LA Conservancy Makes Case for Landmarking City's Pioneering Modernist Homes

"The Case Study Houses have finally made the National Register of Historic Places (well, 11 of them have)," reports Adrian Glick Kudler. Actually, 10 have been listed, with one deemed eligible for listing (and not listed due to owner objection.

"The modest, modern, houses--built through an Arts & Architecture magazine program launched in 1945--helped establish Los Angeles as the American center of mid-century modern architecture (participants included Richard Neutra, Charles Eames, Pierre Koenig) and of mid-century futurist living (they were meant to be easily replicable, made with 'new materials and new techniques in house construction,' and were of course car-centric and single-family)," continues Kudler.

In announcing the listing, the Conservancy notes that, "[f]ew of the Case Study Houses currently have preservation protections, and some have been demolished or significantly altered. This proactive step recognizes the eleven nominated homes and raises greater awareness about the Case Study House program while providing a historic context for future designation of the remaining eligible properties."