Discover the rejuvenated Rudolph Schindler masterpiece in Los Angeles, known as How House
Modernist Masterpiece Revived: How House in Silver Lake
In the heart of Los Angeles' Silver Lake neighbourhood lies a architectural gem, the How House, designed by the Austrian-American architect Rudolph Schindler in 1925. This unique piece of modernist architecture, featuring intersecting L-shaped volumes made of poured concrete and redwood, is a testament to Schindler's innovative approach and vision.
The How House, originally built for $8,300, has proven to be an extraordinary investment as well as a paradise for living. Its dynamic composition of angles and voids, mitred corner windows, and clerestories flood the house with natural light by day, offering sweeping vistas, east to the San Gabriel mountains, and west to the Griffith Observatory in the Hollywood Hills.
Schindler, raised and educated in Vienna, a city known for composers, architects, psychoanalysts, and other radical creatives, migrated to America and worked with Frank Lloyd Wright, supervising the construction of the Hollyhock House before establishing his own practice. The How House reflects Schindler’s early experimental concrete techniques involving movable forms for the poured concrete base, highlighting his innovative approach.
The house's previous owners, including How who initially commissioned the house, are not extensively detailed in available sources. However, the current owner, Spencer Velasquez, undertook a sensitive restoration aiming to preserve the house’s original architectural character while adapting it for modern living. Renovation included new built-in cabinetry, unobtrusive brass lighting, and concealed audio systems—balancing respect for Schindler’s design history with contemporary daily life needs.
Velasquez's efforts reveal a deep appreciation for Schindler’s playful and joyful architectural intentions, emphasising light movement, spatial experience, and visual dialogue with the surrounding landscape. He painted the exterior of How House in a soft grey-green color that echoes the foliage and bark of eucalyptus trees on the site and removed the dark brown stain in the living room to reveal the natural beauty of the redwood.
The How House remains a significant example of Schindler’s architectural legacy in Los Angeles and stands alongside other Schindler projects preserved and celebrated by institutions such as the MAK Center for Art and Architecture, though the How House itself is not explicitly mentioned as part of the MAK Center’s sites.
In summary, the How House is a remarkable blend of original architectural ingenuity and thoughtful restoration. Its innovative use of materials, dynamic spatial compositions, and connection with the surrounding landscape secure its place as a vital and living piece of modernist architectural heritage.
- The renovation of the How House, featuring new built-in cabinetry, unobtrusive brass lighting, and concealed audio systems, showcases a delicate balance between preserving its original interior-design and adapting it to modern lifestyle and home-and-garden trends.
- The current owner's paint choice for the exterior of the How House, a soft grey-green color that mirrors the foliage and bark of eucalyptus trees, further enhances its integration with the surrounding landscape, elevating its standing as a notable example of modernist interior-design.
