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GROUND TO FLOURISH.
GROUND TO FLOURISH.
Preserving + promoting an architectural legacy.
Anker is named to honor the House’s architect, Anker I. Molver. Born in Norway, Molver grew up in Seattle, and spent most of his life here. It was during a trip to Japan, however, that inspired him to become an architect.
Like many of his Seattle-area contemporaries, Molver’s work combined Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetics with our region’s vast natural resources. This complementary mix helped establish a Pacific Northwest style of mid-century U.S. architecture.
Although Molver had a prolific career - producing over 50 residential and commercial structures, his profile never reached that of Paul Hayden Kirk, or contemporaries like Ralph Anderson and Gene Zema.
The purpose of Anker Center is to research Molver’s work, raise awareness of his contribution to Pacific Northwest architecture, and to promote conservation of his remaining buildings as quintessential examples of regional mid-century design.
If you have information about Molver, his work, or would like to support the Center’s work, please reach out.
We have identified more than 50 Anker I. Molver-designed residential and commercial buildings in the Puget Sound area, many of which (in black) remain.