SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S ARCHITECTURAL GEMS: THE CASE STUDY HOUSES

In 1945 the Case Study House program was initiated by Arts and Architecture magazine and its editor John Entenza in America following the close of WWII. Entenza marketed the program to be a series of experiments in American residential architecture with the goal of creating unapologetically modernist and reductive prototypes for the post war American house. Entenza’s vision for the program was to create models which demonstrated to the public that low cost housing in the modern aesthetic was a real possibility. He would enable architects to design and build economical modern houses for actual clients using donated industrial materials which would “be conceived within the spirit of our times, using as far as is practicable, many war born techniques and materials best suited to the expression of mans life in the modern world.”

He understood that there was going to be a post war housing and building boom following the war years and by implementing and publicizing the program he would be able to inject the modern aesthetic into housing industry. The program ran from 1945 to 1966 and included architects such as Richard Neutra, Raphael Soriano, Craig Ellwood, Charles and Ray Eames, Pierre Koenig, Eero Saarinen, A. Quincy Jones, Edward Killingsworth and Ralph Rapson. It is important to know that the Case Study House program was not the beginning of the mid century modern movement in Los Angeles nor did the program represent all of the key players in the architecture scene. Key figures such as R.M. Schindler and Greg Ain among others were not selected by Entenza to be part of the program.

The houses were located primarily in the Los Angeles region with a few exceptions in Arizona and San Francisco. A total of 35 house designs were published however only 24 were actually constructed and only 20 still stand today.

Today the phrase “Case Study House” has virtually developed into a brand which represents a style of residential architecture with simple plans, inexpensive industrial materials, clean lines, modest scale and a harmonious relationship to the site where the interior spaces and exterior landscape become one.

The program was a result of its unique time and place in American history. There was an intersection of cultural, social, technological, economic and historical moments which harmonized at the right time to provide a beautiful backdrop for Entenza to carry out his vision.

Although many of the Case Study homes today represent luxurious Los Angeles lifestyles of the wealthy, far from the intended low cost modular housing for the general public, the projects defined an era in the history of architecture and it is clear that many architects today continue to find inspiration in their legacy.

Entenza and the Architects that contributed to the program changed how we think and dream about houses. They set a new precedent for how we market and consume them as objects of commercial, aesthetic and mass media attention.

The Case Study House program remains one of Southern California’s most significant contributions to the field of Architecture. One of the most notable Case Study homes, Case Study 22 the Stahl House by Pierre Koenig, is available for public tours. In the summer months we suggest taking the evening tour where you will get to experience the sun setting on the 180 degree views of the Los Angeles Skyline.

For more information on the Stahl House or to book a tour you can visit stahlhouse.com.