Modernism Reborn: Mid-Century American Houses

One of the 35 spectacular homes featured is celebrated architect John Lautner's Harvey House in Los Angeles, the very same once-dilapidated house (the book captures it in its newly restored state) over which actor Leonardo DiCaprio went head to head in a bidding war (and lost) with actress Kelly Lynch and her husband, screenwriter Mitch Glazer. Morris, and Ulrich Franzen, the 35 homes presented here are some of the most sought after in America. The expanded kitchen may be cut back and the original St. In the late '90s, publishers began to race to get a book out that would cater to the explosive interest in all things midcentury modern. Charles cabinets reinstalled. If you're into modern or want to know what all the fuss is about,

"Waste of money." according to Morgan L. Forest. Seriously disappointing. The floorplans are miniscule and incomplete. Also, I believe these beautiful houses could have been displayed in many more photos. In essence, too wordy, not visual enough.. A Great Book on Great Houses This is an elegantly presented book on elegant, finely crafted housesan instant new favorite of mine. Author Michael Webb draws the reader in through his delightful stories of these homes, their original owners, subsequent owners (who, more often than not, misunderstood what. Guide to moderns Excellent tome documenting fine modern architecture

. MICHAEL WEBB began writing about architecture and design in London in the 1960s, and now does so in Los Angeles, working out of a classic Richard Neutra apartment that Charles and Ray Eames once called home. He is the author of 16 books, which include Architects House Themselves, The City Square, New Stage for a City, five monographs, and, most recently,

Modernism is a way of living, more than a style, and this book celebrates the architects and owners who respect its character and scale.Also included are nearly 200 photographs taken by Roger Strauss, all of which were specially commissioned for this book.. Built in the heyday of modernism, from the 1930s through the early 1960s, these houses were designed by exceptional architects for themselves or for adventurous clients. A few were lovingly preserved as time capsules, but most endured years of neglect or abuse and might easily have been torn down.Webb explores how these houses were created--as daring experiments or as creative responses to site and climate--and here are villas that fuse craft and invention, machines for living, and residences that embrace the landscape. In the first book of its kind, architectural critic Michael Webb and Esto photographer Roger Strauss III examine 35 extraordinary modern houses that have been restored, enhanced, or extended by new owners who see them as timeless classics. Here, too, are houses inspired by the purity of classical temples, and frugal dwellings that have been sensitively enlarged. After a long eclipse, these houses and the enlightened attitude