John Funk (1908-1993)

John Cooper Funk was born in Upland, California, where he worked on the family farm until moving to Berkeley. He received his bachelor’s degree in architecture in 1934 from the University of California, Berkeley, and his master’s degree the following year. From 1936 to 1938, Funk worked in the office of architect William Wurster. In the 1930s and 1940s, Funk helped make famous the second “Bay Region Style” of architecture which combined the openness and clarity of the International Style with the regional traditions of local materials and a sensitivity to the landscape.

The Funk collection spans the years 1929-1988 and includes drawings, photographs, student work, clippings, and project files. The project records include manuscript files, drawings, specifications, and photographs of projects designed by Funk between 1937 and 1985. Notable projects include the Heckendorf, Zuckerman, Heymes, and Maenchen residences as well as his own residence in Lafayette. Project records also document several commercial, educational, and medical projects, many of which were commissioned by the University of California for Davis, Santa Cruz, and San Francisco campuses.