case study houses los angeles visit

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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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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Stahl House (Case Study House #22)

Pierre Koenig | Website | 1960 | Visitor Information

1635 Woods Drive , West Hollywood 90069, United States of America

The Stahl House by Pierre Koenig (also known as Case Study House #22) was part of the Case Study House Program, which produced some of the most iconic architectural projects of the 20th Century. The modern residence overlooks Los Angeles from the Hollywood Hills. It was completed in 1959 for Buck Stahl and his family. Stahl envisioned a modernist glass and steel constructed house that offered panoramic views of Los Angeles when he originally purchased the land for the house in 1954 for $13,500. When excavation began, he originally took on the duties of both architect and contractor. It was not until 1957 that Stahl hired Pierre Koenig to take over the design of the family’s residence. The two-bedroom, 2,200 square foot residence is a true testament to modernist architecture and the Case Study House Program. The program was set in place by John Entenza and sponsored by the Arts & Architecture magazine. The aim of the program was to introduce modernist principles into residential architecture, not only to advance the aesthetic but to introduce new ways of life, both stylistically and as a representation of modern lifestyle. Koenig was able to hone in on the vision of Buck Stahl and transform that vision into a modernist icon. The glass and steel construction is the most identifiable trait of the house’s architectural modernism, however, way in which Koenig organized the spatial layout of the house, taking both public and private aspects into great consideration, is also notable. As much as architectural modernism is associated with the materials and methods of construction, the juxtaposition of program and organization are important design principles that evoke utilitarian characteristics. The house is “L”-shaped, completely separating the public and private sections except for a single hallway connecting them. The adjacent swimming pool, which must be crossed to enter the house, is not only a spatial division of public and private but it serves as the interstitial space in which visitors can best experience the panoramic views. The living space of the house is behind the pool and is the only part of the house that has a solid wall, which backs up to the carport and the street. The entire house is one large viewing box, capturing amazing perspectives of the house, the landscape, and Los Angeles. Oddly enough, the Stahl house was fairly unknown and unrecognized for its advancement of modern American residential architecture until 1960 when photographer Julius Shulman captured the pure architectural essence of the house in a shot of two women sitting in the living room overlooking the bright lights of the city of Los Angeles. That photo put the Stahl House on the architectural radar as an architectural gem hidden in the Hollywood Hills. The Stahl House is still one of the most visited and admired buildings today. It has undergone many interior transformations. Today, you will not find the same iconic 1960s furniture inside, but the architecture, the view, and the experience still remain.

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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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• Laurel Canyon
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• Midcentury Modern

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.

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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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WHAT WE'RE READING: Pocket guide to LA's Case Study Houses

ARCHITECT OF THE WEEK: New and ambitious practice Carl Trenfield Architects

HOUSE OF THE WEEK: Binh Thanh House by Vo Trong Nghia Architects and Sanuki Nishizawa

Some of the Los Angeles Case Study Houses have been mentioned in The Modern House blog before, and this small but dense guide is a great introduction to many of the others. Published by Taschen , the book features all of the houses included in its original large version, with more than 150 photos, sketches, drafts and plans and a map of where all of the houses are (or were) located.

The Case Study Houses were masterminded between 1945 and 1966 by John Entenza, the editor of the American magazine Arts & Architecture . The programme concentrated on the Los Angeles area and oversaw the design of 36 prototype homes, which were intended to make available plans for modern residences that could be easily and cheaply constructed during the post-war building boom. Entenza, a champion of Modernism, used his architectural knowledge and network to recruit well-known and talented architects including Richard Neutra , Pierre Koenig , Charles and Ray Eames , and Eero Saarinen . The houses came to define an era of architecture for LA and have had a prolonged influence on design all over the world.

For more information, visit: Taschen Books

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What are the Los Angeles Case Study Houses?

It started out simple enough; figure out how to build economic, reliable homes in the Los Angeles area after the end of World War II, that would be suitable and sufficient for families. This quest would continue from the 1940’s to the 1960’s, and its effects are still visible and relevant to this day across L.A.

What are Case Study Houses?

The “Case Study Houses” were an architectural experiment in Los Angeles, California between 1945 and 1966 (The homes are located in the Los Angeles area aside from one in the San Francisco, California area and one in Phoenix, Arizona.) The editor of Arts & Architecture magazine at the time, John Entenza, asked architects to design and create homes that were simple, liveable, cost effective, and allowed owners to revel in the indoor-outdoor lifestyle that California is famous for ( read the magazine’s original call-out here ). In a competition of sorts, he asked for designs to be submitted for homes that would then be built and judged on their ability to live up to this criteria.

How many Case Study Houses were built?

The Case Study Houses initiative began with a total of 36 prototypes to be experimented with. The magazine set the requirement that “each house must be capable of duplication and in no sense be an individual performance.” Despite there being 36 designs, only 24 were ultimately built.

In terms of materials and layout, Entenza did not give much guidance or many instructions about what needed to be done when creating these homes, so the architects were free to use the materials they wanted. Some opted for brick whereas others opted for steel or wood.

Many architects chose to use smaller steel beams, which helped in designing homes that could be replicated easily and at a low cost. The use of cement, industrial glass, and plywood also tremendously decreased the price of building and therefore would be create a more budget-friendly option for families looking to purchase and maintain a home.

Los Angeles Case Study Houses: homes for modern families

In the end, almost every architect involved in this experimental project ended up aiming for an economically reasonable home that promoted a lot of natural light (via huge glass doors and windows that also reduced energy costs), openness, relaxation, and harmony.

Many of the homes were built with a modular layout that made the construction of them easier and quicker. The homes provided a feeling of togetherness for families, typically by rooms that we would now consider living rooms, but they also featured separate rooms to promote privacy when desired.

Famous architects of the Case Study Houses program

Entenza had such a reputation, and the idea of the Case Study Homes project was so appealing that he was able to commission several high-profile architects including Pierre Koenig, JR Davidson, and Richard Neutra.

These architects were already familiar with using these newer building materials materials and construction methods to build homes with the mid-century modernist theme, so they were perfect options for the Case Study Houses.

An announcement released by Arts & Architecture magazine stated that the architects were chosen based on “reasonableness, which they have consistently maintained at a high level.” The announcement concluded by stating that the Case Study Houses project would “assist in giving some direction to the critical thinking on housing being done by good architects and good manufacturers whose joint objective is good housing.”

The initial plan was to have each of the designs of the Case Study Houses built and then analyzed to see which ones could be recommended to be replicated based on sturdiness, structural design, appearance, economic benefit (versus losses), and public acceptance of modern architecture.

Ultimately, the goal was to find the best modern model that could be duplicated and would be reasonable and affordable for a family facing post-war challenges at that time. Many soldiers were returning home after being deployed for several years and needed places to support their families that didn’t come with exorbitant expenses. Seeing as there was a shortage of many materials and a lack of time for construction, a solution needed to be found.

Of course, the project was also geared towards finding out what construction methods and materials wouldn’t be suitable in that era.

The architects were all well aware of the Danish and Bauhaus modernist movements that were unveiled at the 1939 World’s Fair, which likely influenced the choices most of them made for their Case Study homes; many of the homes have modernist designs.

L.A. Case Study Homes today

At the time, these homes were stunning examples of ‘modern’ architecture and technology, and many of them still exist today. Several of the homes have unfortunately been demolished or completely remodeled to the point where they have lost their initial design integrity, but about 20 of the homes still exist much as they did when they were built. The most popular ones are likely the Stahl House, which was designed by Pierre Koenig in 1960 in West Hollywood, and the Eames House, which was designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1949 in the Pacific Palisades area. Both of these homes can be toured today.

Pierre Koenig’s Case Study House #21 has been altered but was initially praised for being completely surrounded by water, and Case Study House #10 is now owned by the actress Kristen Wiig. The Case Study House in Phoenix, Arizona, is an apartment that is still in existence today.

The Case Study Houses are a testament to how the United States tried and succeeded in leading the architecture and building industry after the war. Building economic, sturdy homes with advanced (for that time) technology, modern materials, and lower cost was critical for Americans looking to restructure their lives post-war, and the Case Study Houses project turned out to become one of the most memorable and inspiring ventures in architectural history.

How to tour Case Study Houses: Architecture tours

Coming soon, we will be creating tours for these and other important homes in Los Angeles. To inquire, please click here .

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. 

Past Perfect: Crafting the Ultimate Coastal Retreat

A Modern Home Seamlessly Integrated with Nature’s Beauty

• Eames Foundation

find us on:

• Eames House
• Charles and Ray
• Eames House and the CSH program
• Case Study House Bluff
• Photo Gallery

How to Visit

• Covid-19 Safety Protocols
• Guided Exterior Tour
• Group Guided Exterior Tour
• Interior Tour
• Members Appreciation Day
• Small Wedding
• Specialty Events
• Visitors Submissions
• Memberships
• Corporate Sponsorship
• 250 Year Project
• Collections
• On-going Studies
• Conservation Management Plan
• Team Thanks
• Twilight Interior Tour

Welcome to the Eames House!

Before you arrive, you may wish to download our Visitor Flyer for reference during your visit.

Please be aware:

• Reservations are required for ALL visits.
• There is no parking at the Eames House; free public street parking is available on Corona del Mar, which is the street just up the hill from the House.
• The Eames House is a five-minute walk down the hill to the shared private driveway entrance, marked with signs for 201, 203 and 205. Walk all the way to the end : the only house with a wrought-iron gate. There is NO BUZZER! For more information, visit our Directions page.
• No interior photographs are permitted. Exterior photos are for personal use only, not publication of any kind.
• We continue to monitor Covid-19 news, particularly case surges and hospital capacity. If necessary for the safety of staff and visitors, we may need to close to visitors or to add additional visitor restrictions. We thank you for your understanding. Visit our Covid-19 Safety page for full details.

Eames Foundation 203 Chautauqua Boulevard Pacific Palisades, CA  90272

Standard Tour Hours:

Mondays, 2:30 pm Tuesdays, CLOSED to visitors Wednesdays, CLOSED to visitors Thursdays, 12:30pm and 2:30 pm Fridays, 10:30 am, 12:30pm, and 2:30 pm Saturdays, 10:30 am, 12:30pm, and 2:30 pm Sundays, CLOSED to visitors

Types of Visits:

Monthly tours released Guided 90 minute visits

More/Reserve

Guided and private 90 minute visits, limited to 25 visitors

More/Request Reservation

Interior Tours:

CURRENTLY CLOSED Limited to 4 visitors

CURRENTLY CLOSED Limited to 6 visitors

Private exterior tour Site to yourselves, bring your own food

$2,500+ for small wedding Reservation one month in advance

Specialty Events: 

We offer cocktail and other group events, with pricing determined by event. Feel free to ask about any other possibilities; we would love to hear your ideas, so you may tailor an event to your particular needs.

More/Request Information

All special event proceeds support conservation work under the 250 Year Project.

Help us share the Eameses’ joy and rigor with future visitors, so they may have a direct experience of Charles and Ray’s approach to life and work.

The Only Surviving Craig Ellwood Case Study House Asks $2.9M

One of Craig Ellwood’s architectural masterpieces is now on the market. Completed in 1953, the single-story, flat-roofed home was the first of three contributions Ellwood made to  Arts & Architecture magazine’s Case Study House Program. Today, the two-bedroom abode is the only surviving member of the trio, as the other two homes were since heavily remodeled.

The home’s front facade is wrapped with translucent glass panels.

Located at 1811 Bel Air Road, Case Study House #16 was designed by Craig Ellwood in 1953. The residence has been meticulously maintained over the years by its two owners, and today it’s the only surviving Case Study design by Ellwood.

Set on a flat site in the hills of Bel Air, the residence has had only two owners since its completion. With the exception of a few minor changes over the years, it remains in its original condition—and it’s now recognized as a city landmark by the Los Angeles Conservancy.

Although he was an engineer by trade and had no formal architectural training, Ellwood had a passion for using industrial materials and construction techniques in residential architecture. His approach is exhibited in Case Study House #16, which is primarily constructed of steel, glass, and concrete.

From the moment it was built, the home was celebrated for its innovative design. Translucent glass panels shield the modular steel structure, making the residence read as a floating pavilion from the street. Now, for the first time in 50 years, the property is back on the market—currently listed for $2,995,000. Scroll ahead to see inside.

"The house was innovative in its use of exposed steel structural framing, and floor-to-ceiling glass walls took advantage of spectacular views," notes the Los Angeles Conservancy. The home is located on an 8,427-square-foot lot in Bel Air, and its "layout and siting align with the views and sun orientation, taking full advantage of both."

Floor-to-ceiling glass walls invite warm natural light into the 1,664-square-foot interior.

In the living room, an original natural rock fireplace continues through the glass to divide the patio.

The home’s free-flowing floor plan seamlessly connects the main living areas.

Steel beams support the home’s roof while creating a trellised covering for the side patio.

The home displays several applications of the same materials—metal, glass, and concrete—a key characteristic of most Ellwood homes.

Tucked away in the hills of Bel Air, Case Study House #16 is a serene oasis in the center of Los Angeles.

1811 Bel Air Road in Los Angeles, CA, is currently listed for $2,995,000 by Aaron Kirman, Dalton Gomez, and Weston Littlefield of the Aaron Kirman Group at Compass.

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Case Study House #10

Case Study House #10 exemplified the Case Study House program goals through the use of new building materials and techniques, affordability for the average American, simplicity of construction, economy of materials, and integration of indoor and outdoor living.

Place Details

• Kemper Nomland,
• Kemper Nomland, Jr.

Designation

• Private Residence - Do Not Disturb

Property Type

• Single-Family Residential

Case Study House #10 was not originally commissioned as part of  Arts & Architecture  magazine’s Case Study House program, but was added upon completion in 1947 to maintain continuity in the program given the number of unbuilt houses up to that point. The house exemplified a number of the program’s goals, including the use of new building materials and techniques, affordability for the average American, simplicity of construction, economy of materials, and integration of indoor and outdoor living.

Designed by the father and son team of architects, Kemper Nomland and Kemper Nomland, Jr., the house was built on a sloping corner lot in Pasadena.  The downward slope of the lot served as inspiration for the house’s three-level plan.

The house is primarily of wood post and beam construction, set upon a single concrete slab, and features extensive use of large walls of glass.

The house’s shed roof parallels the slope of the lot. At the front of the house, steps and a walk lead down from the street to the main entrance, where a floor-to-ceiling pebbled glass wall in the studio overlooks the walkway.  The rear elevation of the house is formed mainly of sliding glass doors, with the roof overhang providing shade to a back patio outside of the dining room.

The top floor, at street level, contains a studio and garage. The master bedroom and a guest room and bath are on the middle floor, which also contains a gallery/hallway that overlooks the living room below through a large pane of corrugated translucent glass. The living room, dining room, kitchen, and a 1968 addition (by Kemper Nomland, Jr.) are on the lower level.

View the National Register of Historic Places Nomination

The Conservancy does not own or operate the Case Study House #10. For any requests, please contact the Case Study House #10 directly.

Issues including Case Study House #10

Case Study Houses

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Project Roomkey was meant to ‘protect human life.’ A new report tracks its performance

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Good morning. It’s Wednesday, May 15 . Here’s what you need to know to start your day.

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When the COVID-19 pandemic upended daily life a little over four years ago, state and local health officials were particularly concerned about the coronavirus spreading rapidly among unhoused Californians.

In response, state agencies mobilized quickly to create and launch Project Roomkey , repurposing hotel and motels to provide rooms to unhoused people. The goal of the emergency project was “to protect human life, and to minimize strain on health care system capacity.”

So, how much did Project Roomkey (which I’ll just call PRK moving forward) actually help? A newly released study from research and consulting firm Abt Global attempted to answer that question.

While the study highlights some success in the context of a global health emergency, it also notes shortfalls in later goals aimed at providing its clients with permanent housing.

The study was funded by the California Health Care Foundation and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. Researchers collected online survey data from providers in 45 counties, conducted phone interviews with providers in 15 counties and visited sites in five counties, where they interviewed 67 current and former clients of the program.

Their conclusion: PRK achieved its original goals of saving lives and easing pressure on an already overstrained healthcare system. The authors also said the project “enhanced how interim housing is designed and operated in some communities across California.”

But the study comes with a major asterisk, L.A. Times reporter Doug Smith noted in his recent coverage : the “inability to connect information collected at the hotel and motel sites with statewide data from health, housing and other public services agencies left the researchers with only anecdotal evidence to substantiate that conclusion.”

That echoes an ongoing challenge in California’s extensive response to the homelessness crisis: the state does a poor job of tracking how billions of dollars in funding is being spent or how well it’s working .

In total, PRK provided hotel rooms to about 62,000 people in 50 counties and four tribal jurisdictions across the state. The study authors note that the program peaked in October 2020 with more than 16,000 committed rooms, but began to fall off after that.

In L.A. for instance, the program ended in early 2021 after falling well short of its goals. When Mayor Karen Bass took office in late 2022, she launched Safe Inside, which followed a similar strategy of providing temporary rooms with the hopes of permanent housing down the line. Progress has been slow .

Lackluster progress on housing

While PRK was initially launched to boost emergency shelter options across the state, it later evolved to include a rehousing strategy to “ensure no Project Roomkey occupant is forced to exit into unsheltered homelessness,” according to state officials .

But most of PRK’s clients did not trade their temporary room for a permanent home. The authors note that of the 62,000 people who received a California hotel or motel room through the program:

• 25% moved into other emergency shelter sites
• 23% were unaccounted for
• 22% moved in to permanent housing (subsidized or unsubsidized)
• 11% moved in temporarily with friends or family or to transitional housing or motels
• 15% returned to the street
• 4% transferred to institutions such as hospitals, nursing homes or substance abuse treatment facilities

The report also states that longer stays in PRK-funded hotels or motels led to a higher likelihood of permanent housing for people, but other temporary shelters often outperformed PRK sites.

“In the three counties for which they had data on individuals, the researchers found that residents in traditional shelters were more likely to obtain permanent housing,” Doug reported. “In Los Angeles only 19% of Project Roomkey clients moved on to permanent homes, compared with 25% of those leaving shelters.”

It’s also worth noting that while study authors highlight the program’s success at reducing the number of unhoused people getting sick and dying due to the coronavirus, deaths in the unhoused community have increased dramatically in the past several years — even before the pandemic .

Drug overdoses play a major role in those deaths, which have been rising each year in many counties, including Los Angeles and San Diego . But people experiencing homelessness are also dying at higher rates due to heat and cold exposure , traffic collisions and complications from cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Adding to the problem is the fact that the available mortality data are incomplete, meaning the numbers that do get reported are almost certainly an undercount.

The achievements and challenges of Project Roomkey mirror much of what I’ve heard from homelessness experts and advocates for the unhoused:

The systems meant to respond to and reduce homelessness are mostly failing to get people on paths to secure housing. Part of the problem is that homeless service providers don’t control how much housing is getting built in communities — or how many of those homes are affordable to the extremely poor.

And that’s the real solution to our homelessness crisis that temporary rooms don’t achieve on their own, but can help forge a path to: permanent, affordable housing for the more than 180,000 unhoused people (and counting) who need it in the Golden State.

You can read more of Doug Smith’s reporting on the Project Roomkey study here .

Today’s top stories

• Wildfire weather is increasing in California and much of the U.S., a report finds.
• L.A.’s water supplies are in good shape. But is the city ready for the next drought?

Violence on the metro

• Three people were stabbed in two separate incidents on Los Angeles County’s Metro system.
• Column: They want to ride buses and trains, but they’re afraid . For riders old and young, Metro must be safer.

Hepatitis A outbreak

• Hepatitis A is spreading among Los Angeles homeless population , health officials say.
• Hepatitis A scare at the Men’s Central Jail led to more than 1,500 vaccinations.
• Opinion: A deadly but curable disease is thriving in L.A.’s jails . That’s unacceptable.

Crime and courts

• It took a month to ID a law school student’s body. Her fiancé has now been convicted of murder.
• Gunshots fired at an Oakland teen rowing team don’t stop it from finishing the race.
• The shooter of two Jewish men in L.A. agrees to plead guilty to hate crimes .

More big stories

• What you need to know about the bird flu outbreak, concerns about raw milk, and more .
• Climate change is central to both Pope Francis and Newsom . But do Catholic voters care?
• Alice Munro, acclaimed short-story writer and Nobel Prize winner, dies at 92 .
• Summer of 2023 was hottest in 2,000 years , a study finds.
• SpaceX plans to launch 90 rockets from Vandenberg Space Force Base by 2026 . Could that harm the coast?
• East West Players appoints Lily Tung Crystal as its new artistic director .
• Red Lobster offered all-you-can-eat shrimp. That was a mistake.
• Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Foundation was ‘delinquent’ in California . What does that mean?
• Drownings rose among young children after decades of decline . It’s ‘highly concerning,’ CDC says.
• Pro-Palestinian activists protest at Google developer conference amid Israel-Hamas war.
• New York is on a studio building spree to grab a bigger slice of L.A.’s Hollywood pie.
• Buying a home in Southern California? There are now more options.
• Gov. Kristi Noem, who wrote of shooting her dog , to speak at California GOP convention.

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Commentary and opinions

• Robin Abcarian: ‘Diaper Don’? Trump’s supporters turn the tables on his puerile critics .
• Mariel Garza: Dislike Tesla? OK, but here’s why you should love its Superchargers .
• Sammy Roth: California farmers are low on water. Why not help them go solar?
• Michael Hiltzik: Exxon Mobil is suing its shareholders to silence them about global warming.

Today’s great reads

A lonely desert fire station, the only lifeline for millions of Vegas travelers. Expect to wait for help if you crash in the desert Interstate 15 from Los Angeles to Vegas. There’s only one fire station dedicated to the stretch. Last year, the five-person crew answered nearly 1,000 calls.

Other great reads

• Renting used to be a source of shame to this apartment manager’s daughter. Now it’s a knowing comfort.
• ChatGPT’s new voice mode is giving ‘Her’ vibes .
• Want to live to 100? That may depend on your sex .

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to [email protected] .

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• 🎭 Las Vegas’ new must-see show plays with animation, dance and what it means to be human.
• 📖 Miranda July is widening and expanding women’s lives with her new novel: ‘Fiction is my superpower.’
• 🧑‍🍳 Here’s a recipe for grilled swordfish with quick crushed potatoes and parsley-caper relish .
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Today’s great photo is from Times photographer Christina House. House snapped this photo of actor Jonathan Bailey in downtown L.A.

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Ryan Fonseca writes the Los Angeles Times’ Essential California newsletter. A lifelong SoCal native, he has worked in a diverse mix of newsrooms across L.A. County, including radio, documentary, print and television outlets. Most recently, he was an associate editor for LAist.com and KPCC-FM (89.3) public radio, covering transportation and mobility. He returns to The Times after previously working as an assistant web editor for Times Community News, where he helped manage the websites and social media presence of the Burbank Leader, Glendale News-Press and La Cañada Valley Sun. Fonseca studied journalism at Cal State Northridge, where he now teaches the next generation of journalists to develop their voice and digital skills.

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