My trip to Los Angeles was to meet up with a group of students and their leaders from the Netherlands (Amsterdam), from a special design school, who came to California to visit as many Lautner buildings as possible in about ten days. The two leaders of the pack did an extraordinary job of finding Lautner buildings, contacting owners, arranging to visit, and scheduling their visit. They saw almost 60 buildings in those days, which has to be some sort of record. When they were unable to gain permission (or reach the owner) to enter, still they drove by, took pictures, saw what they could, and sometimes were able to find someone on-site who would let them in.
I joined them for just a day and a half. One of the places we saw during my time was a small jewel on Mulholland Drive, designed in 1946, the year of my birth, and built in 1948. The owner has been working furiously to bring it back to its original glory. It sat for over 50 years essentially hiding in wait while its previous owner did other things. Fortunately, that owner loved the building. He bought up land around it to protect its views, which have to be the most spectacular views in that city. He didn't do much to maintain the house but neither did he destroy it. And now his nephew, its current owner, is lovingly bringing it back and is delighted to share it with others.
This present owner offered it to me and my sister Karol to stay any time we like. I immediately took him up on his offer, and stayed there Saturday night. What a pleasure! Here are a few photos that just hint at it.
Approaching the entrance
"Rear" of house - bedroom end. Pool house is at right of pool.
View through living room slanted windows to patio and beyond.
The house is about 1,000 s.f. and contains one bedroom. An additional bedroom is attached to the garage. That room will include its own bathroom and is separate from the main house. So this "guest house" has a "guest bedroom" of its own. It is not clear to me what the guest house was to be a guest house for - no main house was built or planned.
I hope to share more of this house and others over time.
I joined them for just a day and a half. One of the places we saw during my time was a small jewel on Mulholland Drive, designed in 1946, the year of my birth, and built in 1948. The owner has been working furiously to bring it back to its original glory. It sat for over 50 years essentially hiding in wait while its previous owner did other things. Fortunately, that owner loved the building. He bought up land around it to protect its views, which have to be the most spectacular views in that city. He didn't do much to maintain the house but neither did he destroy it. And now his nephew, its current owner, is lovingly bringing it back and is delighted to share it with others.
This present owner offered it to me and my sister Karol to stay any time we like. I immediately took him up on his offer, and stayed there Saturday night. What a pleasure! Here are a few photos that just hint at it.
Approaching the entrance
"Rear" of house - bedroom end. Pool house is at right of pool.
View through living room slanted windows to patio and beyond.
The house is about 1,000 s.f. and contains one bedroom. An additional bedroom is attached to the garage. That room will include its own bathroom and is separate from the main house. So this "guest house" has a "guest bedroom" of its own. It is not clear to me what the guest house was to be a guest house for - no main house was built or planned.
I hope to share more of this house and others over time.
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judith- Judith Lautner
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Comments
Is that the first of your father's buildings you've stayed in?
So cool *goes back to the link for more oogling*.
I don't think of these works as either weird or funky. There is a reason for every design decision made - and that reason has little to do with how the building might look to people outside. What sets Lautner buildings apart is that while they typically include many innovative elements, structural and otherwise (for example, he used a pre-stressed concrete roof on a residence when this technique was just starting to be used commercially - and designed a cantilevered driveway that climbs up the side of a hill), at heart they are warm and inviting and "alive". They change constantly with the changes in the day and when one moves around in them. THere is no real describing this effect. Pictures do a poor job of explaining a constantly-three-dimensional experience.
I hope to get more and better pix online. At least they help!
*They change constantly with the changes in the day and when one moves around in them.* I know what you're saying. Designing the structure in such a way as to maximize the natural light (so taking in to effect that the light is different at different times of the day, etc) and things like that. Fascinating. And using new techniques/materials (or existing ones in new ways) just tickles the imagination. There are so many materials out there that I never even realized existed, like flooring made from recycled tires and insulation made from recycled denim.
He drew inspiration from odd places. He was what they call a "lateral thinker", taking from one place and bringing to another. He was not a logical person at all, couldn't really get logic in fact (I am great at logic). And he liked his buildings to be solid, permanent. Some call them "overdesigned" in the engineering sense. I don't. Most of his clients are thrilled at how well the buildings withstand major upsets, like earthquakes.
ANyway! More later! I have so many pictures!!
Quite a group. Very likeable, polite, enthusiastic. I was especially impressed by their driving ability. It isn't everyone who can land in the world of LA freeways and navigate as if they'd lived there all their lives. One time one of the students did one hell of a tricky move, trying to turn left on Franklin, a nightmare of a street in Hollywood, and actually succeeded. His calm courage was impressive.
The owner of this house is a kick! A delight to talk to, funny and gregarious. We found so many happy, enthusiastic home owners. It was really gratifying.