Thank you for taking the time to read this edition of the Iconic Issue.
It is my utmost pleasure to present a glimpse into the legacy of some of the most influential architects who have indelibly shaped the landscape of Southern California architecture.
Mark Ruststein Iconic Homes LA
The midcentury residential architecture experiment profoundly influenced American home design well beyond the postwar era
Renowned architectural photographer Julius Shulman captured the essence of Pierre Koenig’s 1960 modernist masterpiece, the Stahl House also known as Case Study House #22 in his iconic image, showcasing the Hollywood Hills residence overlooking Los Angeles. This image transformed the photogenic Stahl House into the virtual "poster child" for the Case Study Houses series centered around the greater Los Angeles area.
The Case Study House Program spanned from 1945 to 1966, commissioned by Arts & Architecture magazine to address the housing boom following World War II. It enlisted leading architects of the era such as Richard Neutra, Charles and Ray Eames, and Eero Saarinen, shaping modern residential architecture.
Of the 36 planned houses and apartment buildings, only around 20 were completed, with 10 of them added to the National Register in 2013 While most remain private residences, iconic examples like the Eames and Stahl Houses are open to public tours.
Pierre Koenig’s Stahl House continues to stand out as one of the most renowned examples of the Case Study Houses and a prominent midcentury residence in Los Angeles. Since its completion in 1960, this Hollywood Hills home has graced the screens of numerous films, fashion shoots, and advertising campaigns. Renowned architectural photographer Julius Shulman's iconic photographs of the glass-and-steel structure are widely credited with immortalizing its architectural significance.
While not as widely recognized as the Stahl House, Koenig’s Bailey House in the Hollywood Hills stands as a significant embodiment of the Case Study House program's vision Finished in 1959, this uncomplicated, single-story structure with a flat roof predominantly utilizes steel and glass. Koenig strategically positioned the house on a north/south axis to harness the sun’s heat during winter months while providing shade during the summer.
Situated in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, the Eames House stands as an iconic example of midcentury-modern architecture Built in 1949 by the husband-and-wife duo Charles and Ray Eames, this modular residence comprises two rectangular boxes made of glass and steel. One box served as their cherished home, while the other functioned as their creative studio The facades feature grids painted black with variously sized glass inserts clear, translucent, or wired alongside materials such as Cemesto panels, stucco, aluminum, and specially treated panels Some panels are painted in vibrant primary colors, imparting a distinctive Mondrian-inspired aesthetic to the exterior.
Constructed in 1958, the Bass House in Altadena, California, stands apart from other Case Study Houses of the late 1950s due to its primary use of wood rather than steel The architectural firm Buff, Straub, and Hensman collaborated closely with the owners, Saul Bass, a celebrated graphic illustrator, and his wife, Dr. Ruth Bass, a biochemist, to create this distinctive post-and-beam structure The architects explored the potential of wood for mass-produced home building, showcasing innovative design thinking within the Case Study House program.
Despite its numbering, this 1948 home designed by Julius Ralph Davidson was not the first to be completed as part of the Case Study House program. (Davidson’s Case Study House #11, completed in 1946, actually won that distinction, but was later also unfortunately the first to be demolished ) The 2,000-square-foot residence, constructed on a gently sloping lot in L.A.’s Toluca Lake neighborhood, incorporates architectural elements that came to characterize the program, including floor-toceiling glass, a flat roof, an open floor plan, and multipurpose rooms
Completed in 1952 in Los Angeles' Bel Air neighborhood, this single-story home with a flat roof was the inaugural creation of architect Craig Ellwood for the Case Study Houses project. Constructed primarily from steel, glass, and concrete, it stands today as the sole surviving and fully intact representation of Ellwood's contributions to the program
Completed in 1949 and designed by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen, the Entenza House rests on a flat bluff in Pacific Palisades, offering panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean near the Eames House. This modular home showcases a steel frame construction elegantly concealed beneath wood-paneled cladding
Constructed in 1948 by Rodney Walker, the West House marked the initial installment among four contiguous Case Study Houses along Chautauqua Boulevard in Pacific Palisades Within the subsequent two years, neighboring Houses #8, #9, and #20 were also completed. Spanning 1,600 square feet, this residence optimizes its coastal location with expansive floor-to-ceiling glass panels that offer sweeping ocean vistas.
Constructed in 1948, the two-bedroom Bailey House stands out as the sole Case Study House designed by Richard Neutra that came to fruition. Despite constraints of space and budget, the architect embraced a quintessential midcentury approach: an open layout with adaptable living spaces and expansive floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors
Completed in 1960, Case Study House #23A stands as the largest of three neighboring single-family residences known collectively as the Triad in La Jolla, San Diego Originally envisioned as the pioneering project for a larger housing development, only the Triad was ultimately realized. Designed by the architectural firm of Edward Killingsworth, Jules Brady, and Waugh Smith, the objective was to forge a harmonious relationship between the homes while preserving individual privacy.
