You are cordially invited to
SHAPING THE WORLD AS A HOME
THE HOUSES & GARDENS OF ERIK EVENS
THURSDAY APRIL 24, 2025
5:30pm Reception | 6:30pm Presentation
Booksigning to Follow
GRANT HUMPHRIES MANSION
770 Pennsylvania St, Denver CO 80203
The first book on the precisely detailed, sumptuous architecture of one of the finest firms working in traditional styles in California. Evens has long been considered one of the country’s leading contemporary architects who aspires to create the complete living environment, in the same vein as Gil Schafer, Bobby McAlpine, Ray Booth, and Stanley Dixon. His inspiration is drawn from classical traditions and informed by contemporary indoor-outdoor life—in this case the indoor-outdoor life of California.
Evens explains the core design values that bring unique and compelling force to his work, crafting architecture that speaks to people. Evens’s projects are stylistically diverse, from a Spanish Colonial Revival estate in Malibu overlooking the Pacific, to an American farmhouse-inspired residence in the golden hills of Southern California, to a gracious ranch house embedded within the old oak trees studding the coastal landscape of Montecito. Natural materials, such as wood, stone, and brick form the foundations, walls, and ceilings of these subtly luxurious spaces, while nature itself plays a considered role that is at once complementary and intricately conjoined with the work.
About the Author
Erik Evens is a lifelong resident of California, born and raised in Los Angeles, and educated at the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, where he earned his degree in architecture. His profound appreciation of traditional architecture was nurtured during extensive travels throughout the United States and Europe. In the early years of his career, he worked for several design firms with varying specialties, but it was his tenure in the Los Angeles office of Marc Appleton that sealed his passion for historical styles attuned to the classical principles of harmony, proportion, order, and, above all, beauty.
Evens joined KAA Design in 1998 and became a partner in the firm in 2005, overseeing a broad range of custom residential, commercial and institutional projects. In 2013, he established Evens Architects, an independent design studio operating under the aegis of KAA and focused exclusively on traditional residential design. His work has been published in a wide array of publications, including Architectural Digest, House Beautiful and Western Interiors. Erik is releasing his first book, Shaping the World as a Home: The Houses and Gardens of Erik Evens (Rizzoli) in September 2024.
A teacher and mentor, Evens lectures widely on a variety of design-related topics. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA), and sits on its national curriculum committee. He is a founding member and former president of the Southern California Chapter of the ICAA. He is also an avid sailor, drawing inspiration from the lines, craftsmanship and romantic allure of classic sailboats.
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Marc Appleton is a celebrated architect and author of numerous books on architecture and design, including Ranches: Home on the Range in California and California Mediterranean.