John Marsh Davis (October 12, 1931 – February 22, 2009) was an American architect based in the

San Francisco, California San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...

Bay Area. A graduate of the

University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two Territories became the state of Oklahom ...

School of Architecture and a student of Bruce Goff from 1947 to 1955. Davis was known for his signature style of Organic Architecture in wineries, single family homes, and mixed use buildings in California and all over the world. He also was known for his organic interpretation of the

American Craftsman American Craftsman is an American domestic architectural style, inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, which included interior design, landscape design, applied arts, and decorative arts, beginning in the last years of the 19th century. Its ...

style including the Alexander Julian Estate in Ridgefield, Fairfield County, Connecticut. In his design of the Joseph Phelps Winery he is referred to as "one of a cadre of architects who helped define California organic architecture". Some considered his aesthetic as bold and confrontational. John Marsh Davis' firm's most notable projects include winery architecture for Chateau Souverain Winery in Alexander Valley AVA (co-winner of the

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to su ...

(AIA) design-excellence award in 1974), Joseph Phelps Winery, Sullivan Vineyards and Rutherford Hill Winery with his partner/architect

Violeta Autumn Violeta Autumn née Eidelman (May 20, 1930 – February 5, 2012) was a Peruvian-born, naturalized American citizen, who became a noted architect and artist in the San Francisco Bay Area, based in Sausalito, California. She was best known for he ...

as well as numerous private residences including the Donald Barbour house in Kentfield, California. Davis completed several projects with Joseph Phelps, who later bought the winery which bears his name. Phelps owned a large construction firm and he and Davis worked on Souverain Winery together. In his later career, Davis became well known for architectural landscaping.

Notable buildings

John Marsh Davis and his firm became known for designing and siting memorable works of Organic Architecture and worked on numerous important, notable buildings where he was the design architect or partner in charge that have drawn the attention of experts in this style including: *Chateau Souverain Winery in Alexander Valley AVA (1974)(became the Francis Ford Coppola Winery in 2011). *Joseph Phelps Winery in

Napa Valley AVA Napa Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Napa County in California's Wine Country. It was established by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) on January 27, 1981. Napa Valley is considered one of the premier ...

(1973) *Rutherford Hill Winery in

(1972) *Sullivan Vineyards in

References

1931 births 2009 deaths University of Oklahoma alumni 20th-century American architects 21st-century American architects {{US-architect-stub