The collection consists of architectural drawings produced for projects (residential, commercial, medical, educational) by Fred Linn Osmon, as well as files documenting his life and professional career as an architect and teacher.
Identification:
MS MSS 29
Language:
Material in English
Repository:
Arizona State University Library
Design and the Arts Special Collections
P.O. Box 871006
Tempe, AZ 85287-1006
Phone: (480) 965-4932
E-Mail: archives@asu.edu Questions? Ask An Archivist!
Biographical Note
Fred Linn Osmon was born in 1932 in Las Vegas, Nevada, where his father worked as a high rigger and dynamiter at the nearby Boulder Dam construction site. The family moved shortly thereafter to California, where Fred’s father worked at the Empire Mine in Grass Valley. In 1936 Fred’s father died of tuberculosis and Osmon’s mother moved with Fred to St. Louis, Missouri.
After graduating high school in St. Louis, Osmon studied architecture at Washington University in the same city. During his undergraduate study he attended a two-week seminar with noted designer and inventor Buckminster Fuller, building a dome and attending extensive lectures by Fuller. Osmon earned his bachelor of architecture degree from Washington University in 1956.
Osmon enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1956, training as a pilot and attaining the rank of second lieutenant. Following his discharge from the Air Force in 1959, Osmon worked for the architect Hugh Stubbins in Cambridge, Massachusetts and then for two firms in New York: Curtis and Davis, and the John Carl Warnecke firm. While exploring graduate programs in architecture at several schools, Osmon sat in on a studio seminar by noted architect Louis Kahn at the University of Pennsylvania. Impressed by Kahn’s emphasis on discovering "what a building wants to be," Osmon applied and was accepted to the graduate program in architecture at the University of Pennsylvania.
While studying under Kahn at Pennsylvania, Osmon developed his own architectural philosophy. In contrast to Kahn’s emphasis on monumental buildings and the role of the architect in the design process, Osmon wanted to focus on the client’s functional requirements combined with the architect’s personal sensibility to create beauty in design. He earned his master of architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1962.
Following graduate school, Osmon worked as an architectural research associate at Educational Facilities Laboratories of the Ford Foundation. At MIT, Osmon met and befriended noted architect and design theorist Christopher Alexander and was impressed with Alexander’s ideas on a new design programmatic process called pattern language. The central ideas of this process, articulated in a 1977 book by Alexander and three of his students, A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction are that users are more sensitive to their needs than architects and that a common pattern could enable architects to design and build practical and beautiful buildings at any scale. When the two architects (Osmon and Alexander) met, Alexander had recently accepted a teaching position at the University of California, Berkeley and wondered if Osmon might like to do the same.
Fred Osmon and his wife Linda Malm, whom he had married in 1963, relocated to the San Francisco Bay area in 1965. Osmon rejoined the Warnecke firm, this time at their San Francisco office. While there, Osmon worked with Thomas Creighton, the retired editor of the journal Progressive Architecture, on a master plan for a new college in Prescott, Arizona that never came to fruition. Osmon then joined the architectural school faculty of the University of California, Berkeley, and continued to work on architectural projects for schools, migrant labor camps, the Far West Laboratory for Educational Research and Development, and private residences.
Osmon began his architectural practice in Arizona in 1973 and continued as an active architect for about thirty years, designing residential, commercial, medical, educational, and medical facilities. He also taught several design courses and a course on utopian housing at Arizona State University. His architectural projects focused on building ecologically sound and beautiful environments in the Sonoran Desert. Osmon also explored the way that architecture might reflect and influence family dynamics. He was married to Jacomina Jones Newman from 1985 to 2006 and currently resides in Cave Creek, Arizona. His work has received numerous awards including:
Honor Award 1987–American Institute of Architects–Skane House
Phoenix Visual Improvement Award 1987–Lakewood Kwik Stop
Environmental Excellence Award 1985–Valley Forward Association, Rabinowitz House
Merit Award 1984–Arizona Society of the American Institute of Architects–Rabinowitz House
Excellence in Planning and Design—Architectural Record Houses of 1979-Osmon House
Award of Merit–Foundation for San Francisco Architectural Heritage–Center for Educational Development
Bay Area A.I.A. Honor Award 1974–Center for Educational Development (with Esherick, Homsey, Dodge & Davis Architects)
Award of Exceptional Distinction–State of California 1966–Temporary Communities for Farm Worker Families
Sea Ranch Design Award 1974–Nimnicht House
Scope and Content Note
The collection consists of architectural drawings produced for projects (residential, commercial, medical, educational) by Fred Linn Osmon, as well as files documenting his life and professional career as an architect and teacher. These materials have been organized into four series based on Osmon’s internal organization and have been organized alphabetically within each series.
Series 1: Residential Projects, contains architectural drawings and sketches for the residential projects of Fred Linn Osmon.
Series 2: Kwik Stop Projects, contains architectural drawings and sketches by Osmon for the Kwik Stop chain of convenience stores and gas stations. These stores later became part of the Circle K Corporation.
Series 3: Other Projects, contains architectural drawings and sketches by Osmon for a variety of projects, including residential, commercial, educational, and medical projects.
Series 4: Professional and Personal Files, includes project photographs and specifications, biographical and historical materials, awards, news clippings and articles, as well as professional and personal correspondence and journals.
Arrangement
This collection consists of 32 oversize folders and six boxes divided into four series:
To view this collection, make an appointment at least five business days prior to your visit by contacting Ask an Archivist or calling (480) 965-4932. Appointments in the Design and the Arts Special Collections Reading Room at the Design and the Arts Library on the Tempe campus are available Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Copyright
The Arizona Board of Regents retains copyright to this collection for and on behalf of the Arizona State University Library. Requests to publish, display, or redistribute information from this collection must be submitted via our online application.
Access Terms
Personal Name(s)
Kahn, Louis I., 1901-1974
Osmon, Fred (Fred Linn), 1932-
Corporate Name(s)
Arizona State University. College of Architecture and Environmental Design>
University of California, Berkeley. Department of Architecture
Subject(s)
Architects -- Arizona
Architecture -- Arizona -- History -- 20th century
Weeks Residence (Dr. and Mrs. Weeks), Lot 99, Carefree Highlands, 8542 E. Concho Lane, Carefree, Arizona, 1987 and 1993 (Additions and Remodel for Mr. and Mrs. Lerman), 19 drawings.
Whitcomb Residence Additions (Mr. and Mrs. J. Whitcomb), Lot 1645, The Boulders, Carefree, Arizona, 1978-1979, 1987 (patio addition, Lot 1625), 5 drawings.
Williams Residence Remodel and Addition (Mr. and Mrs. D. Williams), 7612 Horizon Drive, Carefree, Arizona, 1981, 1 drawing.
Willmott Residence Remodel (Mr. and Mrs. P. Willmott), 1049 Boulder Drive, Carefree, Arizona, 1990-1991, 5 drawings.
Woods Residence Additions (Mr. and Mrs. W. K. Woods), 8005 N. Coconino, Paradise Valley, Arizona, 1980-1981, 2 drawings.
Folder
12
Drawings, 1980-1988 (Housed in Map Case 153H R1 D14)
Yznaga Residence (Mr. and Mrs. J. Yznaga), Lot 165, Carefree Subdivision, Carefree, Arizona, 1980-1981, 13 drawings.
Zahn Residence (Mr. and Mrs. E. Zahn), Lot 16, Carefree Four Subdivision, Carefree, Arizona, 1981, 15 drawings.
Zahn Residence Additions (Mr. and Mrs. E. Zahn), 8548 Concho Lane, Carefree, Arizona, 1988, 5 drawings.
Drawings, 1984-1993 (Housed in Map Case 153H R1 D14)
Chandler Heights Kwik Stop & Kwik Wash, northeast corner of Power Road and Chandler Heights Road, Chandler Heights, Arizona, 1986, 13 drawings.
Cooper Kwik Stop, southeast corner of Warner Road and Cooper Road, Gilbert, Arizona, 1989-1991, 16 drawings.
Desert Foothills Kwik Stop, 6802 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, Arizona, 1984, 5 drawings.
Elliot Kwik Stop, southeast corner of Elliot Road and 48th Street, Ahwatukee, Arizona, 1987, 7 drawings.
Foothills Family Plaza, northwest corner of Chandler Boulevard and Desert Foothills Drive, Phoenix, Arizona, 1993, 8 drawings.
Folder
14
Drawings, 1985-1992 (Housed in Map Case 153H R1 D14)
Foothills Kwik Stop, 5060 E. Warner Road, Ahwatukee, Arizona, 1985, 3 drawings.
Frank Lloyd Wright Kwik Stop, 13880 Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard, southeast corner of Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard and 100th Street, Scottsdale, Arizona, 1989-1992, 14 drawings.
Germann Kwik Stop, northeast corner of Germann Road and Arizona Avenue, Chandler, Arizona, 1988, 10 drawings.
Folder
15
Drawings, 1986-1989 (Housed in Map Case 153H R1 D14)
Gilbert Kwik Stop, 751 N. Arizona Avenue, southeast corner of Arizona Avenue and Guadalupe Road, Gilbert, Arizona, 1986-1987, 32 drawings.
Higley Kwik Stop, northeast corner of Higley Road and Chandler Boulevard, Chandler, Arizona, 1989, 11 drawings.
Folder
16
Drawings, 1984-1994 (Housed in Map Case 153H R1 D15)
Kwik Stop Center, Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, Arizona, 1984-1987, 12 drawings.
Kwik Stop No. 17, 1250 E. Chandler Boulevard, northwest corner of Chandler Boulevard and 7th Street, Phoenix, Arizona, 1993-1994, 9 drawings.
Kwik Stop No. 18, Silver Creek Plaza, 4728 E. Ray Road, Phoenix, Arizona, 1993-1994, 15 drawings.
Folder
17
Drawings, 1986-1994, Undated (Housed in Map Case 153H R1 D15)
Kwik Stop No. 19, Grove Parkway Plaza, 7580 S. Priest Drive, Tempe, Arizona, 1994, 15 drawings.
Remodeling Ravenswood School Into a Children's Center, Euclid Street and Donohoe Street, East Palo Alto, California (Ravenswood City School District), 1969, 8 drawings.
Folder
29
Drawings, 1977-1987 (Housed in Map Case RR4 D12)
Retail Stores (Not Built), 6448 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, Arizona, 1977, 6 drawings.
Rural Crossing Retail Center (Not Built), 8729 S. Rural Road, Tempe, Arizona, 1987, 17 drawings.
Saguaro Hill Lanes and Lounge, 6710 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, Arizona, 1985, 26 drawings.
Folder
30
Drawings, 1977-1984, Undated (Housed in Map Case RR4 D12)
Spanish Village Shops Addition, Carefree, Arizona, Undated, 9 drawings.
Sun Country West Desert Nursery (Proposed), Glendale, Arizona, 1981, 1 drawing.
Sun Devil Plaza and Parking Area, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, Undated, 2 drawings.
Tamarisk Apartments, Cave Creek, Arizona, 1984, 1 drawing.
Transportation/Maintenance Facility, Cave Creek School District 93, Cave Creek, Arizona, 1977, 5 drawings.
Projects: Louis I. Kahn: Master’s Degree Design Studio,
1962, Undated
Includes narrative, drawings, and photographs.
1
2
Toward an Architecture Without Permanent Form? The Projects and Ideas of Fred Linn Osmon, Architect,
2005
1
3
Desert Forms,
1981
Article from Progressive Architecture (June 1981) on Osmon with photographs of Osmon House, Bruce House, Desert Foothills Medical Clinic, Rabinowitz House, and Lange House.
1
4
Registrations, Awards, and Certificates,
1951-1988
Box
Folder
2
1
Prescott College Project,
1964
2
2
Pinnamaneni,
1988, Undated
2
3
Sea Ranch Beach Houses: Nimnicht, Schilt,
Undated
2
4
Johnson Residence: Townhouse, Echo Canyon, Phoenix,
1993, Undated
Fred Osmon, Author, Miscellaneous,
1992-1996, Undated
3
24
Miscellaneous, 1981-2002,
Undated
3
25
News Clippings,
1956-1989, Undated
3
26
News Clippings,
1976-1991
3
27
Autobiography, Biography,
2017, Undated
Box
Folder
4
1
Talks and Rough Drafts,
1979-1981, Undated
4
2
Fragile Desert,
1989-2005 (Different Versions)
4
3
Experimental Housing,
1983, Undated
4
4
Arizona State University,
1983-1984
4
5
Architecture as Not Forever,
1992-2016
4
6
University of California ARCH 6,
Undated
4
7
University of California,
1988, Undated
4
8
University of California ARCH 23,
Undated
4
9
University of California,
198?, Undated
4
10
University of California,
198?, Undated
4
11
University of California,
1965-1966, Undated
4
12
ARCH 100,
Undated
4
13
Notebook,
Undated
4
14
Notebooks,
1972, Undated
4
15
Notebook,
1975
4
16
Notebook,
Undated
4
17
Notebook,
1973
4
18
Notebook,
1969-1972
4
19-20
Notebook,
Undated
4
21
Notebook,
1987, Undated
4
22
Notebook,
2011, Undated
4
23
Notebook,
2013, Undated
Box
Folder
5
1
Journa1,
1961-1970, Undated
5
2
Journa1,
1976-1979, Undated
5
3
Journa1,
1979, Undated
5
4
Journa1,
1981-1982, Undated
5
5
Journa1,
1982, Undated
5
6
Journa1,
1983, Undated
5
7-8
Journa1,
1988-1991, Undated
5
9
Journa1,
1993-1995, Undated
5
10
Journal,
1995-1997, Undated
5
11
Journal,
1995-1998, Undated
5
12
Journal,
1995-2002, Undated
5
13
Journal,
2000-2002, Undated
Box
Folder
6
1
Journa1,
2002-2004, Undated
6
2
Journal,
2003-2005, Undated
6
3-4
Journal,
2005-2009, Undated
6
5
Journal,
Undated
6
6
Miscellaneous,
1982-2011, Undated
Includes notes, sketches, postcards for the opening reception (February 17, 2005) of the exhibit Toward an Architecture Without Permanent Form? The Projects and Ideas of Fred Linn Osmon, Architect, and description of a house tour (November 23, 2002) by Osmon of four houses he designed for himself.
6
7
Pilot Log,
1957
6
8
Washington University Project,
Undated
Box
Folder
7
1
Ahwatukee Medical & Dental Building,
Undated
7
2
Chris Alexander,
1962-2003, Undated
7
3
Chris Alexander,
1966, Undated
7
4
The American House: A Symposium, Arizona State University College of Architecture,
1982
7
5
Arizona Historical Society Museum,
Undated
7
6
ASU Show No. 1,
Undated
7
7
Barragan,
1990, 2006, Undated
7
8
Book: Fred Osmon,
Undated
7
9-10
Brierley,
Undated
7
11
Color: Miscellaneous,
1967-2007
7
12
Far West Laboratory,
1974, Undated
7
13
5 Houses,
2005, 2015, Undated
7
14
Floor Plan for the Proposed Model Preschool Educational Park, Ravenswood City School District, East Palo Alto, California,
Undated
7
15
Foothills Center, Northern Equities,
Undated
Box
Folder
8
1
Guidelines for Growth in the Cave Creek/Carefree Area,
Undated
8
2
Sanford Hirshen and Fred Osmon: Competition for Arts Center: Berkeley, CA, University of California,
Undated
8
3
The House, ASU Course, SCA Show,
1982-2005, Undated
8
4
Kahn,
1961-2014, Undated
8
5
Miscellaneous Articles and Clippings,
1966-2016, Undated
8
6
Miscellaneous Articles and Clippings,
1972-2012, Undated
8
7
Miscellaneous Slides,
1964-2004, Undated
8
8
Notebook,
2015, Undated
8
9
Notebook,
2013-2014, Undated
8
10
Notebook: House & Misc.,
1965-1966, 2006, Undated
8
11
Patterns,
1980, 1982, Undated (Reprints)
8
12-14
Playground Projects: Cal,
Undated
8
15
Prototype Day Care Center Constructed From a Plywood/Foam Panel System,
Undated
Master Plan for Cave Creek School District,
1975, Undated
8
26
Optometrist Office,
Undated
Box
Folder
9
1
Ruhe Residence,
Undated
9
2
Show at Scottsdale Arts,
Undated
9
3
Sketchbook,
Undated
9
4
Sketchbook,
2008-2010, Undated
9
5
Sketchbook,
2005-2010, Undated
9
6
Slides: Toys (Berkeley, University of California), Ravenswood School District (Repaint), Prescott College Diagrams (Warnecke & Assoc.),
1965-1972, Undated
