With his geometric structures perched upon the hillsides, beaches, and deserts of California,
John Lautner
(1911–1994) was behind some of the most striking and
innovative architectural designs in mid-20th-century America
.
This introductory book brings together the most important of Lautner’s projects to explore his
his
ingenious use of modern building materials
and his bold stylistic repertoire of sweeping rooflines, glass-paneled walls, and steel beams. From commercial buildings to such iconic homes as the Chemosphere, we look at Lautner’s
sensitivity to a building’s surroundings
and his unique capacity to integrate structures into the Californian landscape. With several of Lautner’s houses now labeled
Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments
, we’ll also consider the architect’s cultural legacy, as much as his pioneering of a
visual paradigm of 1950s optimism, economic growth, and space-age adventure