10.05.2007

some eichler time

developer joseph eichler built roughly 11,000 homes throughout the bay area between 1950 and 1974. post-and-beam construction, open plans and abundant use of glass gave many of the tract homes {which have gained an understandable cult following} the appeal of custom designs. it's a huge trend here to buy an eichler home and return it to its original glory. one such home was featured in the sf chronicle recently. i was so taken with it i wanted to share it with you. and then of course add a bit more eichler nostalgia to the mix. i too have a real fondness for eichler style, and my apartment has a very eichler-familiar feel to it as well.


a couple of great books on eichlers to add to your design library:
"atomic ranch: design ideas for stylish ranch homes" by michelle gringeri-brown and jim brown.
"eichler: modernism rebuilds the american dream" by paul adamson

for a fun step back in eichler time, take a look at this brochure from the late 1950's used to promote the san mateo highlands subdivision.

many people have remarked that my place appears to be an eichler. although i've searched all over the eichler network & other such sites i haven't found a way to determine it. i'm not sure that he built any apartment buildings though, so i think mine is probably one of the many copy-cats. for those of you who have been inside my place, doesn't this eichler living room look architecturally familiar?

4 comments:

Elizabeth Brinton said...

I really like Eichler. I wonder, did he do any houses in the Pacific Northwest? I live in Kirkland Wa, and on my street there are several very "modern" houses from 1950-58. Some of these are very worn out, and others have enjoyed tender loving care and sensitive remoldeling over the years. Mine has a cedar ceiling with beams and a rustic fireplace wall, and resembles one of the pictures you posted. Some of these houses have flat roofs, and little glassed in courtyards. Sadly, our neighborhood is being demolished little by little, and large rectangular boxy plywood "mansions" are taking the place of these little homes on big lots with lovely mature gardens. sigh....The new houses have NO style. Actually none. Just big rooms and fake luxuries.

studio wellspring said...

i didn't see any evidence of eichlers in the pac nw in my brief research (http://www.eichlernetwork.com/ENHist.html)
but you could always shoot an email to the eichler network to find out for sure.
it's sad that todays housing developers have mostly lost touch with style & ingenuity when building up new neighborhoods. very few seem to care about leaving any lasting positive architectural legacy anymore.

j said...

swoonswoonswoonswoonswoon

Jenn Ski said...

Those homes are beautiful!