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Male, US, born 1921-09-21, died 1999-08-28

Associated with the firm network

Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM), San Francisco, CA


Professional History

Résumé

Bassett performed military duty in the US Army Infantry, 1943-1946. Bassett received the Purple Heart for wounds received on the island of Okinawa during W.W. II;

Draftsman, Alden Dow, Architect, Midland, MI, c. 1949.

Designer, Saarinen and Saarinen, Architects, Bloomfield Hills, MI, 1950-1951.

Designer, Eero Saarinen and Associates, Bloomfield Hills, MI, 1951-1955.

Designer, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, San Francisco office from 1955-1981;

Associate Partner, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, San Francisco office 1959-1960.

Managing (Senior) Partner and Design Partner, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, San Francisco office from 1960-1981.

Professional Activities

Member, American Institute of Architects, (AIA).

NCARB Certified as of 1962.

Registered Architect in MI and TX in 1962.

Bassett accompanied Nathaniel Owings and John Woodbridge of SOM on a tour of Paris c. 1965, to study the city's monumental architecture. President Lyndon Johnson appointed Owings Chair of the Temporary Commission on Pennsylvania Avenue, and parts of the SOM firm became involved in the redesign project of Washington DC.

Professional Awards

Recipient, American Academy of Arts and Letters, Arnold W. Brunner Memorial Prize, New York, NY, 1963.

Fellow, American Institute of Architecture (FAIA), 1977.

Recipient, San Francisco Arts Commission, Award of Honor for Architecture, 1985.

Associate, National Academy of Design, New York, NY, 1970. (See "Associates: Architects," National Academy of Design 162nd Annual Exhibition, March 24-April 29, 1987, [New York: National Academy of Design, 1987], n.p.)

Education

College

B.S.Arch., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 1949.

M.Arch., Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI, 1951. At Cranbrook, he worked with architect Eliel Saarinen.

College Awards

Elected to Phi Kappa Phi and Tau Sigma Delta, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; awarded Alpha Rho Chi Medal;

Personal

Relocation

In 1987, Bassett lived at 167 Lovell Avenue in Mill Valley, CA, north of San Francisco in Marin County.

He continued to live in Mill Valley at the end of his life.

Parents

Bassett's father had been an architect in Port Huron, MI, and "Chuck" Bassett worked in his office as a teenager;

Spouse

Bassett met his wife, Doris "Dory" Bassett in the third grade; both he and Dory attended the School of Architecture at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI;

Children

The couple had four children: Christine Bassett of San Francisco, CA; Ann Wheelock of Tiburon, CA, Joseph Bassett of Mill Valley, CA; and Peter Bassett of Garberville, CA; and three grandchildren;

Biographical Notes

He was known as "Chuck" Bassett, pronounced "BASS-ett."

in 1962, Bassett occupied a corner office on the 15th floor the Crown Zellerbach Building. SOM's San Francisco Branch rented the entire 15th floor for its operations.



Associated Locations

  • Mill Valley, CA (Architect's Death)
    Mill Valley, CA

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  • Port Huron, MI (Architect's Birth)
    Port Huron, MI

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PCAD id: 228


NameDateCityState
1 Bush Plaza Office Building, San Francisco, CA1959San FranciscoCA
1000 Louisiana Street Office Building, Houston, TX1979-1983HoustonTX
345 California Center, San Francisco, CA1986San FranciscoCA
ABI Tower, Century City, Los Angeles, CA1971Los AngelesCA
Aluminum Corporation of America, Incorporated, (Alcoa), Office Building, Financial District, San Francisco, CA1964San FranciscoCA
American Trust Company, Office Building, San Francisco, CA1959-1960San FranciscoCA
Australian Mutual Provident Society Office Building, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaMelbourneVictoria
Bank of America, World Headquarters Building, 555 California Street, San Francisco, CA1967-1969San FranciscoCA
Bechtel Building, 50 Beale Street, San Francisco, CASan FranciscoCA
Blue Cross Blue Shield Offices, Oakland, CAOaklandCA
City of Columbus, City Hall, Columbus, IN1981ColumbusIN
County of Alameda, Coliseum Arena, Oakland, CA1964-1966OaklandCA
County of Alameda, Coliseum, Oakland, CA1964-1966OaklandCA
Crocker Center, Crocker Bank Tower, San Francisco, CA1982San FranciscoCA
Crocker Center, Galleria, San Francisco, CA1982San FranciscoCA
Crown Zellerbach Corporation, Office Building #2, San Francisco, CA1957-1959San FranciscoCA
Episcopal Diocese of California, Saint Aidan's Church #2, Diamond Heights, San Francisco, CA1962-1963San FranciscoCA
First International Plaza, Houston, TXHoustonTX
Hancock, John, Mutual Life Insurance Company, Office Building, San Francisco, CA1960San FranciscoCA
Hartford Building, San Francisco, CASan FranciscoCA
Hyatt Corporation, Hyatt on Union Square, San Francisco, CA1972San FranciscoCA
Mauna Kea Hotel, Kaunaoa Bay, HI
Norton, Matthew G., Building #2, Downtown, Seattle, WA1957-1959SeattleWA
Qantas Airlines Building, Union Square, San Francisco, CA1972San FranciscoCA
Ranke Building #2, Nordstrom, Incorporated, Department Store #2, Downtown, Seattle, WA1937SeattleWA
Sacramento Downtown Redevelopment Project, Sacramento, CASacramentoCA
San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center, Davies, Louise M., Symphony Hall, San Francisco, CA1977-1980San FranciscoCA
Tennessee Gas Transmission Company, Tennesse Building, Downtown, Houston, TX1963HoustonTX
United States Government, Department of State, U.S. Embassy, Moscow, Soviet Union Moscow
United States Government, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Headquarters #2, San Francisco, CA1982San FranciscoCA
Weyerhaeuser Company, World Headquarters #2, Federal Way, WA1971Federal WayWA
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