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California Modern: The Architecture of Craig Ellwood
He had no professional license, but was named one of the "three best architects of 1957" along with Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies van der Rohe. He drove a red Ferrari with the license plate VROOM. His succession of wives brought him clients and influenced his designs. He relied on a staff of talented assistants to realize his ideas. If ever there was a product of Hollywood, it was architect Craig Ellwood (1922-1992). A fiction of his own making--even his name was an invention--Ellwood fashioned a career through charm, ambition, and a connoisseur's eye. By the 1950s Ellwood had a thriving practice that infused the Germanic rationalism of Mies van der Rohe with an informal breeziness that was all Southern California. A series of dramatic, open, and elegant houses made him a media star, and interest in him and his work has only increased in recent years. California Modern: The Architecture of Craig Ellwood is the first compre-hensive monograph on this prolific, influential, and complex character. Copiously illustrated with contemporary images--including many striking black and white photographs by Julius Shulman--plans, drawings, and specially commissioned new photography, California Modern traces Ellwood's fascinating personal history, provides a critical evaluation of his work, and establishes his importance as a pivotal shaper of the California style.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2001
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September 5, 2023
This book is a very thorough review of Craig Ellie’s, both professionally and personally. The author has spent many years researching archives and speaking to colleagues, friends, and family members.
This is a much more academic and scholarly book rather than a coffee table book. There are many images but most are smaller or black & white. If you are seeking a coffee table book with large photos covering all his most memorable buildings, this is not it.
It would have been nice to have a more thorough visual history of structures, details, and floor plans. To get the full impact of Ellwood you will need to get a second book to supplement this one, but this one is a requirement.
Out of print now but still available Le used, you should be able to find a good copy for under $50
This is a much more academic and scholarly book rather than a coffee table book. There are many images but most are smaller or black & white. If you are seeking a coffee table book with large photos covering all his most memorable buildings, this is not it.
It would have been nice to have a more thorough visual history of structures, details, and floor plans. To get the full impact of Ellwood you will need to get a second book to supplement this one, but this one is a requirement.
Out of print now but still available Le used, you should be able to find a good copy for under $50
Displaying 1 of 1 review