Five California Architects

by Esther McCoy, Randell L. Makinson

This classic study of Bernard Maybeck, Irving Gill, Charles and Henry Greene, and R.M. Schindler was first published by Reinhold, then by Praeger, and then by Henry Holt before being allowed to go out of print. The demand for this book has been so great that we have reprinted it. It has been acclaimed by many prominent architects and architectural historians who consider it to be an indispensable volume on 20th-century American Architecture.

Genres: Architecture

200 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was written in the 50s but it is still timely. McCoy studies 5 California architects- Maybeck, the Greene brothers, Gill and Schindler. Her study of each architect is detailed with drawings and photos to illustrate her points. She places them in the context of their eras and discusses the influence their works had. In the case of Gill, he was largely forgotten until McCoy revived him with her chapter on his work. I read this book in the 80s in college- it was even better the second time.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Five California Architects" is a good introduction to the works and lives of the architects profiled (The Greene brothers, Irving Gill, Bernard Maybeck and R.M. Schindler). The book consists of biographical essays on each architect (the Greenes are handled together) and various photos and sketches of buildings they each designed.

This book is more like five little books; one for each individual architect. There is little attempt to provide any linkages between them (although some links are so obvious that the style of treatment reveals them none the less); and little attempt to provide context. The style of writing is heavy on anecdote. "Five California Architects" gives the reader a good sense of the kind of men these architects were, but less of a sense of the position they occupied in the development of modern architecture.

Despite its short comings, this book is a must have for those interested in the development of modernist architecture in California, and I would recommend it to all those interested in the subject.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful companion to The Four Ecologies and City of Quartz, Ms. McCoy brings five amazing architects and their work to life. Banham and Davis focus their analysis and insight on overarching forces that mold Los Angeles, McCoy focus on the personal--individual innovators and buildings where people live and work. As a side note--Esther McCoy is a fascinating woman.

[Marva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think what I read is an earlier edition of this book, but I really enjoyed this book. All black and white, the pictures were still very vivid of the places these 5 architects designed. The plus for me was that the book told the life story [in brief] of each of the architects.