I decided to take a short trip to Los Angeles from the UK and found time to spend a few days visiting different pieces of modern architecture in the city. The first in the series is the Eames House, a landmark in mid-century modern architecture.
The Eames House is also known as Case Study No. 8 and was an experiment in residential architecture. Arts & Architecture magazine sponsored this project in 1945 and asked many famous architects to design and build inexpensive and efficient model homes for the United States residential housing boom caused by the end of World War II. The Eames House was especially impressive, and although constructed in 1949 as part of this project, the couple ended up liking it so much that they lived in this house until the day the day they passed away.
I think it's exceptional how they built such a comfortable and open living space that still looks modern today. Nearly all of the materials were "off the shelf", using panes of glass that could be purchased from traditional merchants, as well as metal beams and pieces of ordinary wood. It's a straightforward home that takes obvious cues from traditional Japanese architecture. The location itself is a little out of the way but this privacy makes for a beautiful little property built on a sloping hill facing toward the coastline. If you get a chance make sure you visit this property is Los Angeles and soak up the atmosphere. Reservations are required beforehand.
Click here to read more about the Eames House →
More from my Travels:
Exploring Helsinki - Finlandia Hall by Architect Alvar Aalto
A Selection of Outtakes from Kettle's Yard in Cambridge
Exploring Naoshima - A Visit to the Lee Ufan Museum
Naoshima - Tadao Ando's Concrete Walls
Exploring Osaka - Inside the TRUCK Furniture Showroom
Exploring Tokyo - Hama Rikyu Gardens
Exploring Tokyo - A Visit to Sensoji Temple in Asakusa
Exploring Kyoto - Tenryuji Temple & Grounds
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