Esoteric Survey

Taliesin West served as Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home and school in the desert from 1937 until his death in 1959. 
Wright's importance as an architect is immense, although one could argue that his role as a teacher might eclipse his buildings. Architects such as Richard Neutra, R.M. Schindler, John Lautner, Bruce Goff, and Paolo Soleri all spent time working for Wright. San Diego architects Sim Bruce Richards, Loch Crane and Frederick Liebhardt were also Taliesin Fellows. More information on Wright's legacy in San Diego can be found at Modern San Diego.
Frank Lloyd Wright and the Fellowship
Source: Frank Lloyd Wright



The mosaic was gifted to Frank Lloyd Wright by playwright and congresswoman Clare Booth Luce. 









Every year, before the brutal summer hit the Scottsdale desert, Wright's operation was packed away and stored in this kiva. He then made the trek to Taliesin in Wisconsin.
The dragon breathes fire at night

There are a number of Chinese ceramic pieces incorpora…

Over the weekend I went to an open house for this 1957 home by Calvin Straub of Buff, Straub, and Hensman. It was built by Straub as his personal residence. The beautiful and detailed restoration was done by HabHouse. As you'll see from the photo at the end of the post, they should heralded for seeing the potential and executing an amazing resurrection.    
Straub did a wonderful job of creating the perfect blend of California and Japanese architecture. The restoration definitely pays tribute to that.








It's hard to believe, but this place was a total wreck.
725 BURLEIGH DRIVE  PASADENA, CA 91105

Leon C. Meyer (1924–2003) was an architect known for designing round houses in the 1960s and 1970s. They are primarily found in the Bay Area. Leon's firms were Meyer Round Structures and Meyer and Taylor Modern Structures. In addition to round houses, he designed apartments and even a preschool.
Meyer and his family lived in this round house, located in the Oakland hills. It was built in 1967. I did a drive by this weekend to check it out.
In a 1967 Oakland Tribune article, Meyer said "We work in boxes so why should we live in them?" He studied architecture at Cal Poly.
He also designed a triangular apartment building and an M-frame house, both in Oakland. 
Source: Oakland Tribune, 1965
Source: Oakland Tribune
Source: LA Times
As of 1971, Leon's company had sold 26 round houses. 
Source: LA Times

The firm went into prefabrication of the components, which could then be assembled onsite.
Source: Oakland Tribune
Another Leon Meyer round house in Oakland.  Apparently it…