the King of the Tennis Courts, having been the first architect to design cantilever tennis courts.  According to the LA Conservancy, In the 1950s, 10,000 Fickett homes were constructed in the San Fernando Valley alone. He helped develop Sherman Oaks, Reseda, and Granada Estates.  Developments include Meadowlark Park (1953) in Reseda, Sherwood Park (c. 1956) in the Hollywood Hills, and Rollingwood Estates (1955) in Palos Verdes. He also designed multifamily housing that’s now recognized as significant, including the Sunset Lanai (1952) and Hollywood Riviera (1954) in West Hollywood.

Upon his death in 1999 due to complications from an E. coli infection, the AIA named him "An American Hero". Governor Gray Davis praised him as "an exceptional architect who made many beautiful contributions to his community and to the people of this great state." President Bill Clinton presented his widow, Joycie Fickett, with a letter of condolence and an American flag.  Some of his notable commercial designs include Edwards Air Force Base, Los Alamitos Naval Air Station, Murphy Canyon Heights Naval Base San Diego, Spago Restaurant in West Hollywood, Port of Los Angeles Passenger and Cargo Terminals, Los Angeles City Hall Tower Renovation, the Los Angeles Police Academy, LA Dodger Stadium, Las Cruces Resort, and Hotel Cabo San Lucas. Bio adapted from Wikipedia.

1953- The Fountain Lanai Apartments, 1285 North Sweetzer Avenue, West Hollywood CA.  29 units.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1954 - The Hollywood Riviera Apartments, 1400 North Hayworth Avenue, West Hollywood CA.  One of six apartment buildings designed by Fickett in West Hollywood.  The 38-unit complex has been converted into condos.  Designated a West Hollywood Historic Landmark.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1959 - The Ava Gardner House, 2775 Rinconia Drive, Los Angeles CA.  The architect met the actress while she was living at the Sunset Patio Apartments designed by Fickett in 1944.  Each apartment had a large private balcony that made it possible to bathe naked sight unseen.  According to Fickett's widow, Joycie Fickett, Ava Gardner was "in love" with Ed.  It was not uncommon for Gardner to appear at the door naked, which made Fickett quite uncomfortable, and he would respond by asking her to put a robe on.  Joycie Fickett recalls, "At one time there was a house across the street that had a yard full of lime trees.  One of Ava Gardner's pastimes was to pick a handful of limes and make a Key Lime pie for Fickett as a way of expressing her love and appreciation".  Sold to Amos D. Langford.  Sold to Jennifer J. Parker in 1999.  Sold to Holli Rogers in 2014.  Sold to Dominick Tousignant in 2016.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1956 - aka Housing Development, La Mesa CA. Status unknown. 

1960 - The Grossmont Hills Development, La Suvida Drive, Hilmer Drive, Urban Drive, Loren Drive, Monona Drive and Huneck Drive in La Mesa CA. Status unknown.

1960 - Country Club Village, San Carlos CA. Blue Lake Drive at Lake Murray Boulevard and Jackson Drive on Lake Marion, Lake Louise, Lake Constance and Lake Como. "Nine beautiful model homes designed by Deems-Martin & Associates, Edward H. Fickett, and Richard Leitch... Exciting interiors designed and furnished by C. Tony Pereira, AID."(August 25, 1961, San Diego Union). Designed for Tavares Development Co.; Fickett attribution also via San Diego Union article “6 New Models” on September, 6, 1959. Status unknown.

1960 - The David M. Stenzil Residence, La Mesa CA. Potentially at 4723 Karen Way, El Cajon. Status unknown.

1962 - The La Jolla Hills Development for Tech-Bilt Inc., Castle Hills Drive, North Pacific Beach CA. 77 houses.  Status unknown.

1963 - The Avco Community Developers Housing Development, Rancho Bernardo CA. Status unknown.

1965 - The George Jacobson House, 4520 Dundee Drive, Los Angeles CA. Near Richard Neutra's Lovell Health House. Designated as Los Angeles as Historic Cultural Monument No. 674, the first Modernist structure to get that status. Status unknown.

1965 - The George and Miriam Jacobson House II, 4520 Dundee Drive, Los Angeles CA. L.N. Evans was the builder.  Fickett also designed a house for the Jacobsons in 1953, located at 2313 Moreno Drive in the Silver Lake neighborhood.  Designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 674 in 2000, the first Modernist structure to get that status.  Sold to Bruce Livingstone in 2009.  Sold to Michael Madden Living Trust in 2018.  Sold to Dundee Mmxxiii LLC in 2023.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1966 - The Merv Adelson Residence, La Costa CA. Published in San Diego & Point, July 1966.  Status unknown.

Sources include: Michael Locke, Keith York/Modern San Diego.