Charles M. Pratt House, Arts and Crafts residence in Ojai, United States.
Casa Barranca, commonly called the Charles M. Pratt House, is a Greene and Greene "ultimate bungalow" built near Ojai in 1909. Its structure and cladding are almost entirely honest, without the veneers and false beams found in the architects' other ultimate bungalows. The house sits within the original 14-acre parcel, with an adjacent 38-acre parcel bought to protect the viewshed it faces.
Casa Barranca, the Charles M. Pratt House, was built in 1909 as a winter home for industrialist Charles Millard Pratt, designed by Charles and Henry Greene of Greene and Greene. The Pratts, part-owners of the nearby Foothills Hotel, used it mainly for sleeping quarters and family relaxation. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.
The house shows the Greene and Greene architects' approach of using natural materials and craftsmanship that reflects Arts and Crafts movement ideas. The rooms and their details connect with the surrounding landscape in a way that brings this design philosophy directly to life.
Casa Barranca is a private residence near Ojai and is not open to the public; the house and its grounds can only be seen from outside. The property sits within the original 14-acre parcel, with an adjacent 38-acre parcel bought to protect the viewshed, so the surrounding land is also private. Visitors should not expect tours or interior access.
The property was deliberately expanded by 38 additional acres to permanently preserve specific mountain viewpoints from the house. This unusual strategy shows how much the owners of the time valued visual connections to the surroundings.
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