Discover the renewed Rudolph Schindler masterpiece, now known as How House, in the heart of Los Angeles.
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In the heart of Silver Lake, Los Angeles, stands a testament to modernist architecture - How House. This two-level L-plan structure, a paradise for its owner, Spencer Velasquez, offers a unique blend of vintage charm and contemporary design.
Built in 1949, How House cost only $8,300 to construct, making it an extraordinary investment. The house boasts sweeping vistas, with views east towards the San Gabriel mountains and west to the Griffith Observatory in the Hollywood Hills.
The upper level of How House is adorned with a vintage dining table and chairs, a sofa, and custom-made armchairs by Taska Cleveland. The lower level, a poured concrete podium, houses bedrooms and offices. Custom-built-in cabinets in the two bedrooms, offices, and kitchen were designed by Taska Cleveland, who was formerly the artistic director at Studio Shamshiri. The California-based Santori Woodworking was commissioned to craft these cabinets.
Rudolph Schindler, the architect behind How House, was raised and educated in Vienna, a city known for composers, architects, psychoanalysts, and other radical creatives. Schindler's architectural education was notably influenced by Otto Wagner, a leading figure in modern architecture in Vienna. Wagner, recognized as a pioneer of modern architecture alongside figures like Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Louis Sullivan, was Schindler's teacher.
While Schindler’s direct architectural mentorship was primarily with Otto Wagner, the vibrant modernist artistic and intellectual scene in Vienna—including architects like Adolf Loos and cultural figures such as Gustav Mahler, Arnold Schoenberg, and Sigmund Freud—also formed part of the intellectual fabric during his upbringing.
Schindler migrated to America in 1914 and worked with Frank Lloyd Wright. His design for How House uses a new technique of pouring concrete in movable forms, a testament to his innovative approach. The house features diagonal axes and patterns formed by exposed joists, and a light well linking the two levels. The dining room and a study are cantilevered out, giving the house an appearance of a tight-knit cluster of cubes from the outside.
Lighting was a challenge in How House. Brass cylinders were added to bounce light off the walls and create a soft ambient glow. Velasquez, who grew up in Los Angeles, finds the daily cycle of sunlight in How House exciting, describing it as having a "liquid quality" that changes from moment to moment.
Velasquez collaborated with interior designer Taska Cleveland on the renovation of How House. The furniture in the upper level includes a vintage dining table and chairs, a sofa, and custom-made armchairs by Taska Cleveland. The result is a harmonious blend of Schindler's modernist design and Cleveland's contemporary touch.
Sources:
[1] "Rudolph Schindler." Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 12 Mar. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rudolph-Schindler.
[2] "Rudolph Schindler." Architectural Digest, Condé Nast, 14 Oct. 2019, https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/rudolph-schindler-how-house.
The harmonious blend of Schindler's modernist design and Cleveland's contemporary touch transforms the interior-design of How House, creating a lifestyle that seamlessly merges vintage charm with contemporary aesthetics. Afterward, the home-and-garden of How House, with its stunning views of the San Gabriel mountains and Griffith Observatory, further enhances this unique lifestyle experience.
