Case Study Houses (Taschen Basic Architecture)

The pioneering project that sought to bring modernism to the masses

 



The Case Study House program (1945–1966) was an exceptional, innovative event in the history of American architecture and remains to this day unique. The program, which concentrated on the Los Angeles area and oversaw the design of 36 prototype homes, sought to make available plans for modern residences that could be easily and cheaply constructed during the postwar building boom. Highly experimental, the program generated houses that were designed to redefine the modern home, and thus had a pronounced influence on architecture—American and international—both during the program`s existence and even to this day. This compact guide includes all projects featured in our XL version, with over 150 photos and plans and a map of where all houses are (or were) located.

 

About the Series:
Each book in TASCHEN’s Basic Architecture Series features:

• an introduction to the life and work of the architect
• the major works in chronological order
• information about the clients, architectural preconditions as well as construction problems and resolutions
• a list of all the selected works and a map indicating the locations of the best and most famous buildings
• approximately 120 illustrations (photographs, sketches, drafts and plans)

Elizabeth A. T. Smith is the former Chief Curator and Deputy Director for programs at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. Previously a curator at MOCA Los Angeles, where she organized "Blueprints for Modern Living: History and Legacy of the Case Study Houses," Smith has taught at the University of Southern California and the School of the Art Institute in Chicago. She has curated numerous exhibitions and published widely on various aspects of contemporary art and architecture.