Emerging American Modernism

Emerging American Modernism

Key Figures

  • Catherine Tobin (1871-1959)
    • Married: 1889-1922
    • Separated: 1909
    • Children: Six
  • Mamah Borthwick (1869-1914)
    • Relationship: Mistress from 1909-1914
    • Children: Two with Edwin Cheney
  • Miriam Noel (1869-1930)
    • Married: 1923-1927
    • Separated: 1924
    • Children: None
  • Olgivanna Lazovich (1898-1985)
    • Married: 1928-1959
    • Children: Two Daughters, one with Wright
    • Notable Connection: Olgivanna’s elder daughter, Olga, married William Wesley Peters (Wright’s Chief Draftsman) but died young. Olgivanna later introduced Peters to Svetlana Stalin, who also married and had a daughter named Olga.

Key Architectural Works

Barnsdall Park

  • Hollyhock House
    • Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright
    • Years of Construction: 1917-1921
    • Location: Hollywood

Alice Millard House (La Miniatura)

  • Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright
  • Year of Completion: 1923
  • Location: Pasadena, California
  • Notable Features: Included a plot plan and studio layout, with unique construction details referred to as LUCION, SCALE V-1, and MATA TERRAL.

Charles Ennis House

  • Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright
  • Year of Completion: 1924
  • Location: Los Angeles

Rudolf Schindler's Notable Projects

  • Crematorium Project
    • Timeframe: Student Project at Akademie, 1912-1913
  • Buena Shore Club
    • Clients: Ottenheimer, Stern & Reichert
    • Location: Chicago
    • Years of Construction: 1916-1918
  • J. P. Shampay House
    • Created for Frank Lloyd Wright
    • Year: 1919
  • Translucent House
    • For Aline Barnsdall
    • Year: 1927

King's Road House

  • Architect: Rudolf Schindler
  • Location: West Hollywood
  • Years of Construction: 1921-1922

El Pueblo Ribera Courts

  • Architect: Rudolf Schindler
  • Location: La Jolla
  • Years of Construction: 1923-1925
  • Description:
    • Group of 12 new concrete bungalows situated on the finest beach in La Jolla.
    • Features:
    • Best place for bathing, ideal climate
    • Showers for bathers, splendid ocean views, and privacy.
    • Each bungalow includes a patio, pergola roof-garden, outdoor fireplace, and rustic seating.
    • Garage available for each bungalow.
    • Interiors are cozy and furnished with hand-made furniture.
    • Kitchens have built-in features like an icebox, incinerator, and hidden ironing board.
    • Rates:
      • $6.00 per day for 1-2 persons
      • $1.00 extra per day for a third person
      • Weekly rates: $25 for 1-2 persons; $7 extra for three.
      • Garage: $2.00 per week; $5.00 monthly.
  • Notable Amenities:
    • Close to Windansea Hotel, known for excellent meals.

Lovell Beach House

  • Architect: Rudolf Schindler
  • Location: Newport Beach
  • Years of Construction: 1922-1926
  • Client: Dr. Philip Lovell

Key Figures in Modern Architecture

Richard Neutra (1892-1970)
  • Birth: Born in Vienna to a prominent Jewish family
  • Apprenticeship: Trained under Adolph Loos; studied at Technische Hochschule Wien
  • Military Service: Served in Serbia during WWI
  • Move to America:
    • Came to America in 1923 to work with Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin.
    • Became Wright’s chief draftsman and supervised Wright’s work in Los Angeles.
  • Notable Works:
    • Jardinette Apartments
    • Lovell Health House
    • Kaufmann Desert House
  • Teaching:
    • Taught at the University of Southern California.
    • Influenced Modernist architects, including Gregory Ain and Harwell Hamilton Harris.
  • Contribution:
    • Popularized Modern architecture in Southern California.
    • Known for creating light-filled pavilions.

Richard Neutra's Notable Works

  • Rush City
    • Year: 1927
  • Berliner Tageblatt Building
    • Timeframe: 1921-1923
  • Jardinette Apartments
    • Location: Los Angeles
    • Year: 1927
  • Lovell Health House
    • Location: Los Angeles
    • Years: 1927-1929
    • Notable Features: Pool located under living quarters, and innovative layout for privacy and comfort.
  • Josef von Sternberg House
    • Location: Northridge, California
    • Year: 1935
  • Kaufmann Desert House
    • Location: Palm Springs
    • Year: 1946

Visual and Structural Details

Lovell Health House

  • Features:
    • Pool under living quarters.
    • Innovative concrete construction within swimming tank.
  • Illustrative floor plans:
    • Upper story level plan indicating positions of private living rooms and recreational spaces.
    • Main floor plan includes landscaped views and structural aesthetics.
Kaufmann Desert House
  • Architect: Richard Neutra
  • Year: 1946
  • Location: Palm Springs.