Pierre Koenig is a leading figure of the Modern Movement in America. He is the architect of some of Los Angeles' most admired houses, and was a guiding influence on the "Case Study House Program".
This monograph, the first to compile his pioneering work, provides an unparalleled insight into the evolution of Modernism on the West Coast.
Koenig designed and built his first exposed steel house in 1950 while still a student of architecture, proving that the use of prefabricated materials could allow for spatial freedom in affordable housing. In 1957, after several realized projects, he was chosen by "Arts and Architecture" magazine to design Case Study Houses #21 and #22, two of the most innovative buildings in the Program. These two houses, the culmination of several years' careful development, have since become iconic and capture the excitement and optimism of the period.
This book, a complete study of Koenig's career, examines his dedicated application of specific design and structural principles; his interest in industrialization; and his belief in environmentally and socially responsible design. Photographs of Koenig's work, together with the architect's original sketches and drawings, provide a comprehensive visual document of his refined and dramatic architecture.
