Discover the revitalized Rudolph Schindler masterpiece, known as How House, located in Los Angeles.
In the heart of Silver Lake, Los Angeles, stands a significant early modernist work – the How House. Designed by Rudolph Schindler in 1925, this architectural gem, with its intersecting L-shaped volumes set on a steep ridge, showcases Schindler's innovative approach to architecture.
The house features a poured concrete podium forming a lower level with bedrooms and offices, supporting an upper level of wood-framed living spaces, including cantilevered dining and study rooms. This layout creates a dynamic composition of angles and voids, with diagonal spatial axes and exposed joist patterns enhancing interior complexity, alongside sweeping views to landmarks like the San Gabriel Mountains and Griffith Observatory.
Schindler, a Viennese-trained architect, brought European modernist ideas to Southern California. His experimentation with forms, materials like poured concrete and redwood, and spatial complexity challenged conventions of early 20th-century domestic architecture. The How House, one of Schindler's earliest commissions in Los Angeles, played a crucial role in establishing his practice in the region.
In the 2020s, architect Spencer Velasquez led a sensitive restoration of the How House. Velasquez retained Schindler's original formal language while integrating discreet modern amenities such as new built-ins, brass lighting, and concealed audio systems, carefully balancing preservation with contemporary living needs. This restoration helped revive the house as a living architectural relic, sustaining its historical and design significance.
Velasquez, who grew up in Los Angeles, purchased the How House in 2016. He finds the changing sunlight in the house to be exciting and surreal. The house, painted in a soft grey-green colour, has a liquid quality to the sunlight, changing from moment to moment. The owner describes it as a paradise for living.
The renovation of the How House was a collaborative effort between Velasquez and interior designer Taska Cleveland. They crafted custom-made armchairs, furnished the house with a vintage dining table and chairs, and installed a sofa. The house, which cost $8,300 to build, has proven to be an extraordinary investment, showcasing the timeless appeal of Schindler's modernist design.
The How House is not just a testament to Schindler's groundbreaking work, but also a part of the broader context of his impact on Los Angeles modernism. Alongside his West Hollywood Schindler House (1922), the How House continues to inspire and influence contemporary architects and designers.
References:
- How House, Rudolph Schindler, Silver Lake, Los Angeles
- How House, Rudolph Schindler
- Spencer Velasquez Architects
- Taska Cleveland
- MAK Center for Art and Architecture
The renovated How House, a collaboration between Spencer Velasquez and interior designer Taska Cleveland, blends Schindler's modernist design with discreet modern amenities, enhancing its suitability for contemporary lifestyles within the realm of home-and-garden. The restoration has elevated the How House as a sustainable architectural relic, showcasing the timeless appeal of interior-design influenced by Schindler's pioneering work.
