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Take the time to understand and appreciate the original design for what it was. Then hire a competent architect to help make the improvements that are desired, one who is sensitive to the spirit and objective that Eichler and his original architects embodied when creating the home. When someone buys an Eichler home today it is important and absolutely imperative that they recognize it is not just the home that they are buying into but also the complete neighborhood and way of living. Unlike many other homes and neighborhoods, living in an "Eichler" is a representation of its homeowners.
An Eye-Catching Eichler Home in Southern California Lists for $1.1M
The Balboa Highlands Eichler homes were built in variations of four basic models, including homes with flat roofs, A-frames and slanted rooflines, all designed by Jones & Emmons and Claude Oakland. All but one plan (a Claude Oakland L-shaped design) feature central atriums. To blur the line between indoors and outdoors, Klopf Architecture integrated glass doors that separate the living area from the patio.
Eichler House / Gustave Carlson Design
The roofline of the actual home they used as the model for the Incredibles home had a shallow gable, and it was changed to a shallow gull wing, similar to the house shown at the top of this article. Aficionados of the Incredibles will remember that the home was destroyed at the end of the first movie. Diamond Heights was Eichler’s first project in a city redevelopment program – where he was given the opportunity to build 100 split-level or two-story family homes. Before long, Eichler homes “sprouted” on Amethyst, Amber, and Cameo Way. In 1949, he hired two young architects, Robert Anshen and Steve Allen, out of the University of Pennsylvania to design the new Eichler family home. It was the beginning of a long and successful business relationship between Eichler and the firm of Anshen and Allen.
Tales of California’s Creative Couples
The largest of Eichler’s developments is in San Mateo, called “The Highlands.” These homes were built between 1956 and 1964. Joseph Eichler built more than 11,000 modernist homes in Northern and Southern California and New York State. While the homes were mass-produced, Eichler’s architects regularly revised old plans and created new ones to give the homes a custom feel.
The property also features lime trees and shaded areas to sit and relax. Eichler focused primarily on designing homes for middle-class families. Between 1949 and 1966, Eichler became known as one of the most influential residential builders of modern houses. Today, Eichler homes can still be found in the Greater Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas.
If you’re a fan of modern, minimalist home design, there’s a good chance that you’ll fall in love with Eichler homes. A man ahead of his time, Joseph Eichler transformed what it meant to build modern, affordable housing for middle-class Americans. Eichler sold his company in 1967, but he continued to build houses till 1974. His legacy lives to this day , however, with all the Eichler gems that have remained in families or been renovated through the years to preserve that creative vision he had in mind for the American suburbs. This neighborhood of roughly 100 homes was built by renowned developer, Joseph Eichler between 1963 and 1964 and is located at the northern edge of the San Fernando Valley.
DISCOVER CALIFORNIA
Many other architectural designs have large windows on all front-facing rooms. The inspiration to build such homes began in the early 40s when Joseph Eichler rented the Sidney Bazett House in Hillsborough, California. This historic home was designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright for businessman Sidney Bazett and his wife as one of Wright’s Usonian-style homes.
Bay Area architect designs Eichler-inspired home in Tennessee - The Mercury News
Bay Area architect designs Eichler-inspired home in Tennessee.
Posted: Mon, 11 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
One of the design features that are a hallmark of an Eichler home is the exposed Philippine mahogany veneered plywood panels. The beautiful grain pattern in the wood gave the houses a custom feel and was easy to install. Both architects proposed a post-and-beam construction method which had the twin benefits of a speedy erection time and plan flexibility. The Eichler architects' design strategy of post-and-beam structure and exposed wood panels was a simple one which nonetheless imbued their mass-produced product with the feel of a high-quality living environment. Furthermore, the Eichler vocabulary proved a resilient one which would permit the houses to evolve over time to accommodate changes in market demands without sacrificing its distinctive feel and image.
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In the 1950s and 1960s, real estate developer Joseph Eichler built thousands of homes in California that were designed to bring modern architecture to the masses. These postwar homes are known for open interior spaces, modern design, and access to the outdoors. They were innovative homes that introduced open floor plans, large windows, indoor-outdoor living spaces, and carports, all at a very affordable price. Today, these homes define the mid-century modern style and attract buyers from around the country.
Based on the AA-1 prototype, the homes went on the market in 1950 in Sunnyvale. The plan is a simple “T” shape with 1,044 square feet and includes three bedrooms, one bath, a living room, a kitchen, and a dining room. The home was $9,500, including all fixtures, appliances, and a radiant floor heating system. An admirer of architect Frank Lloyd Wright's work, and widely regarded as a social visionary, Joseph Eichler took the design principles and values of modern architecture to middle-class Americans.
Eichler homes have open living spaces, large windows, skylights, and modern, nature-inspired architecture. They always use “clean lines, muted curves, small windows usually facing the entrance, and large windows facing an outdoor space in the back,” notes Linda Green, REALTOR with United Real Estate. “They feature a front-to-back design, with public spaces in front and living spaces in the back.” To separate space without adding walls, they feature front-to-back planning that puts living spaces in the back of the home. Because of the high demand and low cost during the postwar boom, houses needed to be mass-produced. The most common choice among developers (notably Levitt and Sons) was the suburban ranch-style house, which quickly became the norm for 1950s families. They had an open floor plan, were low to the ground, and had plenty of yard space.
While not as popular, they helped define the well-known California Modern style. He quickly became recognized as a leader in the home-building industry. His homes, although sometimes twice the cost of conventional homes from other builders in the area, exhibited a level of quality and design excellence that began to set them apart in the industry. After success with his new business, he met Robert Anshen, a modern architect in the area, and hired him to design his personal residence.
Although modernism had a strong presence in California, developers believed that most buyers wanted homes resembling the nostalgic styles of past generations. Until then, most modern homes, such as those designed by Richard Neutra, Rudolph Schindler, or Frank Lloyd Wright, were reserved for wealthy patrons. In Sunnyvale, California, architect Ryan Leidner remodeled this 2,000-square-foot 1962 Eichler originally designed by A. Taking center stage is the lush atrium with landscaping by Stephens Design Studio. The space features a crape myrtle tree dating back to the original construction and a duo of Japanese maples that are visible through floor-to-ceiling windows and sliders by Fleetwood.
The plan consisted of three bedrooms, one bath, living room, kitchen, and a dining alcove. He also developed the suburban and trendsetting co-op communities Pomeroy Green and Pomeroy West in Santa Clara. These large projects began to overextend the company, and by the mid-1960s, Eichler Homes was in financial distress. Eventually, however, they became cornerstones of Modernist architecture. They were also remarkably affordable at only $10,000 – $46,500, roughly $110,000 – $509,000 in today’s currency. In reaction to his success, other developers sprang on the opportunity to build low-cost, modern homes (called “Likelers”).
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