In San Pedro, The Modest Modernism Of Edward H. Fickett, $1.2M

by Philip Ferrato

Edward H. Fickett [1916-1999] was a prolific L.A. architect—whose reputation was—until recently, very much under the radar, probably because he was responsible for designing over 50,000 tract homes that would eventually cover the L.A. basin in the post-WWII building boom. As such, Fickett was successful in bringing his own brand of sophisticated but modest mid-century Modernism to the masses; one of Fickett’s designs just came on the market in the Miraleste Knolls neighborhood of San Pedro. With only two previous owners in its 70-year history, this single level, 3-bed, 2-bath home on an expansive .27-acre lot is in remarkably well-preserved condition and ready for its next chapter.

A less well-known aspect of Fickett’s legacy is his longtime support of the great California ceramicist Doyle Lane. A master of ceramic glazes, and probably now best known for his exquisite weed pots (a term coined by Frank Lloyd Wright for those small vases that could only hold a slender stem) Lane created extraordinary, expansive wall tile murals that have only recently been reconsidered as a key element in LA’s artistic heritage. One of these masterworks can be seen at the Huntington Library in San Marino, which will mount a much-anticipated and ambitious Doyle Lane exhibition in September, 2026.

Like so much of the best mid-century design, Fickett brought a deceptive simplicity and clarity to these light-filled spaces, substantially unaltered by ill-considered renovations. An opportunity to acquire a significant example of Southern California’s mid-century design heritage, represented by the architecture specialists Jeremy Steenblik and Nate Cole at Modern California House.