Naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 1940, Roger Jacques Gotteland was born in Paris, France in 1914. His formal architectural training began at the Ecole des Beaux Arts where he obtained a diploma from the National Society of French Architects. Other training was acquired from the University of Washington School of Architecture.

Gotteland gained valuable experience while working in the architectural offices of Thiry & Shay from 1936 to 1940. During the war years, he was employed by private contractors who provided architectural work to the US Navy. His earliest known work in Seattle is the International style Savinoff Furniture Studio (1946) at 217 9th Ave in Seattle. Perhaps his best known work however, is the Dr. John Lehmann House (1951) which was featured in numerous publications including the book, Practical Houses for Contemporary Living (1953). Other known projects by Gotteland & Associates include the Palisades Retreat Center (1956) in Federal Way, and the Seamen’s Club (1957) in Seattle.

In the late 1950s, Gotteland took on an additional partner, Roy Koczarski. Together, Gotteland & Koczarski designed many notable projects including the Harvard Ave Apartments (1958) which were featured in Architectural Record. They also produced a large number of work for the Seattle Archdiocese including Sisters of Visitation Retreat House for Women (1957) in Federal Way, St. Luke’s Church & School (1957) in Shoreline which was featured in advertisement for Pittsburgh Spandrel Plate Glass, Seattle’s Our Lady of the Lake Church (1961), St. Bernadette Church in Seattle (1961), Sacred Heart Church in Morton (1962), St. Joseph Church in Lynden (1963), Egan Hall at St. John Church (1963) in Seattle; J.F. Kennedy High School (1966), St. John Bosco Church in Tacoma (1970), and St. Madeleine Sophie Church in Bellevue (1970, featured in Progressive Architecture Mag).

Gotteland passed away in Seattle on May 27, 1999.

– Michael C Houser