los angeles case study house tour

The Iconic Eames House Tour: 5 Tips + Full Guide (2023)

Last Updated on August 14, 2023 by bethrmartin

If you are a mid-century modern architecture or furniture design fan, then Case Study House #8, also known as the Eames House, is probably already on your bucket list.

Located in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, the Eames House was designed and built by the husband-and-wife team of Charles and Ray Eames in 1949 as their personal residence and studio.

The Eames House tour is an experience that allows you a glimpse into the life of this prolific duo. Whether you want to better understand mid-century design , enjoy a peak at the working spaces, or just looking for a fun afternoon, this reservation is a must.

I live in Charleston, SC, and as soon as I knew I would be in LA in the spring, my main goal was to visit the Eames House. I’ve been on many similar tours since studying Architecture in college and did not realize this would be such a hot commodity!

The overall experience was incredible, and I couldn’t recommend it more, but I have a few tips to make your Eames House trip a little easier.

So let’s go on a mini tour of Charles and Ray’s universe!

Why The Eames House Is So Important

The Eames House, also known as Case Study House #8, is an essential part of architectural history for several reasons:

It was part of the Case Study House Program, a pioneering initiative launched by the magazine Arts & Architecture in 1945 to explore the potential of modern architecture in post-World War II America. Leading architects of the time were commissioned to design and build low-cost, innovative homes that could be easily replicated for the masses.

The Eames House is an essential milestone in the prefabrication and industrial design history. The house is constructed almost entirely from prefabricated materials carefully arranged to create a flexible and adaptable living space.

Their innovative use of materials and technology set a new standard for affordable, efficient, and stylish housing.

Things To Know Before The Eames House Tour

The Eames Foundation has some specific rules about their guided tours, and knowing these things before you book will make your life easier:

1. Getting Reservations Can Be Challenging

The Eames Foundation posts blocks of tickets on specific dates listed on their website, and once these are posted, they sell out  fast . Tours are offered on Mondays and Thursdays at 2:30 PM and Fridays and Saturdays at 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM. Groups over 10 can book guided tours for a group visit.

Reservations go up for sale at noon PST, costing $30 for adults, $10 for students, and free for children under 7. On the day I purchased it, every ticket was sold out in about 20 minutes. 

I highly recommend that you have two dates in mind when booking your tickets. The only day my husband could join me while we were on this trip was on a Friday, and even though I was on the site the second the tickets went on sale, that day never became available. 

2. This Is Only An Exterior Tour

The excursion includes a 90-minute guided tour of the Eames House. This only consists of an exterior tour due to the sensitive nature of the historical materials in the house.

You have opportunities to peek your head in open doors for an up-close look, and the home is quite small, but you can’t actually walk around inside.

3. There Is Very Limited Parking

The Eames House is located at the end of a  very   tight  private driveway, and no parking is allowed here. A street called Corona del Mar has free parking and is only about a five-minute walk up a very slight hill. 

It’s also effortless to take an Uber or Lyft.

4. There Are Strict Photography Rules

Exterior photographs are allowed, but interior shots are forbidden. Even though the windows, photography is not permitted, and visitors are asked not to take pictures about 20 feet from the house.

Photos for any publication are also prohibited, so I have not included photographs in this post – I’m a rule follower!

5. Masks May Be Required

Depending on your tour guide, masks may be required – even on the exterior tour. They were optional on the day I visited.

My Experience

Traffic can be unpredictable in LA, so I arrived early and drove around Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica to kill time. The email sent out beforehand made me nervous about parking, but finding a place on Corona del Mar was effortless.

As soon as you check in and walk through the gate, you are hit by what a unique and inspirational place Charles and Ray Eames created. I’ve seen photos of the Eames house a million times, but to see it in person was simply fantastic.

The exterior tour takes you around the entire perimeter of the house, and you also have plenty of free time to walk the site independently. I loved that the whole area smelled like eucalyptus trees and was covered in giant nasturtiums due to California’s magical superbloom . You also get beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean!

One of the craziest facts I learned on this trip is that Ray and Charles Eames purchased this site before they designed any of their iconic pieces or were famous. It’s hard to imagine a time when designers could afford to buy oceanfront property near Santa Monica so early in their careers.

I don’t want to give away too much of the Eames House experience because that’s half the fun of the trip, but be sure to spend plenty of time looking at all the fantastic collections inside the home. Ray and Charles Eames love buying and trading for different folk art pieces and other unique furniture works, and I could have spent hours gazing into their life.

Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable, and I only wish I could have thought of more questions to ask at the time. Seeing their workspace was one of my favorite parts because it gave me a little understanding of their daily lives while they were dreaming up their ingenious creations.

It’s also incredible to see the original beat-up and beyond-patinaed Eames lounge chair in the middle of the living space!

Final Thoughts

The Eames House is an architectural gem not to be missed. It’s a testament to the power of good design and a reminder that simplicity and beauty can coexist in perfect harmony.

I feel so lucky I could get reservations for this tour and participate in this experience.

Yes, I hope that one-day interior tours will be offered, but I also respect that historical materials are susceptible to wear. No matter what, visiting the Eames House, even if just an exterior tour, is entirely worth a trip across the country.

If you are interested in learning more about the lives of Charles and Ray and their overall design perspective, I highly recommend the book Eames: Beautiful Details . The Eameses mostly took the photographs, and it’s packed full of their whimsical designs.

So whether you’re a design enthusiast or appreciate great architecture, an up-close look at the Eames House is a must if you are in Santa Monica or anywhere near Los Angeles.

If you have more questions about the exterior tour (or anything), never hesitate to reach out to me. No question is too small!

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The Eames House, or Case Study House no. 8

I am sticking around the Pacific Palisades to talk about another one of my favorite places in Los Angeles–The Eames House and Foundation. But first a film.

I hope this video gave you some context about why the Eames House is such an important part of Los Angeles’ cultural landscape. I love taking my friends here who love architecture and Mid-Century design. The Eames house is a marvel in making do with what you have and testing the limits of what an object can do.

Table of Contents

The Case Study House Program

The Case Study House program, which the Eames House is part of, was ahead of its time in many ways. The idea came from a group of editors at Art and Architecture Magazine who posed a question to architects on how to produce homes cheaply and quickly. The program coincided with a projected population boom in the Western states after the end of WWII. One of the criteria was using materials that were readily available during the war. Think of the 3 Rs-Recycle/Reuse/Restore before it was cool.

The Case Study question was brought to several architects and designers that now read like a who’s who of the Mid-Century aesthetic: Richard Neutra, Eero Saarinen, Pierre Koenig, and Craig Ellwood, to name a few. In all, thirty-six houses were designed. Many of these were never built or were demolished before they could be protected. Luckily, two of these homes are on tour to the public in Los Angeles. Case Study House no. 22, or the Stahl House, and Case Study no. 8, built by Charles and Ray Eames.

The name Eames may not be familiar to you, but I assure you that you have seen their work copied again and again by places like Design Within Reach and West Elm. In addition to being architects of Case Study House No. 8, this husband and wife team designed all the furniture and textile pieces featured in the home. All the Eames designs are both aesthetic and functional.

The Eames’ home

What you notice about Case Study No. 8, which ended up being the Eames’ home, is that the house is separated into two buildings made from sections of shipping containers. A working space that served as their design studio and another larger space which I will talk about more in-depth in a second. The walkway between the two buildings is a green space meant to leave the worries of work at work.

The Eames were purveyors of the guest/host relationship. The home was designed so that it has a natural flow and puts guests first in the kitchen, then to the dining room, and ending the evening in the living room. After dinner, they can sip their after-dinner drinks with a spectacular view of the sun setting over the Pacific Ocean. This house was definitely planned with dinner parties in mind. The floor-to-ceiling windows really showcase the nature surrounding the property. The meadow outside is lined with milkweed that attracts Monarch butterflies that flit around the property. Tall eucalyptus trees with peeling bark reveal new colors and smell sweet on the air. Looming in the distance is the outline of Catalina Island.

Hours, cost, and information

Case Study No. 8 is now run by The Eames House Foundation who offers tours of the home and grounds.

• Website: http://eamesfoundation.org
• Location: 203 Chautauqua Boulevard, Pacific Palisades
• When: By appointment, closed on Wednesdays and Sundays
• Cost: As of this update, 4/6/23, they are only offering guided exterior tours at $30 per person. Check the website for all costs and to make an appointment
• Ages: All are welcome on the exterior tour. People under 15 years of age are not allowed on an interior tour

[Getting there: Driving: Just an FYI that although the directions to the place are good, please note that this area straddles two cities–one side of the street is Vance while the other is Corona Del Mar, a helpful hint since there is no place to turn around once you have missed the street.  By Public Transit: Los Angeles Metro bus 602.]

Missed my first favorite place; check out Monday’s post .

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Comments (2).

Hannah Siller

September 10, 2020 at 8:47 am

I had no clue this existed and I’ve lived in Southern California my whole life. Might have to check it out.

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September 10, 2020 at 10:52 am

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Combined Shape .st0{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#fff} .st0{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#fff} SMS Main navigation Things to Do Attractions & Tours Arts & Culture Outdoors & Wellness Shopping Budget Family Hidden Gems Luxury Pet-Friendly Eat & Drink Bars Clubs Dine LA Restaurant Week Restaurants Business Spotlight Find Events Itineraries Where to Stay Celebrate LA Heritage AAPI Heritage Black LA Latino Heritage LGBTQ+ Tourist Information Meetings About LA Tourism Travel Trade Membership Business Spotlight Media Research Careers Today's must read Hidden Gems of Los Angeles Log in Search Search Things to Do Arts & Culture Discover the Landmark Houses of Los Angeles From Mid-Century Modern icons to LA's first World Heritage Site

Marion Davies House - Annenberg Beach House

The site that is currently known as the Annenberg Community Beach House was originally a five-acre oceanfront property belonging to William Randolph Hearst and his mistress, Marion Davies. The lavish compound was designed in the Georgian Colonial-style by architects Julia Morgan and William Flannery and featured a three-story main house, three detached guest houses, servants' quarters, dog kennels, tennis courts and two swimming pools. The legendary parties held at the compound during Hearst and Davies’ tenure had guest lists that often numbered in the thousands. Luminaries such as Howard Hughes, Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin, Bette Davis, Carole Lombard, Cary Grant, Winston Churchill, and Gloria Swanson all spent time at the massive estate at one time or another.

The site operated as the popular Sand & Sea Club for decades, then sat vacant and boarded up for years until the city of Santa Monica announced plans to renovate and reopen it as a public beach facility. Renowned philanthropist Wallis Annenberg donated $27.5 million to the cause. During the renovation, all of the remaining original structures from the Hearst days were demolished, except for a 110-foot Italian marble swimming pool and one of the guest homes, now known as the Marion Davies Guest House . The Annenberg Community Beach House opened to the public in April 2009. The site is open daily and is also used as a special events/wedding venue and filming location.

Neutra VDL Studio and Residences

The only Richard Neutra-designed house that is now open regularly to the public, the Neutra VDL Studio and Residences is a Silver Lake hidden gem that was built by the famed architect in 1932. He ran his practice out of a studio here, and along with his wife Dione, raised three sons in this house, which he designed to demonstrate that Modernist principles could be enjoyed by less affluent clients, while maintaining privacy. Natural light, glass walls, patios and mirrors are hallmarks of the Neutra VDL House. Tours of the property, given by Cal Poly Pomona architecture students, are offered on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In January 2017, the Neutra VDL Studio and Residences was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The U.S. Department of the Interior press release describes Neutra as "a nationally and internationally seminal figure of the twentieth century Modern movement in architecture" and the VDL Research House as "the only property where one can see the progression of his style over a period of years and is among the key properties to understanding the national significance of Richard Neutra.”

Schindler House

When this residential house was built by Vienna-born Rudolf Schindler back in1922 - inspired by a recent trip to Yosemite with his wife - it was extremely unconventional at the time for a place to live. In reality, it was meant to be a cooperative live-work space between two families, much like a camp site. Having been the residence of the Schindlers and then other creatives, this WeHo hidden gem is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday as an architectural center.

Stahl House

The Stahl House (aka Case Study House #22) was designed by architect Pierre Koenig and built in 1959. Perched in the Hollywood hills above the city, the Stahl House is an icon of Mid-Century Modern architecture. A 1960 black and white photograph by Julius Shulman, showing two women leisurely sitting in a corner of the house with panoramic views through floor-to-ceiling glass walls, is one of the most famous architectural photos in history and a quintessential Los Angeles image. In 2016, TIME named Shulman's photo one of the 100 Most Influential Images of All Time .

The Stahl House was declared Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #670 in 1999. In 2007, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) listed the Stahl House as one of the top 150 structures on its "America's Favorite Architecture" list, one of only 11 in Southern California, and the only private residence on the list. The Stahl House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.

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3 Mid-Century Homes You Can Visit In Los Angeles

As anyone with an appreciation for great architecture knows, photographs, no matter how stunning, only tell part of the story. To truly appreciate a great building you have to experience it – how it is sited in the landscape, the flow of spaces and play of natural light, the contrast of finishes and textures. It’s not just about how a building looks, but how it feels, how it works as a space for living.

Fortunately, many significant Mid-century modern homes have been preserved as house museums and are open to the public for tours throughout the year. Others, which continue to be inhabited as private residences are opened by their owners once a year for events such as Modernism Week in Palm Springs, California, and Sydney Open, in Sydney, Australia.

Here are three significant Mid-century modern homes you can tour and experience in Los Angeles,to gain a full understanding of the innovation and beauty of their design.

Eames House, Pacific Palisades, California

(Photo by Michael Locke )

The Eames House, Case Study House #8 , was designed by Charles and Ray Eames, who moved into the house in 1949 and lived there for the remainder of their lives. Sensitively sited in a beautiful meadow, the house offered the couple a space where work, play, life and nature could coexist. The interiors remain intact, much as they were in the Eames’ lifetimes.

You can book a self-guided exterior tour of the Eames House, a full interior tour and even a picnic for four in the Eames’ beloved meadow. For more information check the  Eames Foundation  site.

Stahl House, Hollywood, California

(Photo via James Vaughan )

Case Study House #22, the Stahl House is sited on a cliff high above Hollywood and its pioneering use of glass and steel in its geometry and symmetry reflects the gridlines of the streets below. The iconic house, completed in 1960, was designed for Buck and Carlotta Stahl by ingenious young architect Pierre Koenig, the only architect the Stahl’s approached daring enough to consider the cantilevered foundation that is so awe-inspiring today.

For tour reservations, visit the Stahl House site.

Richard Neutra VDL House, Los Angeles, California

In 1940, Viennese-American architect Richard Neutra received a no-interest loan from Dutch philanthropist Dr C. H. Van Der Leeuw to build a truly radical glass house with rooftop and balcony gardens to accommodate his office and two families on a small 60 x 70 foot lot. Neutra named it the VDL Research House after his benefactor and over a 30-year period hundreds of significant architectural projects on four continents were designed here.

Tours are available of the VDL House every Saturday from 11am to 3pm, for details visit the Neutra VDL site. 

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Architectural homes in Los Angeles: Eames House

Architectural homes in Los Angeles: Schindler House

Architectural homes in Los Angeles: Lummis House (El Alisal)

Architectural homes in Los Angeles: Hollyhock House

Architectural homes in Los Angeles: Sam Maloof House

Architectural homes in Los Angeles: Greystone Mansion

Architectural homes in Los Angeles: Gamble House

Architectural homes in Los Angeles: Neutra VDL Research House

Architectural homes in Los Angeles: Avila Adobe

Architectural homes in Los Angeles: Frank Gehry House

House tour: Architectural homes in Los Angeles

Visit these important architectural homes from some of LA's pioneering greats like Eames, Gehry and Neutra.

From tract homes to Case Study Houses, Southern California has always been at the forefront of residential home design ( even Ice Cube knows it ). Whether you’re interested in local history, celebrity digs or plain old house porn, we’ve got a spot for you. So get off the beaten museum track and check out these landmark architectural homes, all within a few mile radius and (mostly) open to the public.

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Eames House

• Historic buildings and sites
• Pacific Palisades

Designing couple Charles and Ray Eames were known for their intelligence and their joie de vivre , both of which are apparent at the Eames House nestled in the Pacific Palisades. One of Southern California’s most beloved examples of modernist residential design, with its Mondrian-style color-block exterior and environmentally-sensitive siting, this home was the Eames’ residence from the time they moved in—on Christmas Eve of 1949—until their deaths in the '70s and '80s, respectively. Visitors park a couple blocks away and walk up the hilly driveway for a self-guided tour of the exterior ($10, reservations required). Interior tours are more difficult to come by: Members are invited for an appreciation day, always scheduled near the Eames’ June 20 anniversary. Anyone can book a one-hour personal tour ($275; $200 for members), but if you’re a real Eames fan, you may want to splurge on the picnic for four in the meadow ($750; $675 for members) and recreate the opening shots of the duo’s popular Powers of Ten video.

Schindler House

• Things to do
• Walks and tours
• West Hollywood

Sleeping baskets on the roof, communal kitchens and a revolving-door salon of artists. Nope, not a Burning Man camp: This is the Schindler House, designed by Austrian architect Rudolf Schindler, who built it as a dual-family residence in which his family cohabited for a time with his frenemy and fellow influential architect Richard Neutra. A quiet, Japanese-influenced concrete building hidden behind a bamboo grove on a street of condos, this experiment in living now houses the Mak Center , a Vienna-based institute that runs a fantastic program of events in the space, including experimental fashion shows, innovative performance art and concerts of new, original compositions. During the week, visitors can wander around the empty house and imagine themselves part of the freewheeling LA bohemia of the 1920s and '30s.

Lummis House (El Alisal)

• Highland Park

Where would we be without those energetic civic boosters that built Los Angeles? The prolific Charles Fletcher Lummis founded the Southwest Museum, was an editor at the Los Angeles Times , and still managed to design this house (the name of which means “the Sycamore” in Spanish) on the banks of the Arroyo Seco. Its exterior is made almost entirely from river rock and the interior is heavily influenced by Pueblo Indian dwellings. Fans of today’s DIY movement will appreciate the rustic Craftsman charm of this home, which is furnished with hand-crafted wood pieces; it’s interesting to see how closely modern-day bohemian design mirrors that of Lummis House. The Historical Society of Southern California is now headquartered here, and it holds several Sunday afternoon programs a year, as well as an annual holiday open house in December.

Hollyhock House

This 1921, Mayan-inflected Frank Lloyd Wright house was originally built as a “progressive theatrical community” space by activist and oil heiress Aline Barnsdall. Today it’s the centerpiece of Barnsdall Park and is open for tours during the park’s popular Friday night wine tasting events . Rudolf Schindler, a protégé of Wright’s, was the overseeing architect on this project (unusual for Wright, who typically was on-site for all of his buildings) and by all reports it was a contentious building process, with the same delays and cost overruns familiar to anyone who’s attempted construction. After it was completed, frequent flooding of the living room in the short yet destructive rainy season and seismic concerns prevented Barnsdall from living in the gorgeous but impractical concrete and stucco house for long—though she did spend the rest of her life in a smaller house on the property, which the family called Olive Hill.

Sam Maloof House

• Inland Empire

Master woodworker Sam Maloof and his carpenters designed and built this lovely, thoughtful home piece by piece in his on-site workshop; no two door openings are the same here, and each joint is a wonder of craftsmanship. A MacArthur Genius Grant recipient, Maloof has had his iconic rocking chairs shown at the Smithsonian; he also designed the chairs that were used on-camera at the history-changing Nixon/Kennedy debates. Visitors can see some of this furniture, as well as the wide-ranging collection of arts-and-craft pieces that he and his wife of 50 years, Alfreda, amassed together. The garden, which he tended, and the house are both open for tours; if you ask, you might be able to peek into the workshop, where he continued building until his death in 2009 at the age of 93.

Greystone Mansion

• Beverly Hills

Is the Greystone Mansion haunted ? The society that runs it certainly wants us to think so—haunted house tours and a popular interactive play capitalize on the 1929 scandal in which the owner of the mansion, oil heir Ned Doheny, died in a mysterious murder-suicide with his boyhood friend and employee. Doheny’s father was mired in the Teacup Dome Scandal at the time, and the deaths meant that he was excused from testifying; rumors also abounded that Ned, who was married with children, was trying to cover up a same-sex affair. Either way, a tour of this 55-room Tudor estate is a good way to get a glimpse into the lives of LA’s historical 1%—costly slate clads the façade and walkways, the windows are leaded glass and guests were entertained in the bowling alley and two movie theaters. When the home was finished in 1929, it cost a reported $3M, making it the most expensive private home in the city at the time.

Gamble House

• Cultural centers
• price 2 of 4

Pasadena may think it owes much of its traditional Arts and Crafts style to Charles and Henry Greene, the brothers and architects responsible for designing many of the city’s landmark buildings, but really, they should be honoring Thomas Greene, the architects’ father. He was the one who decided on their profession, sending them off to MIT and then demanding they move out to Pasadena once they graduated. No word on whether he determined their style as well, but no matter who the progenitor, this graceful house originally built for one of the heirs of the Proctor & Gamble fortune remains one of the best examples of their work. Programming at the Gamble House is exceptional—there are tours that focus on things like the art glass or the details and joinery in the house, as well as more casual events like Brown Bag Tuesday, when visitors bring their own picnic lunch to eat on the grounds, followed by a 20-minute tour. However you decide to experience it, don’t miss the remarkable zig-zag staircase, a joyous element that adds a bit of fun to the perfection of the house.

Neutra VDL Research House

• Silver Lake

The original Neutra VDL Research House, a living laboratory for architect Richard Neutra’s theories on residential design, was built for $8,000 (including the site!) in 1932; it burned down in 1963 and two years later his son oversaw the rebuilding of an updated version. Neutra was something of a control-freak as a designer—he made recommendations to his clients that included the ideal flowers to display, and would occasionally make unannounced visits to see how, exactly, people were living in his homes. This remodel retains Neutra’s clarity of vision and is still a stunner. Today, this glass-walled paragon of modern design overlooking the Silver Lake Reservoir is an active part of LA’s design community and home to occasional art installations. Each Saturday, students in Cal Poly Pomona’s architecture program lead half-hour tours.

Avila Adobe

Visit this 1818 home to see what life was like in California when it was still governed by Mexico. This is the oldest standing residence in the city, built by wealthy cattle rancher Francisco Avila, whose extensive 4,439-acre land grant covered much of Beverly Hills and the Miracle Mile district. Built of tar from the La Brea Tar Pits , clay from the LA River and wood from the riverbank, this adobe structure is located near the Zanja Madre (in English, "mother ditch"), the original aqueduct that brought water to the LA River for El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora La Reina de Los Angeles (the original name of our fair city). Though visitors only see about half of the original house, it’s well-preserved with an interesting mix of Spanish, Mission and ranchero influences.

Frank Gehry House

• Santa Monica

The neighbors love to hate it, carloads of architecture students drop by to gawk at it: This unexpected intersection of chicken wire, plywood, corrugated metal and traditional Santa Monica house is famed architect Frank Gehry’s actual place of residence. This year the AIA gave it the Twenty-Five Year Award, for a building that has stood the test of time for 25 to 35 years. Rumor has it that when Gehry had a party for his firm here, design enthusiast Brad Pitt knocked on the door and invited himself in. You probably shouldn’t do the same, but you can take it in from the outside. There are no official visiting hours or tickets, but the house is very easy to view from the street.

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The Mid-Century Fairytale of LA’s Case Study Houses

Featured image credit: mbtrama

It’s not often that we get to witness experiments in architecture while they’re in motion. Yet, that’s exactly the experience case study houses offer. Arts & Architecture magazine challenged notable architects to create affordable homes to address the U.S.’s residential housing boom. With World War II finally coming to an end, millions of soldiers were returning home to start families or pick up where they’d left off. The need for new housing was crucial. Arts & Architecture funded the experiment which ran just over two decades from 1945 until 1966. While one of the homes was built in Northern California and another in Phoenix, Arizona, most were erected in the Southern California region. Today, we take a closer look at this innovative moment in California’s housing history. 

The Mid-Century Fairytale of Case Study Houses

It’s safe to say that the project piqued the public’s curiosity, drawing over 350,000 visitors to the initial six houses revealed in 1948. But Arts & Architecture did what it could to bring the case study houses to the Americans who couldn’t make the pilgrimage themselves. 

The magazine regularly featured the completed homes in its pages, often supported by the keen eye of photographer Julius Shulman. Working in moody black-and-white, Shulman brought a classiness to his legendary shots of the forward-thinking domiciles. Furthermore, having specialized in architectural photography, Shulman fit naturally into the ambitious project. 

Of course, his photographs benefited from the otherworldly glamor of Southern California. Homes perched proudly atop Hollywood hilltops with the stars seeming to bow at their feet. Other times, the open promises of the Pacific Ocean lapped at the perimeter while palms kissed cloudless skies. 

In a world that had recently clawed itself out of the burned out crater of a devastating war, Arts & Architecture offered a “happily ever after” that was just sensible enough to believe. Soon, the case study houses became synonymous with the aesthetic of post-war Southern California. 

Seeking Protections for SoCal’s Case Study Houses

The completed case study houses haven’t always had an easy time over the resulting decades. Some owners remodeled homes beyond recognition. Others razed them altogether.  

But in 2013, the Los Angeles Conservancy Modern Committee petitioned to include 11 of the homes in the national registry. These homes range throughout Southern California, from Ventura to San Diego, though most stand in the Greater Los Angeles area. 

Ultimately, the National Register of Historic Places accepted ten of these homes. The 11th would have made the list as well, but the private owner requested the home not appear on the official register. However, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) has protected all 11 of these case study houses since July 24, 2013.

While the Los Angeles Conservancy Modern Committee nominated whatever case study houses they could, some didn’t make the list. They excluded extensively remodeled properties. Yet, the successful inclusion of the 11 petitioned properties paved the way to potentially include remodeled properties in the future. Additionally, the committee neglected to nominate other well-known case study homes, such as the Eames house, simply because they already appeared on the register. 

Of the 11 homes submitted for registry, eight stand in Los Angeles County. Two more are located in San Diego County and another in Ventura County. Perhaps we’ll review those at a later date in our Los Angeles Home Spotlight column. But for today, we’re going to focus on the Los Angeles County offerings to the registry. 

Case Study House #1

10152 Toluca Lake Ave, Los Angeles

Architect: j.r. and greta davidson, year completed: 1948.

Don’t let the number system fool you. Case study house #1 was not the program’s first home to be constructed. Thus, we introduce the notoriously irrational numbering system of the case study program. Even the editor of Arts & Architecture admitted there’s little to no rhyme or reason to the numbers. 

J.R. Davidson, a force in the early days of California architecture, designed this home with the assistance of his wife, Greta. Efficiency was at the heart of the architecture as the Davidsons envisioned the busy lives of two working parents. Case study house #1 would allow working families more free time by keeping daily maintenance to a minimum. 

This case study abode also introduced a series of features that became hallmarks of the program including:

• Open floor plan
• Floor-to-ceiling windows
• Keeping corridors to a minimum
• Multi-purpose rooms
• Garden access from all primary rooms
• Standardized materials (ie. concrete, plywood, and industrial glass)

Case Study House #9

205 Chautauqua Blvd, Los Angeles

Architect: charles eames and eero saarinen, year completed: 1949.

Case study home #9 is popularly recognized as the Entenza House since it was built for Arts & Architecture ’s editor and publisher John Entenza. Designers Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen challenged themselves to offer a wealth of space with simple, minimalist construction. The home, built from a steel frame and covered in wood-paneling, overlooks the Pacific Ocean from a scenic hill in Pacific Palisades. 

Case Study House #10

711 S. San Rafael Ave, Pasadena

Architect: kemper nomland and kemper nomland, jr., year completed: 1947.

This tri-level structure would have existed regardless of the case study program. That’s because it wasn’t built in response to the program. Rather, it just happened to fit many of the ideals of the program including:

• Utilization of contemporary materials
• Employing modern building techniques
• Affordable to working class Americans
• Simple construction
• Economic use of materials
• Blending of indoor and outdoor features

So, how did this unrelated structure come to be case study house #10? Just two years into the case study program, Arts & Architecture were having trouble keeping a consistent pace. Without the completion of a new house on the horizon, they needed to find a way to keep the inertia. 

So, despite the fact that Kemper Nomland and son had already built the home without regard to the program, its symbiosis found it ripe for inclusion. The Nomlands used the home’s multi-level design to fit it to a Pasadena hillside. In 2017, it sold to comedian, actress, and Saturday Night Live alum Kristen Wiig. 

Case Study House #16

1811 Bel Air Rd, Los Angeles

Architect: craig ellwood, year completed: 1953.

The designer of case study home #16 (although that number changes depending on who you ask) was one of the most prolific in the program. So, it may come as a surprise that Craig Ellwood actually had no formal design instruction. Rather, he learned what he knew through his contracting work. It was enough to place his homes not once, not twice, but three times in the case study program. 

Sadly, two of Ellwood’s designs have been remodeled beyond recognition. Thus, case study home #16 is the only remainder we have of his unique vision in relation to the program. Ellwood was noted for his propensity to use industrial materials and techniques for residential purposes. 

But, as this home illustrates, he also had a gift for blending interiors and exteriors. This Bel Air home blurs the lines between the inside and outside by stretching inner walls beyond the outer walls. 

Case Study House #18

199 Chautauqua Blvd, Los Angeles

Architect: rodney walker.

Pacific Palisades was a popular place for the case study program. Though it appears later on the list than home #8, home #18 (sometimes referred to as 18A) was the first to be completed in the area. Overlooking the tumultuous Pacific Ocean, the structure is built atop a cliff far away from the battering waves. It’s also positioned back from the cliff’s edge to reduce the roar of the sea. 

But perhaps the most notable feature of Rodney Walker’s contribution to the program is the fireplace. The floor-to-ceiling double-sided brick fireplace is shared by a living room on one side and an interior garden room on the other. Three neighboring homes, including the aforementioned #8, would join #18 in the case study program over the next few years. 

Case Study House #20

2275 N. Santa Rosa Ave, Altadena

Architect: conrad buff iii, calvin c. straub, and donald c. hensman, year completed: 1958.

While the majority of case study houses being built in the late 1950s employed steel, case study house #20 was crafted from a variety of natural woods. The design team from architectural firm Buff, Straub, and Hensman leveled a decaying estate in Altadena to bring their economical vision to life. The idea was to create a home for young parents who couldn’t afford more than the essentials. However, the home went to industrial designer Saul Bass and his biochemist wife Dr. Ruth Bass. 

Case Study House #21

9038 Wonderland Park Ave, Los Angeles

Architect: pierre koenig, year completed: 1959.

Pierre Konig was a regular contributor to the case study program with his steel framed take on residential living. It was a trend that never quite caught on, but not for his lack of trying. One of the most notable case study houses, the Stahl House (#22 for those counting at home), was a result of Koenig’s lust for steel. 

Case study house #21 was dreamt up as a model for efficient modern living with the possibility of mass production. But it was originally distinguished by a surrounding moat. The home was accessible via walkways at the front entry and carport. Though this property was extensively remodeled over the decades, Koenig returned to it in the 1990s to attempt to aid in its return to its original vision. 

Case Study House #22

1635 Woods Dr, Los Angeles

Year completed: 1960.

Easily the most iconic of the case study homes on this list, case study house #22 is reserved for Koenig’s aforementioned Stahl House. It seems to float above the Greater Los Angeles area, kissing the interminable blue sky with the corners of its flat roof. To create this effect, Koenig employed the largest piece of glass available to commercial enterprises at the time. Furthermore, Koenig worked with the cliff’s edge site instead of against it to create a piece of LA history you can visit to this day. 

The Aftermath of the Case Study Program

While the case study program aimed to build 36 examples of modern living, builders never completed (or even started) several planned homes. For example, case study house #19 would have been erected in the San Francisco Bay area. On the other hand, home #27 wouldn’t have even been in California. It was marked to be constructed in Smoke Rise, New Jersey. 

The majority of LA’s remaining case study houses are private residences, yet two remain open to public tours. The Eames and Stahl Houses can be visited by scheduling a tour through their respective websites. 

Will we ever see another age of innovation like the case study houses commissioned by Arts & Architecture magazine? It’s hard to say, but we hope it doesn’t take us another war to get there. 

Seth Styles

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Eames Foundation 203 Chautauqua Boulevard Pacific Palisades, CA  90272

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LA’s Iconic Case Study Houses (Finally!) Make National Register

• Written by Karissa Rosenfield
• Published on August 22, 2013

Ten of Los Angeles ’ Case Study Homes have been deemed historically significant an worthy of being included on US’s National Register of Historic Places . Despite the Los Angeles Conservancy’s belief that all of them deserve “equal preservation protections,” the 11th home was not included due to “owner objection.”

The Case Study Houses spawned from a post-WWII residential experiment, presented by the Arts & Architecture magazine in 1945, which introduced modern movement ideas for affordable and efficient housing. The homes - designed by the likes of Richard Neutra, Charles and Ray Eames, Pierre Koenig, Eero Saarinen and others - redefined the modern home. And, with the help of Julius Shulman, placed Los Angeles as an epicenter for mid-century modernism.

The 11 homes included on the register are:

Los Angeles County Case Study House #1, 10152 Toluca Lake Ave., Los Angeles Case Study House #9, 205 Chautauqua Blvd., Los Angeles Case Study House #10, 711 S. San Rafael Ave., Pasadena Case Study House #16, 1811 Bel Air Rd., Los Angeles Case Study House #18, 199 Chautauqua Blvd., Los Angeles Case Study House #20, 2275 N. Santa Rosa Ave., Altadena Case Study House #21, 9038 Wonderland Park Ave., Los Angeles Case Study House #22, 1635 Woods Dr., Los Angeles

San Diego County Case Study House #23A, 2342 Rue de Anne, La Jolla, San Diego (determined eligible) Case Study House #23C, 2339 Rue de Anne, La Jolla, San Diego

Ventura County Case Study House #28, 91 Inverness Rd., Thousand Oaks

A selection of photos from the Case Study Homes can be found here .

References: LAist , Curbed Los Angeles

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Thorough restoration—not demolition—underway on Case Study House No. 21

One of the most important homes in Los Angeles was starting to slip downhill

Built between 1956 and 1958, Case Study House No. 21, also known as the Bailey House , features walls of glass, reflecting pools, and sliding doors. The boxy residence was designed by Stahl House architect Pierre Koenig and, seen from the street, the landmarked dwelling resembles a quintessential midcentury modern home.

But it was one of a just a handful of houses in the influential program orchestrated by Arts & Architecture magazine . So when neighbors and onlookers noticed drastic work underway on the site in Laurel Canyon , they feared for the future of the iconic home.

“Drove by the Bailey House and only found her bones,” one Instagram user who photographed the construction site posted on Monday.

Far from being harmed, the house is actually being rescued, says designer Mark Haddaway . He was hired by the new owner—a trust linked to Alison Sarofim, a film producer and daughter of billionaire Fayez Sarofim—who purchased the property in February for $3.26 million.

Case Study Houses were meant to be inexpensive, reproducible homes for the middle class—a solution to the postwar housing shortage. The Bailey House was built out of prefabricated steel and topped by a corrugated metal roof.

View this post on Instagram Bailey House - Case Study House #21 | Pierre Koenig, 1959 Drove by the Bailey House and only found her bones. So sad. I can't find anything about this online but since the steel frame remains, I hope that means it will be renovated as per the original. . . . . #casestudyhouse #casestudyhouse21 #pierrekoenig #california #californiamodern #midcenturymodern #baileyhouse #LAarchitecture #losangeles #modernarchitecture #architecturephotography #archilovers #steelframe A post shared by Vanessa Guillen (@vassilisag) on Jul 21, 2019 at 10:04am PDT

But as Haddaway told the the city’s cultural heritage commission in June, “because the budget for the project was small, the foundations for the house were minimal.”

Those foundations are now an issue.

Haddaway said that when contractors lifted up the concrete slab over the living room floor, they found an 18-inch gap between the ground and where the room’s floor had hovered. The soil had subsided, sliding out under the rest of the foundation.

In other words, it appeared Case Study House No. 21 was starting to slip downhill.

The solution Haddaway’s team has come up with involves inserting a grid of “helical anchors” under the living room with the goal of stabilizing the house and preventing any further slippage. In some places, Haddaway says, the house has moved two inches off its original elevation. The anchors wouldn’t undo that, but they would halt any new movement.

In a phone interview, Haddaway says the improvements are needed to ensure the home’s survival for decades to come.

In addition to the foundation work, Haddaway also plans to restore the original yellow kitchen (the one in the house now is from 1997), reform and waterproof the pools that make up the original water features, and replace the original white vinyl tile with white terrazzo—a switch that would leave the door open for a future owner to put the vinyl tiles back in if they wanted to, Haddaway told commissioners.

Speaking at the June meeting, Lambert Giessinger of the city’s office of historic resources, told the commissioners that the project had initially sparked concern in the community because work had begun on the removal of the 1990s-era kitchen—before the city had been given a chance to weigh in. Now, however, the two groups are working together, Giessinger said.

Haddaway has worked on the house before and was, for a time, its owner. He has restored a number of other midcentury homes and is also working now on John Lautner’s Elrod House in Palm Springs.

Next Up In Historic Landmarks

• 1930s Spanish Colonial Revival on century-old citrus orchard asking $1.15M
• To save potential landmarks, LA wants more notice of demolitions
• Western novelist’s former Altadena estate for sale $4M
• Architect John Parkinson’s Santa Monica home on the market for $20M
• Cliff-hugging castle overlooking the sea can be yours for $27M
• Craftsman bungalow with incredible woodwork in Riverside asking $1.2M

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Case Study House #1

Case Study House #1 introduced architectural elements that came to characterize the Case Study House program, including floor to ceiling glass, a flat roof, and an open floor plan.

Place Details

• J.R. Davidson

Designation

• Private Residence - Do Not Disturb

Property Type

• Single-Family Residential
• Los Angeles

Case Study House #1, despite its numbering, was not the first house to be completed as part of Arts & Architecture magazine’s Case Study House program.  The 2,000 square foot house was completed in 1948 and designed by Julius Ralph Davidson, one of the European émigrés who jump-started California’s modern architecture movement.  Davidson’s design for Case Study House #11 became the first completed house in the program, in 1946, but later earned the unfortunate distinction of being the first to be demolished.

Case Study House #1 was constructed on a gently sloping lot elevated several feet above street level in the prestigious Toluca Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles. Other homes by significant mid-century architects are in the immediate neighborhood. 

The house introduced architectural elements that came to characterize the program such as floor to ceiling glass, a flat roof, an open floor plan, a minimum of hallways, flexible multi-purpose rooms, immediate access to gardens from all major rooms, and use of standardized materials such as concrete block, plywood panels and industrial glass.

The plan, materials, and siting of the house encourage a relaxed lifestyle based on indoor-outdoor living.

The dwelling is of wood frame post and beam construction on a concrete slab foundation. It is approximately 2,000 square feet in size with a large combination living and dining room overlooking the rear gardens and pool through floor-to-ceiling windows. There are three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a kitchen.  The windows throughout the house consist of floor-to-ceiling sliding glass and metal frame casements.

View the National Register of Historic Places Nomination

Issues including Case Study House #1

Case Study Houses

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