Preserving the Hubbell Home and Studios

Preserving the Hubbell Home and Studios
By Ann Jarmusch
May/June 2022

Ilan-Lael is the new name of the unique, magical collection of surprising, twirling-roofed, and mosaic-encrusted buildings where James and Anne Hubbell lived, created art, poetry, and their renowned organic compound, while raising four sons. Having planned for years for the Ilan-Lael Foundation to operate their home and studios as an arts, nature, and cultural preserve, the Hubbells recently moved to the San Diego area after spending more than 60 years at their enchanting aerie near Santa Ysabel.

James and Anne Hubbell, now in their early 90s, started the Ilan-Lael Foundation, translated from Hebrew for “a tree that unites the physical and the spiritual,” in 1982. “The Ilan-Lael Foundation is an arts education foundation celebrating nature and the aesthetic of the built environment for its ability to help us see ourselves and our world in new ways,” wrote James Hubbell.

Preservation of this extraordinary group of buildings for living and making art has been paramount, from its earliest days, when the newlywed couple started to build. No earth moving occurred except by hand shovel, trees and boulders stayed put. The buildings are made of natural materials, such as brick, adobe, wood, and curvaceous concrete shells, ornamented with brilliant James Hubbell flashes of richly colored stained glass and swirling mosaics.

The center shares hallmarks of Hubbell style: rooms sheltered by arches, stained glass, a mosaic centerpiece in the floor, and a lookout for contemplating the mountainous backcountry.

James and Anne Hubbell in their hand-built home of more than 60 years.

The 2003 Cedar Fire damaged or destroyed some of the original buildings, especially those built around trees. Undaunted, James and Anne temporarily moved into the famous Boys’ House, vacated by their grown sons, and with a crew began rebuilding with mostly the same natural materials. Fortunately, the early adobe walls hardened in the fire. The Hubbells stuck with natural materials because they generally require less maintenance, noted son Drew Hubbell, an architect who specializes in sustainability and a frequent collaborator with his father.

Reconstruction took three years. The family and Ilan-Lael board of directors began transitioning to an eventual public art sanctuary geared to classes, retreats, and immersion in nature. Milford Wayne Donaldson, a longtime board member of both Ilan-Lael and SOHO, successfully nominated the compound to the San Diego County Historic Register in 2008.

The Hubbells’ main living space, built of natural materials, some of which were found on site, and adorned with art.

The fantastical Boys’ House, where four sons grew up and James and Anne Hubbell lived for three years after the Cedar Fire destroyed the other buildings they called home. The only damage the Boys’ House sustained was melted stained glass. All photos by John Durant

Today, Ilan-Lael is humming with the same—and different—activities as when the Hubbells lived there. When the couple visits to participate in new projects, they greet a mosaic artist as the resident caretaker. Retreats and workshops take place in the inviting two-year-old Ilan-Lael Center, designed in a circle and in harmony with the original buildings and pervasive spirit of creative collaboration. Gardens that once helped feed the family now erupt in flowers.

Drew has been involved in building his family home since he was about five years old. “Me and my brothers mostly worked weekends and summers, saving weekdays for homework and exploring.” He studied architecture at the Danish Institute of Study in Copenhagen and earned an architecture degree from the University of Arizona. He worked for the firm of Milford Wayne Donaldson in San Diego for six years, experience he says was invaluable for historic preservation, adaptive reuse, and sustainable design.

There are no more buildings planned for Ilan-Lael, only gardens, outdoor places for contemplation, and improved nature trails. “The foundation plans to preserve the existing structures and expand our offerings so more people get to experience the magic of the property through tours, classes, and retreats,” Drew said. A landscape architecture firm hosted its holiday party here and the first wedding took place recently. Ilan-Lael is currently raffling off a night for two in the Boys’ House.

Instead of the annual Father’s Day open house that attracted thousands of visitors, Ilan-Lael is hosting 22 small guided tours May 6-June 16, with more to come in the fall. Tours are by reservation only and are already filling up. Find tour info HERE.

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