Courtyard Housing in Los Angeles: A Typological Analysis - Hardcover

Stefanos Polyzoides; Roger Sherwood; James Tice

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0520042514 ISBN 13: 9780520042513

Publisher: University of California Press, 1982

Synopsis

As cities throughout the U.S. struggle with housing shortages, valuable lessons can be learned from the principles thatunderlie the design of the courtyard house. Whether humble or sumptuous in scale, courtyards create a sense of privacyand enhance quality of life by creating the impression of green space for their residents.

Now available in its fifth printing, Courtyard Housing in Los Angeles documents the historical, technical, and cultural forces that shaped the development of this distinctive West Coast building type. The authors's in-depth research andanalysis is enhanced by the inclusion of numerous plans and technical drawings. Julius Shulman's sensuous black-and-whitephotographs document the range of courtyard styles—from simple bungalow-style dwellings to more ornate buildings combining Italian, Spanish, and North African influences.

About this title

About the Author:

American photographer Julius Shulman s images of Californian architecture have burned themselves into the retina of the 20th century. A book on modern architecture without Shulman is inconceivable. Some of his architectural photographs, like the iconic shots of Frank Lloyd Wright s or Pierre Koenig s remarkable structures, have been published countless times. The brilliance of buildings like those by Charles Eames, as well as those of his close friend, Richard Neutra, was first brought to light by Shulman s photography. The clarity of his work demanded that architectural photography had to be considered as an independent art form. Each Shulman image unites perception and understanding for the buildings and their place in the landscape. The precise compositions reveal not just the architectural ideas behind a building s surface, but also the visions and hopes of an entire age. A sense of humanity is always present in his work, even when the human figure is absent from the actual photographs. Today, a great many of the buildings documented by Shulman have disappeared or been crudely converted, but the thirst for his pioneering images is stronger than ever before.

Roger Sherwood is a practicing architect and Associate Professor of Architecture at the University of Southern California.

American photographer Julius Shulman s images of Californian architecture have burned themselves into the retina of the 20th century. A book on modern architecture without Shulman is inconceivable. Some of his architectural photographs, like the iconic shots of Frank Lloyd Wright s or Pierre Koenig s remarkable structures, have been published countless times. The brilliance of buildings like those by Charles Eames, as well as those of his close friend, Richard Neutra, was first brought to light by Shulman s photography. The clarity of his work demanded that architectural photography had to be considered as an independent art form. Each Shulman image unites perception and understanding for the buildings and their place in the landscape. The precise compositions reveal not just the architectural ideas behind a building s surface, but also the visions and hopes of an entire age. A sense of humanity is always present in his work, even when the human figure is absent from the actual photographs. Today, a great many of the buildings documented by Shulman have disappeared or been crudely converted, but the thirst for his pioneering images is stronger than ever before.

Review:

The authors' detailed research and precis analysis are complemented by period photographs and Julius Shulman's sensuous black-and-white images. Michael Webb, L.A. Architect

About this edition

• Publisher: University of California Press
• Publication date: 1982
• ISBN 10: 0520042514
• ISBN 13: 9780520042513
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 219