Architects’ personal homes can provide insight not only into their design methods and spatial organization but also into the philosophy that guided their work. Despite the small scale of the residencies, they allow us to understand the worldview of the authors-creators: they themselves were the clients, which means that no one could impose restrictions on future creations. From the layout to the choice of finishes and color palette, everything in the projects reflects the values, lifestyle, and aesthetic preferences of their creators. For architects from Charles and Ray Eames to Alvar Aalto, the house was a field of experimentation that allowed them to push the boundaries of self-expression.
Eames House, Charles and Ray Eames
Los Angeles, USA, 1949
Originally known as Case Study House No. 8, Eames House was commissioned as part of the Case Study House program sponsored by Arts and Architecture Magazine. The initiative aimed to explore the latest materials and construction methods that became available after World War II. Case Study House No. 8, designed by the Eames couple, served as their home and studio for the rest of their lives. The building consists of two steel-framed blocks, one of which was the actual residential residence, and the other a working studio. The lightweight and airy designs have also been optimized to be disassembled and reassembled anywhere. The house is now owned by the Eames Foundation, which regularly hosts tours and other events at the space.
Le Corbusier’s apartment in the Molitor Building
Paris, France, 1939
The house on Rue Nungesser-et-Cauly in Paris was designed by the architect together with Pierre Jeanneret. Construction lasted from 1931 to 1933. The architect decided to move into a duplex on the upper floors, turning it into his own apartment and studio. Here he lived with his wife Yvonne Gallis from 1934 until he died in 1965.
The project itself became an important test for certain theories of Le Corbusier in the field of architecture and urbanism. Inside, low ceilings alternate with high vaulted ones, creating a special rhythm in the space. The apartments were decorated with Le Corbusier’s own works and furnished with furniture made especially for the project. A small staircase led to the garden on the roof of the building. The apartment was listed as a World Heritage Site in 2016 and opened to the public after restoration.
Villa E-1027, Eileen Gray
Roquebrune-Cap Martin, France, 1929
The villa on the Cote d’Azur was Eileen Gray’s first work in the architectural genre – before that, she was engaged in furniture and interior design. The house is rightfully considered an icon of modernism. The villa, lovingly integrated into the landscape, was created as a private retreat for her and her partner Jean Badovici. The interior reflects Gray’s commitment to comfort and functional design. For her future home, she thought through all the details, including furniture and lighting.
In the 1930s, Le Corbusier tried unsuccessfully to purchase the villa several times. In 1938 and 1939, while staying at the house as a guest, he painted eight murals on the white walls of the house, some of which were openly offensive to Eileen Gray. The house suffered further shocks: it was subsequently seriously damaged during the Second World War, and only after a large-scale reconstruction was the villa opened to the public.
Gropius House, Walter Gropius
Lincoln, USA, 1939
Gropius House in Lincoln, Massachusetts, was the residence of the architect and his family during his years at Harvard University. Completed in 1938, the house was his first completed project in the United States. The contemporary villa, made of concrete and glass, caused a stir in the architectural community as it presented an opposition to the conventional American residential landscape. After Gropius died in 1969, the house became a national landmark, demonstrating the timelessness of his creation.
“When I built my first house in the United States, my own, I set myself the task of combining in a concept those features of the New England architectural tradition that I found still alive and adequate to the times. This fusion of regional spirit with a modern approach to design led to the creation of a house that I would never have built in Europe with its completely different climatic, technical, and psychological conditions,” said Gropius himself.
Riihitie 20, house of Aino and Alvar Aalto
Helsinki, Finland, 1936
After moving to Helsinki, Aino and Alvar Aalto decided to build their own house, which could also serve as their studio. The project was completed in 1936. The house at 20 Riihitie Street is clearly divided into two zones – an office wing and a living space.
Gradually, more space was needed for the workshop, and the architect’s studio moved to a new building in the Munkkiniemi area, but the house remained Aalto’s main residence for the next 40 years. The building exhibits features of “romantic functionalism” with the extensive use of wood and plastered brick as the main finishing materials, which was characteristic of Aalto’s architectural language. The house now belongs to the Alvar Aalto Foundation and is open to the public.
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