Kellogg Doolittle Residence: An Artistic Wonder of Architecture

Architecture is all about art and design and its origin parallels human existence. The word “architecture” is a combination of Latin and Greek words, meaning “chief creator.” Therefore, everything in the architecture is related to sketching and planning, then comes the execution. 

With the advent of technology, the wave of modernization has affected everything. From technology to lifestyles, everything has changed. The same has happened to the architecture world. Architects have constructed wondrous structures over time leaving people astounded and categorizing their work as ‘Wonders of the World’. Today, we can observe some impressive buildings which are too good or too unrealistic to be true. A few such architectural wonders include Palm Jumeirah, located in Dubai; the Colosseum of Rome, Italy; Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt; Sydney Opera House, Australia; Beijing National Stadium, China; and the list goes on. 

The styles and structures of architecture have also changed over the past decade. Most people associate architecture with lush nature retreats and fabulous buildings, but modern architecture is more about providing solutions to insurmountable global issues. These solutions range from increasing eco-friendly materials usage to improving sustainable designs to avoid problems like global warming. While previous architectural styles still serve as the foundation of inspiration, modern architecture is now more determined by technology. 

Adding to the list of architectural wonders, The Kellogg Doolittle Residence, also known as the Highest Desert House, is an incredible miracle. It is a residential dwelling in Joshua Tree, California, United States. Kendrick Bangs Kellogg designed the great house for a couple named Beverly and Jay Doolittle in 1988. Considering its complex design, many think the Doolittle House to be Kellogg’s apotheosis, while others believe that Kellogg pushed Organic Architecture beyond Frank Lloyd Wright’s protégé John Lautner. 

The Kellogg Doolittle Residence mounts gloriously on the land initially purchased by Carl Doolittle in 1978. In 1985, the Doolittle family decided to buy this 10.5-acre land from Carl Doolittle. The couple wanted to build an incredible piece of art on this land that could bring an organic sense of nature to the building. According to the Dolittle family, this would give their house a more aesthetic look. So, the couple searched for a great mind who could easily go with what they planned. They came to know about Ken Kellogg through his work, published in the Friends of Keybar Newsletter in April 1984. 

Soon after they hired Ken Kellogg, he offered the couple to design their home on this “unconventional building site in the California desert” via a letter. It made the couple extremely excited, they agreed to the terms of Kellogg, and permitted him to begin the construction. 

Through an exceptionally difficult course of continuous work, Kellogg completed the exterior of the Doolittle Residence in 1993. However, the internal structure was still incomplete. For this, Kellogg reached out to John Vugrin to design and fabricate the interior as well as handle the completion of the exterior, which included all of the exterior glass and the nine exterior doors. Complex, exceedingly stunning, and beautiful, the structure was completed in 2014. Although it took 20 years to complete this magnificent art piece, looking at it, it was truly worth it. 

With the world embracing its beauty, the Kellogg Doolittle Residence caught prominence shortly after its construction. It became the most aesthetic and ideal example of organic architecture in history. The home, considered one of the most sublime and dramatic examples of organic architects in the United States, is located in a large set of granite boulders and faces almost perfectly due south into the adjacent Joshua Tree National Park. Crouching on a big rock, it has 26 enormous cantilevered concrete columns and an outdoor pool located on the North West side of the home. The building is divided into two parts: the main house and a large apartment/garage. In addition, 500 feet of a paved walking path connects these two buildings in the most beautiful way possible. The building has held a worth-noticing appearance across the globe since the date of its creation.