Sunset Headquarters, 80 Willow Road, Menlo Park, San Mateo County, CA

1st Place Winner - 2015 HALS Challenge: Documenting Modernist Landscapes
Significance: The property is closely associated with the influential landscape architect Thomas Dolliver Church; Church designed the landscape for the headquarters and his residential designs were featured in Sunset Publishing's magazines and books. The property also features a Cliff May building; May was an influential proponent of a one-story, light-filled, indoor-outdoor open design and he is credited with creating the informal Ranch Style in the 1930s. Thousands of visitors toured the property and it is regularly featured in the magazine.

Sunset Headquarters was strongly associated with an emerging identity of suburban westerners in the United States as a distinct population embracing modern design, outdoor living, gardening, cooking and travel during the expansive post-WWII era. Mainstream modern residences built on the periphery of large urban areas changed significantly during this period, from the high-design styles of the Case Study houses to the simpler expressions found in subdivisions designed by Joseph Eichler, as well as more anonymous suburbs. Sunset magazine promoted design coupled with comfort and convenience and targeted upwardly-mobile suburbanites. Design ideas, materials, and methods promoted by the magazine influenced popular culture due to the popularity of the magazine and the company's books.
Survey number: HALS CA-115
Building/structure dates: ca. 1951 Initial Construction
Building/structure dates: ca. 1953 Subsequent Work
Building/structure dates: ca. 1964 Subsequent Work
Building/structure dates: ca. 1973 Subsequent Work
Building/structure dates: ca. 2000 Subsequent Work