Home Industrial: Julius Shulman and The Stahl House

I recently watched the documentary Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman on Netflix. I'd never heard of Julius Shulman but it popped up as one of the "you might also like" selections so I figured I'd give it a shot. Well bravo Netflix, I loved every second of it!

Photograph: Dan Winters

Mr. Shulman was THE architecture photographer. If you were an architect designing modern homes in the 50s and 60's, you wanted him photographing your work. And it's easy to see why. Every photo is taken at just the right angle and perfectly encapsulates the zeitgeist of the era. The movie takes you through a visual feast of modern architecture as it winds its way through Mr. Shulman's life's work. By the end, I was itching to move to my own modern oasis in the desert of Palm Springs and completely in love with Julius. At 93 when the movie was shot, his passion for life and his art is still palpable in the film. Sadly, he passed away last year at the age of 98 but his work lives on. If you're at all interested in photography or architecture, it is a must watch.

Raymond Loewy House, 1947

Bonini Residence #1, 1950

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Twin Palms House, 1957

Perhaps his most famous photograph, and the one that captivated me the most, is of the Stahl House. Also known as Case Study #22, the home was designed by Pierre Koenig in 1960 as part of the Case Study House Program devised by John Entenza, then editor & publisher of Arts & Architecture Magazine. The idea was simple - to challenge the best architects of the day to design beautiful but affordable homes for the typical post-WWII American family using mostly wood, steel and glass. Koenig built #22 on what was widely believed to be an unbuildable lot.

Carlotta Stahl, the widow of "Buck" Stahl and original owner of the home STILL lives there. In 1954, Mr. Stahl purchased a vacant lot high up in the hills of Los Angeles at a cost of $13,500. Buck had the idea to build a house on the property constructed almost entirely of glass to showcase the incredible views. He shopped the idea around to different architects who all told him it was impossible. That is until Pierre Koenig came along. Its steel frame construction allows the corner of the house to cantilever off the cliff edge. Expansive windows and straight angles visually extend it seamlessly from the street grid of Los Angeles which it overlooks.

Shulman's genius was to capture the house at night. The pretty ladies in the photo are girlfriends of two of the architects that worked with Pierre Koenig at the time. The image of them perched daintily in a glass box with the twinkling city lights beyond went on to become THE singular image of the West Coast modernist movement.

Over 50 years later, it remains as relevant and breathtaking as ever.

Not surprisingly, the home has been featured in countless movies, music videos (remember Wilson Phillips' Release Me?) and photo shoots. The home has been meticulously maintained by the Stahls which is not cheap. To keep up with the very expensive maintenance, they have opened it up to private events. Can you imagine exchanging your wedding vows on that pool deck?

You can also tour the house for the modest price of $20 for a one hour tour. Info here. I NEED to figure out how I can get out there to see this gem for myself. Tours are led by Carlotta and her son who grew up in the home. This alone fascinates me because as a new mom, all I can think when I see the pool deck is how non-childproof it is!