Information on architecture styles and examples of architecture
This post first appeared in 2019. From the 19th-century Mission San Diego de Acalá to the ultra-modern space of Oakland's Cathedral of Christ the Light, these worship spaces are very different examples of California architecture. The common theme that unites them is the way they use their environments and direct the eye with
This post first appeared in 2019. California architecture includes some unique industrial and office spaces. From the simple lines and elegance of the Salk Institute to the over-the-top glamor of the CAA Building, a wide variety of styles reflect the diversity and beauty of the Golden State.
This post previously ran in 2019. California architecture is as diverse as its population. It encompasses a wide variety of styles, from the Victorian "painted ladies" of San Francisco to the environmentally oriented designs of California Regional Modernism. I've traveled up and down the state since moving here from New York, and I've
These homes represent California architecture at its best. Each takes a different path to harmonizing with the environment, but each respects its natural surroundings and uses the landscape as an essential part of its structure – in the case of Frey House II, quite literally. Eames House Video Animation This video
This post first ran in 2019. These buildings are some of my favorite pieces of California architecture. These art spaces exemplify the variety of buildings that can work in our diverse environment. It is astonishing that they all exist within the boundaries of a single city: Los Angeles.
This post originally ran in 2019. The hospitality industry has been an essential part of California's economy for more than a hundred years, and hospitality spaces have been a defining element of California architecture. These three buildings are among my favorites, encompassing a variety of styles, each of which beautifully reflects California's unique
If you’ve done any house-hunting in the Bay Area, you might have heard the terms Art Deco, Arts and Crafts Style, Bungalow, Modern, Contemporary, Mid-Century Modern, Cape Cod Style, Colonial and Victorian – to name a few of the architectural styles. The problem is, some of these terms are used interchangeably, when they are distinct.
Flat roofs have been with us since at least the time of the ancient Egyptians. Their mud-dried brick homes would get very warm after a day of sitting in the hot sun. Residents could use their flat roofs as a sleeping platform, for a cooler night’s sleep. In Northern California, you’ll find whole neighborhoods of
AplosGroup couldn’t let the year pass without a celebratory note marking a special anniversary. 2022 is the 60th anniversary of Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic Marin County Civic Center. This amazing building is said to be the only government complex he ever designed, and it proved to be his final major undertaking. The planning and design
This post first ran in 2016. Most people who pay attention to contemporary American architecture have heard of Eichler homes. Developer Joseph Eichler’s dream of bringing beautiful, affordable modern design to the masses was spurred by his admiration of Frank Lloyd-Wright’s soaring architectural designs, and the homes he built throughout California beginning in the late
