Modern Architecture

Joseph Eichler was a California developer with a very particular, social vision. As millions of soldiers returned home from World War II, Joseph was determined to create a better living environment for the common man. He envisioned modern homes that incorporated various architecturally distinct elements that would appeal to the average family- and an average family income. When Eichler homes were first on the market, their average sale price was $12,000.

Eichler Homes, built over 11,000 homes in Northern California and three communities in Southern California, along with 3 homes in Chestnut Ridge NY. These homes came to be known as “Eichlers” and changed the California lifestyle.

The essence of the Eichler design was inspired by Joseph’s two year stay in a home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. He wanted to bring some of similar features from that home, such as indoor-outdoor living, to the middle class. He wanted to build homes with that open, flowing, modern style of architecture.

In 1949, Joseph founded Eichler Homes, Inc. He first hired the Bay Area architecture firm of Anshen and Allen to create these affordable modern homes. The firm came up with houses that had an open plan, post and beam construction, whole walls of glass, and radiant heating. These were features you might have found in an expensive, custom-built home at the time, but certainly not in a house built for the masses. At the time, this would have been an insane concept to most developers, who would not have seen the sense and profit in hiring architects to design tract housing. But Eichler had ideas on how to make his vision a reality.

It was through careful refinement, that Eichler honed his manufacturing process. He was able to produce homes in a cost-efficient way. As in an assembly line process, he had parts constructed at a central location and then shipped to the building site. He also made use of standard building materials in a creative way.

Joseph Eichler was savvy to the dawning of a new age of post-war marketing in the 50’s. He launched a sophisticated and aggressive marketing campaign to introduce his homes to the American public. For the first time in advertising history, homes were featured alongside models, posing as homeowners- looking happy and perfect in an Eichler paradise. In today’s housing market we are inundated by such imagery. But up until then, architectural photography had been traditionally stark and cold. Eichler had his mind set on presenting these homes as fresh: warm, livable and desirable.

Eichler homes seemed destined to attract niche market. Despite his efforts to appeal to the masses, the homes were never popular on a wide scale. At the time they were built, they attracted an interesting subset of people– architects, engineers, designers and modern arts lovers. Although he did not get the mainstream popularity he was aiming for, Eichler garnered a slew of awards for his work: The Life Magazine Award of Merit in 1953; the National Association of Home Builders Award in 1954; Living Magazine Award in 1955; and the American Institute of Architecture Sunset Magazine Award in 1956, 1957 and 1959.

Today there is a great resurgence of interest in the Eichler home and an almost cult-like following by those who dwell in them. Eichler’s original design elements have withstood the test of time. Flat, low sloping roofs, open-plan living, the blurring of the lines between indoors and outdoors with atrium’s, window walls, skylights and sliding glass doors- these elements have an appealing and classic California modern character. And these are just a few of the features that make Eichler homes so very popular today. Classic Eichler materials have also come back into vogue: Radiant heating, cork floors, wood paneling and vinyl tile.

Of the 11,000 original Eichler’s built, many are in the San Francisco Bay Area: San Francisco, Sacramento, Marin County, the East Bay, San Mateo County, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale and San Jose. The Southern California Eichler communities are in Orange, Thousand Oaks, and Granada Hills. Recently a decision by the National Park Service has placed two Palo Alto subdivisions on the National Register of Historic Places. The 243-house Greenmeadow tract, and the 63-house Green Gables enclave, are the first subdivisions ever to be placed on the register. Eichler homes, beyond the ongoing flux in housing trends, will now have permanent historic value.




By: Jason Sisilli

Owing a home has always remained an imperative desire in the mind of the common man. The concept of housing developed in the mind of the man when he was exposed to the natural sufferings. He desired for a place where he could save himself from natural sufferings and wild animals.  Either the man or an animal, all urge for the house where they can rest peacefully. This gave rise to the perception of the Architecture Design.

As the civilizations progressed the art of home building gave rise to the Architecture Design. Later on this Architecture Design became the mark of the various civilizations. The one of the most important Architecture Design are of the ancient civilization popularly known as the Mohenjo-daro and Harrapa civilization. The Mohenjo-daro Architecture Design displays the perfect Home Building Patterns. The whole city was constructed with a particular Building Regulation. The houses were arranged along the streets in a peculiar manner. All the Home Buildings were constructed with a similar Architecture Design. They all included a central space featuring a well and a small room meant for bathing. A variety of homes comprise of multi-storey Architecture Design. They also displayed the well arranged covered drainage system.

The Harrapa civilization’s Architecture Design exhibit a unique and impressive Home Building sense of the people. The hoses were constructed with the sun dried or kiln fired bricks. These bricks were capable of bearing thousand of year’s wear. These provided an extra strength to the Home Building of the people. These Architecture Design of the houses included two kitchens, one outer and the other inner, and several rooms. The inner kitchen was generally used during rainy season.

The Chinese Architecture Design displays a variant Home Building pattern in the world. These homes were built with the slanting roofs. Every storey has a slanting boundary similar to the roof pattern. The housing regulation allows to leave a vacant space around the building that may be used as an open courtyard.

The European Architecture Design mainly constituted of the Greek styles. In this type of Architecture Design a palace was designed with the corridors that were the extensions in front of many rooms. They lead to the central open space that was generally meant for the performance of rituals. These buildings were highly decorated. The Greeks used to construct domes, arches and vaults their Home Building.

The Egyptian Architecture Design mainly consisted of the home building with the use of sand and straw. Sand being available in plenty was cheap and was used by the poor. But these types of houses were generally for short timed and crumbled after a few years. The rich used the stones in the Architecture Design of their Home Building as they could afford that.

From that ancient time several innovations have been witnessed in the Architecture Design and Home Building patterns. The modern Architecture Design evolved as the mixture of Architecture Design of different civilizations. For the Home Building with the latest Housing Regulations you can take the help of a well known building and design company like Design-4U that can provide you a vivid range of Architecture Design services. For more information log on to: www.Design-4u.net




By: Mantoo Joinx