I cannot imagine how you overlooked the Charles and Ray Eames house in Pacific Palisades, California, 1949. The Eameses used standard off-the-shelf industrial components in a rectilinear style reminiscent of Japanese linear form. It is cited in most books dealing with major houses of the 20th century, and is a source of inspiration for students of architecture nearly equal in importance to Falling Waters by Frank Lloyd Wright.
I cannot also imagine why you consider the McMansions worthy of mention. These houses neither advance the craft of building nor the study of architectural form and style. As you observed they may not endure long enough to be worthy of study in the future.
Peter Batchelor, FAIA, FAICP
Professor Emeritus of Architecture and Urban Design
College of Design, NCSU
Replies
Peter, welcome to Breaktime. The editors put a thread on the forum a few months back asking people to nominate houses for the "25 most significant" article. It is a shame no one suggested the Eames house at that time.
I cannot also imagine why you consider the McMansions worthy of mention. These houses neither advance the craft of building nor the study of architectural form and style. As you observed they may not endure long enough to be worthy of study in the future.
I agree with your assessment of the McMansions, however as disgusting as they are, you can't say they aren't influential. Simply from the sheer numbers of them going up.
jt8
"The difference between greatness and mediocrity is often how an individual views a mistake..."-- Nelson Boswell
I'm surprised they put Fallingwater on the cover and not a McMansion given the FLW bashing you read here.
Interesting, I guess I haven't been privy to the FLW bashing herabouts. Fallingwater is a beautiful house, but I'm not sure if it's the most influential of his works. I guess the title is significant, not influential.
I agree with the inclusion of the McMansion- it's a very significant trend, on par with sears kits and such.
I was slightly suprised that the Vanna Venturi house didn't make it in- after the usonian and international style houses, it was the return to more traditional american influences in high style houses. From what little I know, anyway.zak
"so it goes"
True, there are many houses that coud have made the list, and I don't think they should all be noteworthy or by famous architects, but I was somewhat dissapointed with the lack of coherence to the picks. I think Fallingwater is an incredible place, it's structural shortcomings aside, but there are many other Wright houses I personally prefer.
"I cannot also imagine why you consider the McMansions worthy of mention. These houses neither advance the craft of building nor the study of architectural form and style. As you observed they may not endure long enough to be worthy of study in the future."
Look at the Title.
It does not claim that the 25 homes have any of those characteristics.
Here's one that should have been significant but came far before it's time.
View Image
be meet George Jetson
half of good living is staying out of bad situations
Looks like someone squished a silo down. How much insulation did they have?
jt8
"The difference between greatness and mediocrity is often how an individual views a mistake..."-- Nelson Boswell
I wonder if he even considered it at that time.
Was quite a while back.
be and Jane his wife
half of good living is staying out of bad situations
Don't worry. They didn't go for many of my choices either.
http://www.edithwharton.org/
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Ames_Gate_Lodge.html
But I did agree with the McMansion and the Royal Barry Wills selections.
I think it was appropriate to mention McMansions. They are ugly, wasteful, dysfunctional, and so forth, but are "important" in that so many are built. Their existence will forever change homes in America. Hopefully the damage will be short lived and the change they bring about would be to drive builders, architects, and homeowners away from them to something much better.