Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Modernism to the masses: Pioneering designs for affordable postwar homesThe
Case Study House program (1945-1966) was a unique event in the history of American architecture. Sponsored by
Arts & Architecture magazine, the program sought to respond to the postwar building boom with
prototype modern homes that could be both easily replicated and readily affordable to the average American.
Concentrated on the Los Angeles area, the Case Study Houses included
36 model homes commissioned from such major architects of the day as
Richard Neutra, Raphael Soriano, Craig Ellwood, Charles and Ray Eames, Pierre Koenig, Eero Saarinen, A. Quincy Jones, and
Ralph Rapson. Their criteria included "using, as far as is practicable, many war-born techniques and materials best suited to the expression of man's life in the modern world."
The results of the program would
redefine the modern home and extend influence not only across the United States but around the world. This compact guide includes all of the Case Study Houses
with over 150 photos and plans, as well as a map showing locations of all sites, including those that no longer exist.
About the series: Each book in TASCHEN's Basic Architecture series features:
- an introduction to the life and work of the architect
- the major works in chronological order
- information about the clients, architectural preconditions as well as construction problems and resolutions
- a list of all the selected works and a map indicating the locations of the best and most famous buildings
- approximately 120 illustrations (photographs, sketches, drafts and plans)
Synopsis
The Case Study House program (1945-1966) was a unique event in the history of American architecture. Sponsored by Arts & Architecture magazine, the program sought to respond to the postwar building boom with prototype modern homes that could be both easily replicated and readily affordable to the average American.
Concentrated on the Los Angeles area, the Case Study Houses included 36 model homes commissioned from such major architects of the day as Richard Neutra, Raphael Soriano, Craig Ellwood, Charles and Ray Eames, Pierre Koenig, Eero Saarinen, A. Quincy Jones, and Ralph Rapson. Their criteria included "using, as far as is practicable, many war-born techniques and materials best suited to the expression of man's life in the modern world."
The results of the program would redefine the modern home and extend influence not only across the United States but around the world. This compact guide includes all of the Case Study Houses with over 150 photos and plans, as well as a map showing locations of all sites, including those that no longer exist.
About the series
Each book in TASCHEN's Basic Architecture series features:
an introduction to the life and work of the architect
the major works in chronological order
information about the clients, architectural preconditions as well as construction problems and resolutions
a list of all the selected works and a map indicating the locations of the best and most famous buildings
approximately 120 illustrations (photographs, sketches, drafts, and plans)