Tom Gist (1917-2000)
Thomas Gist was a sought after mid-century custom home builder in Tucson, Arizona. Gist first learned his craft under other famed mid-century architects such as Josias Joesler, Arthur Brown and Ralph Reisinger. Eventually, in the 1950s, Gist struck out on his own. Between the mid-1950s and his retirement 1978, Gist designed 170+ homes in the Tucson area, custom built to the needs of his clients.
Gist's homes have several distinctive features. The homes he designed were typically made of adobe brick, but were grouted in a unique, natural style. They also were built as to bring the natural beauty of the desert into the home as much as possible, with large floor to ceiling windows that always faced north towards the Catalina Mountains. Many of the homes he built featured Philippine Mahogany wood, which is now extinct. While some of his homes have since been demolished, many have been featured in Sunset Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, and the Tucson Citizen. Several Gist homes have been featured as part of Tucson Modernism Week. There is currently a Tom Gist book in the works, thanks to the tireless work of Michael Fassett, President of the Tucson Historic Preservation Society. |
Links
Tom Gist | 1917-2000. Tucson Historic Preservation Society
Upcoming Tom Gist Book. Tucson Historic Preservation Society
"Home restoration carries a bit of Tucson nostalgia". Arizona Daily Star, January 2016
"A mid century gem by Gist" TheTucsonFoothills.com, July 2015
Upcoming Tom Gist Book. Tucson Historic Preservation Society
"Home restoration carries a bit of Tucson nostalgia". Arizona Daily Star, January 2016
"A mid century gem by Gist" TheTucsonFoothills.com, July 2015