RM Schindler: Composition and Construction [Paperback]

Lionel March (Editor), Judith Sheine (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 6, 1995

A contemporary of Le Corbusier and one-time employee of Frank Lloyd Wright, R.M. Schindler was architect of (amongst much else of note) the Lovell Beach House in California, acknowledged to be one of the key modernist buildings of the 1920s. This book, a reappraisal of Schindler's thought and works, presents plans, line drawings and photographs of buildings and furniture. A selection of Schindler's own writings is included, alongside articles by many scholars of the architect's works that trace Schindler's career on both sides of the Atlantic, from his early days in Vienna studying under Wagner, to his later life in America, where his talents found full expression.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Amazingly, there has been no full-length monograph on this California architect since David Gebhard's Schindler ( LJ 6/15/72). Schindler was one of two important modern architects in Southern California in the first half of the 20th century, the other being Richard Neutra, and his work shares with Neutra's a Viennese flavor. Sheine and March curated the year-long "Schindlerfest" at UCLA in 1987, and this book caps that celebration. Like the last major publication on Schindler, August Sarnitz's R.M. Schindler, Architect: 1887-1953 (Rizzoli, 1988), this generously illustrated volume compiles about 20 essays by noted scholars. While one is reading these various articles, Schindler emerges as far more interesting than important, presaging much of what has emerged as a California school in architecture over the past 25 years.
- Peter Kaufman, Boston Coll.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Inside Flap

RM Schindler Composition and Construction Edited by Lionel March and Judith Sheine An exact contemporary of Le Corbusier and one-time employee in the offices of Frank Lloyd Wright, a student of Adolf Loos and Otto Wagner in Vienna whose work first found full expression in the California of the 1920s-the story of the life and works of RM Schindler (1887-1953) lies close to the heart of the history of early 20th-century architecture as a whole. Schindler was an individualist and an innovator, he learned well from his teachers, in particular from the Raumplan of Loos, but developed in America his own wholly distinctive formal approach, paralleling the advances of the Modern Movement and often transcending the limitations of the International Style. His original conception of Space Architecture, expounded in his writings and applied in his works, is a classic expression of modern architectural thought. With his proportional system, the Space Reference Frame, and the more concrete and pragmatic design and building techniques of the Schindler Frame, Schindler's Space Architecture provides a coherent and disciplined approach to design. The Lovell Beach House has long been acknowledged as one of a half-dozen key early American modernist buildings, but readers of this volume will encounter much else besides;a canon of works including many other houses of great beauty, apartment buildings and Schindler's custom-built furniture. Arising out of events staged to mark the architect's centennial in 1987, this volume offers copious documentation, a critical overview and a fresh reappraisal of Schindler's thought and works. A wide selection of Schindler's own writings is presented, including a new translation of his manifesto of 1913, alongside a range of articles by the foremost scholars of his works. The book features a wealth of plans, line drawings and photographs of built works.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Academy Press (June 6, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 185490423X
• ISBN-13: 978-1854904232
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 9.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,705,703 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Complete!, December 24, 2000

By 

Kully K. Mandon (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: RM Schindler: Composition and Construction (Paperback)

This is a comprehensive, well thought out study of a complete body of works. The book contains numerous photographs (both original and contemporary), plans, sections, and models. Schindler's concepts are well documented and explained. The author's commentary is extensive, interesting, and informative. Her passion for the material shines through (no pun intended). This book is a well-referenced member of my library.