Case Study Houses
The Case Study Houses were experiments in American residential architecture sponsored by Arts & Architecture magazine, which commissioned major architects of the day to design and build inexpensive and efficient model homes for the United States residential housing boom caused by the end of World War II and the return of millions of soldiers. The program yielded 36 designs and 25 constructed homes, concentrated in Southern California.
History
[edit]The "Case Study" House program, spearheaded by Arts & Architecture editor John Entenza, was announced in the January 1945 issue of the magazine.[1] The magazine initially commissioned eight nationally known architects to create contemporary single-family homes within a specified budget, with the magazine itself serving as the "client" for each project.[2]
The program was envisioned as a creative response to the impending building boom expected to follow the housing shortages of the Great Depression and World War II. The initial program announcement stated that "each house must be capable of duplication and in no sense be an individual performance" and that "the overall program will be general enough to be of practical assistance to the average American in search of a home in which he can afford to live."[2] Entenza encouraged participating architects to use donated materials from industry and manufacturers to create low-cost, modern housing prototypes that might foster a dialogue between architectural professionals and laymen.
The first eight architects commissioned and profiled in the January 1945 announcement of the program were JR Davidson, Sumner Spaulding, Richard Neutra, Eero Saarinen, William Wilson Wurster, Charles Eames, and Ralph Rapson.[2] The program employed a "design-build-publish" model,[3] publishing the prototypes alongside the architects' comments.[2] JR Davidson's design was the first feature of the series, with the exteriors and interiors appearing in the February and March 1945 edition of Arts & Architecture, respectively. Davidson's design was labeled Case Study House #1, thus inaugurating the numbering convention, which refers to the order in which designs were published, rather than constructed.
As outlined in the program announcement, construction was intended to commence immediately following the World War II moratorium on domestic housing construction. Case Study House #11, also designed by Davidson, was the first house constructed, and was permitted in December 1945.[4] Construction on Case Study House #11 began on January 9, 1946, prompting the design for the home to precede the publication of Case Study House #10.[5]
The program announcement called for each house to be open to the public for a six to eight weeks upon the conclusion of construction. Houses were to be furnished "under a working arrangement between the architect, the designer, and the furniture manufacturer".[2] By January 1949, the magazine had published designs, models, for 19 houses. Of the 19 profiled, nine houses were complete and five were "in various stages of construction."[6] Several houses were not constructed for unspecified reasons beyond the control of the magazine and architects.[6]
In January 1949, the magazine announced "having come this far with it, we feel that we have proved our point to the extent that we need no longer be so ambitious as to numbers," and pivoted to sponsoring one house each year, starting with Case Study House 1949.[6] By July 1954, the program had yielded 16 constructed houses.
In total, the program commissioned 36 prototypes, including single-family homes, multi-family homes, and apartments, of which 25 were constructed.[1][7] The majority of the constructed houses were built in Los Angeles County. Additional case study houses were built in San Rafael, California;[8] San Diego, California;[9] and Phoenix, Arizona.[10] Of the unbuilt houses, #19 was to have been built in Atherton, California, while #27 was to have been built in Smoke Rise, New Jersey.
A number of the houses appeared in the magazine in iconic black-and-white photographs by architectural photographer Julius Shulman.[11] In 1989 Shulman's photographs of the Case Study Houses were exhibited at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art in an exhibit titled "Blueprints for Modern Living."
The Eames House was added as a stand-alone site to the National Register in 2006.[12] In 2013, a group of 10 case study houses, all located in Southern California, were added to the National Register of Historic Places, while House #23A was determined eligible for the registry, but not officially listed due to an objection by the owner.[13][14]
Stylistic Commonalities
[edit]Houses in the program shared common design elements, including open floor plans, clean lines, floor to ceiling glass, steel framing, and a flat roof.[15][16] Most of the houses were "predominately modular in design."[17]
Houses
[edit]House | Alternate Name | Architect(s) | Status | Address | Arts & Architecture Publications | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Content | Edition | |||||
1 | JR Davidson | Extant | 10152 Toluca Lake Avenue, Los Angeles, CA | Plan | February 1945 | |
Model | March 1945 | |||||
Restudy | May 1948 | |||||
2 | Sumner Spaulding, John Rex | Extant | 857 Chapea Road, Pasadena, CA | Plan | April 1945 | |
Model | May 1945 | |||||
Restudy | October/November 1946 | |||||
Completion | August 1947 | |||||
3 | William Wurster, Theodore Bernardi | Demolished | 13187 Chalon Road, Los Angeles, CA | Plan | June 1945 | |
Model | July 1945 | |||||
Completion | March 1949 | |||||
4 | Greenbelt House | Ralph Rapson | Unbuilt | Plan | August 1945 | |
Model | September 1945 | |||||
5 | Loggia House | Whitney R. Smith | Unbuilt | Plan | September 1945 | |
Model | April 1946 | |||||
6 | Omega | Richard Neutra | Unbuilt | Plan, Model | October 1945 | |
7 | Thornton Abell | Extant | 6236 N Deerfield Avenue, San Gabriel, CA | Plan | November 1945 | |
Model | May 1946 | |||||
Restudy | April 1947 | |||||
Construction | June 1948 | |||||
Completion | July 1948 | |||||
8 | Eames House | Charles Eames, Ray Eames | Extant | 203 Chautauqua Way, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 | Plan | December 1945 |
Model | March 1948 | |||||
Site | February 1949 | |||||
Framing | March 1949 | |||||
Plan | May 1949 | |||||
Merit Specified Products | July 1949 | |||||
Merit Specified Products | August 1949 | |||||
Interiors | September 1949 | |||||
Completion | December 1949 | |||||
9 | Entenza House | Charles Eames, Eero Saarinen | Extant | 205 Chautauqua Way, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 | Plan | December 1945 |
Model | March 1948 | |||||
Construction | January 1949 | |||||
Merit Specified Products | July 1949 | |||||
Merit Specified Products | August 1949 | |||||
Merit Specified Products, Completion | July 1950 | |||||
10 | Kemper Nomland, Kemper Nomland Jr. | Significantly Altered[18] | 711 San Rafael Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105 | Completion | October 1947 | |
11 | JR Davidson | Demolished | 540 S Barrington Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90049 | Plan, Model | January 1946 | |
Completion | July 1946 | |||||
Tenancy Study | March 1947 | |||||
12 | Lath House | Whitney R. Smith | Unbuilt | Plan | February 1946 | |
Model | December 1946 | |||||
13 | Alpha | Richard Neutra | Unbuilt[19] | Plan, Model | March 1946 | |
15 | JR Davidson | Extant | 4755 Lasheart Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011 | Plan, Construction | January 1947 | |
16 | Rodney Walker | Demolished | 9945 Beverly Grove Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 | Plan, Construction | June 1946 | |
Garden | August 1946 | |||||
Model | September 1946 | |||||
Completion | February 1947 | |||||
16 [Ellwood] | Salzman House, Case Study House 1953 | Craig Ellwood | Extant | 1811 Bel Air Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90077 | Merit Specifications | August 1951 |
Merit Specifications | April 1952 | |||||
Merit Specifications | May 1952 | |||||
Merit Specifications | June 1952 | |||||
Merit Specifications | July 1952 | |||||
Merit Specifications | August 1952 | |||||
Merit Specifications | September 1952 | |||||
Merit Specifications | November 1952 | |||||
Merit Specifications | December 1952 | |||||
Construction | February 1953 | |||||
Merit Specifications | March 1953 | |||||
Merit Specifications | April 1953 | |||||
Completion, Merit Specifications | June 1953 | |||||
Heating | July 1953 | |||||
17 [Walker] | Rodney Walker | Extant | 7861 Woodrow Wilson Drive, Hollywood, CA 90046 | Plan, Model | September 1946 | |
Completion | July 1947 | |||||
17 [Ellwood] | Craig Ellwood | Remodeled beyond recognition | 9554 Hidden Valley Road, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 | Announcement | July 1954 | |
Plan | August 1954 | |||||
Plan | September 1954 | |||||
Plan | November 1954 | |||||
Landscaping | March 1955 | |||||
Plan, Merit Specifications | May 1955 | |||||
Construction, Merit Specifications | June 1955 | |||||
Construction, Merit Specifications | September 1955 | |||||
Announcement | February 1956 | |||||
Completion, Merit Specifications | March 1953 | |||||
18 [Walker] | West House | Rodney Walker | Extant | 199 Chautauqua Way, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 | Plan | November 1947 |
Completion | February 1948 | |||||
18 [Ellwood] | Fields House | Craig Ellwood | Remodeled Beyond Recognition | 1129 Miradero Rd Beverly Hills, CA 90210 | Plan | February 1956 |
Specifications | May 1956 | |||||
Plan | April 1957 | |||||
Plan | August 1957 | |||||
Merit Specifications | September 1957 | |||||
Merit Specifications | October 1957 | |||||
Construction | November 1957 | |||||
Landscape | February 1958 | |||||
Construction | March 1958 | |||||
Completion | May 1958 | |||||
Completion, Merit Specifications | June 1958 | |||||
19 | Don Knorr | Unbuilt | Plan | May 1957 | ||
Plan | August 1957 | |||||
Plan | September 1957 | |||||
Landscape | December 1957 | |||||
Merit Specifications | October 1957 | |||||
20 [Neutra] | Stuart Bailey House | Richard Neutra | Extant | 219 Chautauqua Boulevard, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 | Plan | November 1947 |
Completion | December 1948 | |||||
Construction | ||||||
20 [Buff, Straub, Hensman] | Bass House | C. Buff, C. Straub, D. Hensman | Extant | 2257 North Santa Rosa Avenue, Altadena, CA 91001 | Model | January 1958 |
Construction | July 1958 | |||||
Construction | September 1958 | |||||
Completion, Merit Specifications | November 1958 | |||||
21 [Neutra] | Richard Neutra | Unbuilt | Plan | May 1947 | ||
21 [Koenig] | Walter Bailey House | Pierre Koenig | Extant | 9038 Wonderland Park Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046 | Plan | May 1958 |
Construction | August 1958 | |||||
Construction | November 1958 | |||||
Completion | January 1959 | |||||
Completion | February 1959 | |||||
1950 | Raphael Soriano | Demolished | 1080 Ravoli Dr, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 | Introduction | December 1949 | |
Merit Specifications | February 1950 | |||||
Merit Specifications | March 1950 | |||||
Plan | April 1950 | |||||
Merit Specifications | June 1950 | |||||
Plan | August 1950 | |||||
Construction | September 1950 | |||||
Objects, Merit Speficiations | October 1950 | |||||
Completion | November 1950 | |||||
Completion, Merit Specifications | December 1950 | |||||
22 | Stahl House | Pierre Koenig | Extant | 1635 Woods Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90069 | Plan | May 1959 |
Construction | October 1959 | |||||
Construction, Merit Specifications | February 1960 | |||||
Completion, Merit Specifications | May 1960 | |||||
Completion, Merit Specifications | June 1960 | |||||
23A | Triad | Killingsworth, Brady, Smith & Assoc. | Extant | 2342 Rue de Anne, La Jolla, CA 92037 | Merit Specifications | September 1959 |
Plan | October 1959 | |||||
Merit Specifications | December 1959 | |||||
Merit Specifications | January 1960 | |||||
Construction | April 1960 | |||||
Construction, Merit Specifications | July 1960 | |||||
Landscaping, Merit Specifications | August 1960 | |||||
Merit Specifications | September 1960 | |||||
Construction | October 1960 | |||||
Completion, Merit Specifications | March 1961 | |||||
23B | Remodeled beyond recognition | 2343 Rue de Anne, La Jolla, CA 92037 | Merit Specifications | September 1959 | ||
Plan | October 1959 | |||||
Merit Specifications | December 1959 | |||||
Merit Specifications | January 1960 | |||||
Construction | April 1960 | |||||
Construction, Merit Specifications | July 1960 | |||||
Landscaping, Merit Specifications | August 1960 | |||||
Merit Specifications | September 1960 | |||||
Construction | October 1960 | |||||
Completion, Merit Specifications | March 1961 | |||||
23C | Extant | 2329 Rue de Anne, La Jolla, CA 92037 | Merit Specifications | September 1959 | ||
Plan | October 1959 | |||||
Merit Specifications | December 1959 | |||||
Merit Specifications | January 1960 | |||||
Construction | April 1960 | |||||
Construction, Merit Specifications | July 1960 | |||||
Landscaping, Merit Specifications | August 1960 | |||||
Merit Specifications | September 1960 | |||||
Construction | October 1960 | |||||
Completion, Merit Specifications | March 1961 | |||||
24 | Eichler Homes | A. Quincy Jones and Frederick E. Emmons | Unbuilt | Plan | July 1961 | |
Plan, Merit Specifications | September 1961 | |||||
Model, Merit Specifications | December 1961 | |||||
25 | Frank House | Killingsworth, Brady, Smith & Associates | Extant | 82 Rivo Alto Canal, Long Beach, CA 90803 | Plan, Merit Specifications | January 1962 |
Plan, Construction, Merit Specifications | March 1962 | |||||
Construction, Merit Specifications | May 1962 | |||||
Construction, Merit Specifications | August 1962 | |||||
Completion, Merit Specifications | May 1962 | |||||
26 | Harrison House | Beverley "David" Thorne | Extant | 177 San Marino Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903 | Plan, Construction, Merit Specifications | October 1962 |
Plan, Merit Specifications | November 1962 | |||||
Completion, Merit Specifications | January 1963 | |||||
Addition | July 1963 | |||||
27 | Campbell and Wong | Unbuilt | Plan | June 1963 | ||
28 | Janss/Pacific Case Study House | C. Buff and D. Hensman | Extant | 489 Oak Creek Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91361 | Plan | July 1965 |
Model, Construction | December 1965 | |||||
Completion | September 1966 | |||||
Apt 1 | Alfred N. Beadle, Alan A. Dailey | Extant | Plan | November 1963 | ||
Completion | September 1964 | |||||
Apt 2 | Whitmore Apartments | Killingsworth, Brady, Smith & Assoc. | Unbuilt | Plan | May 1964 | |
Merit Specifications | June 1964 | |||||
Merit Specifications | July 1964 |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Hofmann, Michelle (February 5, 2021). "The Case Study Houses Forever Changed American Architecture". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
- ^ a b c d e "Announcement: The Case Study House Program" (PDF). Arts & Architecture (January 1945): 37–41. January 1945.
- ^ Fisher, Paul (May 5, 2020). "How the Case Study House Program Inspired a California Modernist Movement". Golden State. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
- ^ "LADBS Records System". ladbsdoc.lacity.org. December 17, 1945. 1945LA20747. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Case Study House #11" (PDF). Arts & Architecture (January 1946): 40–44. January 1946.
- ^ a b c "Case Study House Program: Project for 1949" (PDF). Arts & Architecture (January 1949): 31.
- ^ "Case Study House Program". Arts & Architecture. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Wood, Betty (October 16, 2015). "Property of the week: Beverley David Thorne's Case Study House in California". The Spaces. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
- ^ Lagdameo, Jennifer Baum (June 19, 2017). "10 Iconic Case Study Houses in Southern California". Dwell. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
- ^ "The Triad, Case Study Apartments No. 1 | Eames Foundation". eamesfoundation.org. March 10, 2016. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
- ^ "Julius Shulman: Case Study". SFO Museum. San Francisco Airport Commission. 2017. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "National Register Database and Research - National Register of Historic Places (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. 06000978. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
- ^ Kudler, Adrian Glick (August 20, 2013). "LA's Most Famous House Finally Makes the National Register". Curbed LA. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
- ^ "Case Study Houses". LA Conservancy. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
- ^ "Case Study House #1". LA Conservancy. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
- ^ Gebhard, David (October 1, 1063). "The Case Study Houses". Artforum. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
- ^ Ray, Debika (May 6, 2020). "Case Study Houses: Guidelines for the average American home". ICON Magazine. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
- ^ "City of Pasadena Historic Preservation Commission" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-09-17.
- ^ CSH #13 was unbuilt, but has been identified with Neutra's Gordon Wilkins House (1949) in Pasadena. See: Lamprecht, Barbara (February 11, 2004). "The Mystery of Case Study House No. 13". Architecture. AllBusiness.com. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
Further reading
[edit]- Entenza, John (January 1945) "Announcement: The Case Study House Program". Arts and Architecture
- McCoy, Esther. "Case Study Houses". 2nd edition. 1 June 1977, ISBN 978-0912158716, Hennessey & Ingalls
- Smith, Elizabeth A. T. (10 June 1989). Blueprints for Modern Living: History and Legacy of the Case Study Houses. Cambridge: MIT Press. ISBN 978-0262692137.
- Smith, Elizabeth and Peter Goessel (12 January 2002). Case Study Houses: The Complete CSH Program,. Taschen. ISBN 978-3822864128.
- Smith, Elizabeth A. T. (30 June 2006). Case Study Houses. Taschen. ISBN 978-3-8228-4617-9.
- Travers, David (January 2006) "About Arts & Architecture" Arts & Architecture website - accessed March 3, 2009