R. M. Schindler: 1887-1953; An Exploration of Space (Basic Art) [Paperback]

James Steele (Author)

Book Description

Series: Basic Art | Publication Date: May 1, 2005

Hailing from Vienna, Rudolph Michael Schindler (1887-1953), like his colleague Richard Neutra, emigrated to the US and applied his International Style techniques to the movement that would come to be known as California Modernism. Influenced by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and taking cues from spatial notions found in cubism, he developed a singular style characterized by geometrical shapes, bold lines, and association of materials such as wood and concrete, as seen in his own Hollywood home (built in 1921-22) and the house he designed for P.M. Lovell in Newport Beach (1923-24). Basic Architecture features; Each title contains approximately 120 images, including photographs, sketches, drawings, and floor plans; Introductory essays explore the architect's life and work, touching on family and background as well as collaborations with other architects; The body presents the most important works in chronological order, with descriptions of client and/or architect wishes, construction problems (why some projects were never executed), and resolutions; The appendix includes a list of complete or selected works, biography, bibliography and a map indicating the locations of the architect's most famous buildings

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Rudolf M. Schindler, a Viennese-born architect who studied with Adolf Loos and worked for Frank Lloyd Wright, is known for his contribution to the California modernist style in residential design. Though he was little recognized in life, his reputation was rescued by Esther McCoy in Five California Architects (1987. 2d ed.) and David Gebhard in the seminal Schindler (William Stout, 1997. 3d ed.). Steele's brief essay on the life and work of SchindlerApresented here alongside a collection of platesApales in comparison to these works. The only meritorious aspect of this "coffee-table Schindler" is the fine photography. Over 160 illustrations, in color and black and white, provide an excellent visual presentation of the architect's work, second only to that found in RM Schindler, edited by Lionel March and Judith Sheine (Academy Eds., 1995). Recommended for comprehensive architectural collections.AJay Schafer, Bay Path Coll. Lib., Longmeadow, MA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"The sense for the perception of architecture is not the eyes - but living." - R.M. Schindler"

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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Taschen (May 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3822839663
• ISBN-13: 978-3822839669
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,399,970 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nice photos, light in content, April 19, 2000

By 

Edward J. Shannon, AIA (Elgin, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rudolf M. Schindler (Big Series Art) (Hardcover)

I am an avid fan of this master architect/builder and I am pleased to see that Shindler is finally getting the attention he deserves. There is an abundance of material about Schindler now available to the public. Whereas, just ten years ago only a few books were available about Schindler (Gebhard and McCoy). This is a large format book with lavish color photos. Early books on Schindler, such as those by Gebhard, McCoy, and Sarnitz were small in format and contained equally small black and white images.

This book is divided into two parts: Essay and Selected Works. The essay, by noted California Author/Historian James Steele assumes that the reader has some familiarity with Schindler and the Wagnerschul. The author skips over biographical data on the architect, such as birth, upbringing, family life etc. and instead presents the reader with a concise, competent essay on Schidler's place in Early Twentieth Century architecture. The essay shows how Schindler was influenced by his mentors and peers such as Loos, Wright, Nuetra, and Irving Gill. It also touches on Schindler's rejection from Johnson and Hitchcock's International Style exhibit.

The second part of the book - selected works - presents the reader with thirty-two of the architect's built works in a chronological order. The selected projects include twenty-five houses, six apartment buildings/complexes and a Baptist church. Each work contains a brief description. About half the projects contain color photos. These appear to be recent photos and include many interior shots. Some projects, such as the Kings Road House and the Wolfe Residence contain reproduced color drawings (plans, sections, elevations) There are also a few renderings, color and b/w. Other projects are, disappointedly, not given proper attention. The Lovell Beach House, considered by many to be Schindler's masterpiece does not have the plans and section that are so essential to the understanding of this seminal structure. One project, The Grokowski Residence, contains only one, small black and white photo - not sufficient to give an adequate description.

The book also contains a map of L.A. with the architect's projects pin-pointed and a brief biography at the end. There is no bibliography that could point the serious scholar to additional sources, nor does the book contain any of Schindler's writings.

THE BOTTOM LINE This book contains nice color photos - some apparently previously unpublished, some good graphic resources. It is not a deep book, however it can be a nice compliment to previously published work on this master architect/builder.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Update for previous review, March 22, 2003

By 

Edward J. Shannon, AIA (Elgin, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rudolf M. Schindler (Big Series Art) (Hardcover)

It has been about 3 years since I wrote the first review for this book on Amazon.com. In that time there have been some new, and I feel better publications about R. M. Schindler

The most comprehensive Text is Judith Sheine's book (entitled R. M. Schindler) published by Phaidon. Please see my review for more details. Sheine is also the editor and narrator for two CD-ROMs produced by Planet Architecture. These are both excellent sources. Lastly is the lavishly photographed catalog for the Schindler Exhibit entitled The architecture of R. M. Schindler by Elizabeth A.T. Smith. This has good essays and photos although I feel is better as supplementry text to Sheine's new book

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Taschen - why?, November 2, 2009

By 

J. S. Hernandez (El Salvador) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: R. M. Schindler: 1887-1953; An Exploration of Space (Basic Art) (Paperback)

This is a decently illustrated book about the work of Schindler, with approximately 33 color photographs and 39 black & white, omitting the color drawings and floorplans included.The black and white photos are very good, as well as the color ones, but a small problem here is that some interesting buildings only have a very small picture to illustrate them them, and that plainly just doesn't work, given that the reader wants to learn about the architecture of his. The worst part is that the writing is targeted at people that are more familiarized with Schindler. The text in some ways tends to contradict itself. But then, this is supposed to be an introduction to the architect. So why? Why only giving the Lovell house a restrained textual overview with no more than two photos and a floor plan? Why not continue with the integrity of the Kahn book from the same series, which, on the contrary, as a summarized intro, gives plenty of information about the buildings? This book is good, decent, very affordable, but too superficial. The descriptions lack information.