Category Archives: John Lautner Buildings

Again, Lautner Homes in Film Gain Attention

Curbed LA reports on an essay in Virginia Quarterly Review on the use of Lautner homes in film, and specifically as the homes of villains. The idea has struck others in the past, most notably Jon Yoder, who wrote

A View to Kill For?
Modern Painters (July/August 2008)
Lengthy analysis of films featuring Lautner buildings, reference to exhibit, by Jon Yoder.

The following video, by Curbed LA, offers a glimpse of most of the films featuring Lautner buildings.

You can read the whole Virginia Quarterly Review article here (the online version is abbreviated). [Thank you, Hillary Cramer, for providing the pdf version.]

Rare Photographs of Lautner’s Pensacola House

The Lautner residence in Pensacola was designed for Ernest Lautner, a cousin of John Lautner, and his wife Mildred. It was built in 1957 by Ernest, a contractor, and later sold to his son Max, who owns it still.  It is maintained by Max’s nephew Stephen Lautner, who lives primarily in Atlanta.

While the house is clearly visible from the water (Bayou Texar), it is nearly hidden from the road.  Not long after it was built, a photographer named Frank Hardy took these photographs of it, both from the bayou and from the air. He used a Widelux camera (see some information about this camera) while on the water, and a Hasselblad from the air. Much later, his son Frank posted some of these images on his blog. A reader sent a note to the Foundation about this blog, and we contacted the younger Frank, who kindly sent us these photographs.

See the entire album for more past and present photographs of this remarkable residence.

From Lautner Residence, Pensacola

 

From Lautner Residence, Pensacola

 

From Lautner Residence, Pensacola

Looking to buy (or lease) a Lautner?

Curbed LA announced the other day that five Lautner homes are currently on the market:

Schaffer residence (Glendale): small jewel that was featured in A Single Man. Currently listed at $1.395 M.

Carling residence (Hollywood Hills): one of three Lautner designs that feature a three-point steel truss support, eliminating the need for interior posts. Listed for $2.995M

Bergren residence (Hollywood Hills): one of the earliest, the house was rebuilt after a fire and has experienced other changes since. Listed for $1.495M

Baxter residence (West Hollywood): actually a remodel that has been since remodeled. Some Lautner touches remain. Listed for $2.995M

Polin residence (Hollywood Hills): another of the three featuring a three-point steel truss support. For lease at $10K/mo.

Visit Curbed L.A. for more information and comments.

The Garwood residence in Malibu is also for sale, listing at $15.9M. See the listing.

 

DeVos Art Museum Receives Thank-Yous from school classes

The DeVos Art Museum at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan, received a number of thank you cards from classes of local school children who visited the museum to see the John Lautner exhibit at the end of last year. Copies of the thank yous are being scanned. In the meantime, Karol Lautner Peterson photographed several in a recent visit.

You can see the thank you notes here:

DeVos Thank yous

Visit the Foundation bookstore

The JLFoundation is an Amazon “Associate”. This means that we can sell books for Amazon and get a cut of the profits. When you buy through the Foundation’s link, even if it is not an item that is in our “store”, the Foundation benefits. Bookmark this link now:

http://www.johnlautner.org/wp/?page_id=91

And whenever you are interested in purchasing anything from Amazon, start there! It won’t cost you anything extra but it will benefit the Foundation.

A recent addition to our bookstore is an interesting little book on Models of Lautner architecture, by Thomas Demand. As with some other Lautner books, there are few copies left. Act now to get the best price. Thanks to Jan-Richard Kikkert for finding this book.

 

Come to the Hotel Lautner Open House February 19

**UPDATE Feb. 14, 2012: This event is SOLD OUT. Those who have purchased tickets for the open house and are on the waiting list for dinner will remain on the waiting list (for dinner) until we know whether there will be seating available. There is no waiting list for the open house.**

On Sunday, February 19, the Hotel Lautner (formerly known as the Desert Hot Springs Motel) will open from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. The hotel owners, Tracy Beckmann and Ryan Trowbridge, will be there to chat and answer questions, along with members of the Board of Directors of The John Lautner Foundation.

Visitors will have an opportunity to include a three-course dinner that same night at the legendary Two Bunch Palms in Desert Hot Springs  or a one-year membership to the Foundation for an extra charge.

Space is limited so make your reservations now! The details:

Hotel Lautner Tour
Date: Sunday, February 19, 2012
Time: 3:00PM – 5:00PM
Location: Hotel Lautner – 67710 San Antonio Street, Desert Hot Springs [See map below]
Space is limited. Note our sponsors below, who have made it possible for the Foundation to benefit from this event.

 Tickets:

$25 for tour
$50 for tour and one year membership in the John Lautner Foundation
$55 tour and dinner*
$80 tour, membership and dinner*

* A THREE COURSE DINNER includes all three courses, gratuities and taxes
at ‘AL CAPONE’S CASINO’ RESTAURANT
in the legendary Two Bunch Palms Resort & Spa
67425 Two Bunch Palms Trail, Desert Hot Springs, CA [See map below]

Seatings: 5:30, 6:00 and 6:30 pm February 19. ***UPDATE: Dinners are sold out, but there is a waiting list in case tables open up for more. ***

Register here: Note that there aren’t any actual tickets. There will be a check-in desk at the hotel.

Proceeds benefit the John Lautner Foundation, a 501 (c) nonprofit organization.

Hotel:

View Larger Map

Restaurant:


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Sponsors:

Purchase Tickets to Elrod Cocktail Party Now

Elrod House

Opening Night Cocktail Reception
Arthur Elrod House, 1968, John Lautner, architect

One of the most remarkable houses in America, the Elrod House on Southridge in Palm Springs, has panoramic views of the San Jacinto mountains. Its conical concrete roof hovers above the circular living room and provides a dramatic space from which to enjoy the desert below. The west glass facade opens electronically and bisects the pool, famous in a scene from the movie Diamonds are Forever.

John Lautner, the architect of numerous residences in Los Angeles, including the iconic Chemosphere House, conceived the Elrod House as a protective cave and controlled how the desert light and heat entered the space. The residence is a stunning location for the kick-off of Modernism Week.

Reception guests will be taken in shuttle buses from the Rim Rocks shopping center, leaving every 10 minutes.

Photo credit: Elrod House, 1968, photograph by Leland Lee

$150
7-10 PM, Thursday, February 16, 2012
Rimrock Shopping Center, 4733 E Palm Canyon Dr.

Buy Tickets