Picture this: a dream house overlooking LA, with huge view windows and a deck launching out over the brush covered hillside. If what you're seeing is a mid-century modern with open beam ceilings and an atrium, then you share my ideals. Neutra, Eames and others: after so long, the origins of these great homes are coming to light.
A wildly talented, but lesser known local architect who helped to shape the look of California living during the 1950’s, 1960’s and later, A. Quincy Jones is having his day with a rich and informative exhibit on his work called “Building for Better Living” up now through September 8 at the Hammer Museum. Probably Jones is best known for his contribution to the Eichler housing developments designed during his partnership with Frederick E. Emmons, which they called “merchant-built” homes, sold as a retail product to new home owners.
Born in 1913, Jones would have been only 33 years old when he opened his post-war business in southern California in 1945. His partnership with Emmons was formed in 1950. The affordable Eichler homes they built across the landscape of Los Angeles could be bought for $15,000 in 1959. This made them available to a successful middle class family. His huge legacy is the focus of this exhibit, which is not to be missed if you have even a passing interest in California design during this era, or love atriums and hillside views.
Exterior view of Jone's hillside home in Brentwood
Floorplan: Jone's home
Living room of an Eichler home
See more at the Hammer Museum exhibit, on view now through September 8, 2013: Building for Better Living
My photos: Top: architect's home in Brentwood
The photos and information used in this post are from a book of this period: Architecture, USA by Ian McCallum, Reinhold Pub, N.Y., 1960, a slim volume filled with the works of 33 architects, most from the post-WWII decade.
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