Posts Tagged ‘John Lautner’
Between Earth and Heaven: The Architecture of John Lautner
Few architects made a bigger impact on the California landscape than John Lautner. One of the most significant Modernist architects, Lautner’s six decades of work produced more than 150 built works. To celebrate this amazing career, The Palm Springs Art Museum will be exhibiting Between Heaven and Earth: The Architecture of John Lautner from Febraury 20th until May 23rd.
Lautner’s work is well-known in the Palm Springs area as he designed a mountain cabin in the trees, a motel as desert retreat and a showcase home for designer Arthur Elrod, so this exhibit should be a perfect fit with the Museum.
On display will be 115 original drawings and sketches, ten original models, six large-scale architectural models, and the documentary film Infinite Space: The Architecture Of John Lautner (a movie I’ve been dying to see). I will definitely be checking this exhibit out when I go to Palm Springs in March.
For more information about the exhibit click here.
Palm Springs Art Museum
101 Museum Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92262
John Lautner’s Segel House
22426 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA 90265
John Lautner has contributed some of the most unusual and interesting houses to L.A.’s rich architectural history (see The Chemosphere for example), and the Segel House on Carbon beach in Malibu certainly is among his finest creations.
Built in 1979, the house has had a number of famous owners such as Courtney Cox and David Arquette who sold the house for over $33 million to Dodgers owner Frank McCourt. The above photo shows how well the house fits in with the mountain landscape in the background. Imagine the views from those huge windows that look out onto the Pacific Ocean – to say this is a dream beach house is an understatement!
Thanks to Curbed I was able to find an aerial and some interior shots in the slideshow below.
Another great product from Cincopa The Chemosphere House By John Lautner
The Chemosphere is a very fitting start to the “Best Of L.A.” series since for many people any conversation about the most interesting houses in L.A. must begin with the iconic Chemosphere house. Built in 1960 and designed by architect John Lautner, this eight-sided house in the Hollywood Hills was once named “the most modern home built in the world” by the Encyclopedia Brittanica.
While it’s hard to say if it still holds that title, The Chemosphere stands alone. Literally. The house is perched atop a 30 foot concrete pole. If that makes you a little nervous, know this: the house has survived earthquakes and heavy rainfall.
Structurally it may be sound, but the interior has had a tougher time. Years of being rented out for parties left the carpet in disarray, the walls in poor condition and overall the house gave off a sad worn-down vibe. Even The Simpsons made fun of it. Eventually it was bought in 2000 by Benedickt Taschen (publisher of some of the most stylish art books ever made) who restored it to its present-day glory.
The house is located at 7776 Torreyson Drive, but for a good look at The Chemosphere House go to 7777 Torreyson Drive.
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