Took @debrisblanc to the @makcenter #schindlerhouse for his birthday yesterday. Built in 1922, this modernist home offers a fusion of architectural styles—Japanese, Viennese, Mid Century, and even Brutalist influences can be seen in the form, material choices, and approach. You bend down to pass through a shallow front door and entry, where the confined space builds a sense of anticipation, before it opens into a larger communal area—a beautiful “architectural squeeze” that heightens the feeling of release as you step into the expansive room. Large roughly-hewn concrete slabs form the walls. They taper thinner towards the top, and are separated by narrow plastic glass that are seemingly siliconed onto the concrete slabs offering light and shadow play throughout. Conceived as a double house, for his own family and that of a close friend, Schindler gave brilliant architectural form to his wife, Pauline’s interest in a revisionist lifestyle. In the 1920s and early 1930s, the house was a “salon” of constant social gatherings; there are reports of people drifting in at all hours including architect Frank Lloyd Wright and his son Lloyd. I was deeply inspired by this architectural beauty tucked away in the heart of LA, especially as we embark on the design of our own home with a nod to this Brutalist style poured concrete walls. I couldn’t stop marveling at the beauty of the simplicity, the pairing of rudimentary materials, and the abundance of natural light. It made me THAT much more excited to break ground soon and bring our new home to life.