Category Archives: News

News on the foundation and on John Lautner

July 2008 special, News

Films featuring Lautner buildings to screen in July

The Hammer Museum, in cooperation with the UCLA Film and Television Archive, will present four films that feature Lautner buildings in July, and will jointly host a sneak preview of the new feature documentary on Lautner (by Murray Grigor) in September. According to the Hammer:

All Hammer public programs are free. Tickets are required, and are available at the Billy Wilder Theater Box Office one hour prior to start time. Limit one ticket per person on a first come, first served basis. Members receive priority seating, subject to availability. Reservations not accepted, RSVP’s not required.

The films:

Lautner Exhibition Related Screenings

Friday Jul 18
7pm

Diamonds are Forever
John Lautner’s homes have been the dynamic backdrop for dozens of Hollywood films, television shows, and music videos. The Hammer screens four of these films over an intensive Lautner-inspired weekend.

Diamonds are Forever
Saturday Jul 19
7pm

Less Than Zero
John Lautner’s homes have been the dynamic backdrop for dozens of Hollywood films, television shows, and music videos. The Hammer screens four of these films over an intensive Lautner-inspired weekend.

Less Than Zero
Saturday Jul 19
9pm

The Big Lebowski
John Lautner’s homes have been the dynamic backdrop for dozens of Hollywood films, television shows, and music videos. The Hammer screens four of these films over an intensive Lautner-inspired weekend.

The Big Lebowski
Sunday Jul 20
3pm

Body Double
John Lautner’s homes have been the dynamic backdrop for dozens of Hollywood films, television shows, and music videos. The Hammer screens four of these films over an intensive Lautner-inspired weekend.

Body Double
Thursday Sep 18

Infinite Space: The Architecture of John Lautner
This sneak preview of a new documentary feature film traces the lifelong quest of visionary genius John Lautner to create “architecture that has no beginning and no end.” It is the story of brilliance and of a complicated life—and the most sensual architecture of the 20th century. Renowned architectural filmmaker Murray Grigor explores Lautner’s dramatic spaces as Lautner himself provides the commentary, speaking with insight and wit in recordings culled from archival sources. Includes comments from Frank Gehry, original clients, owners and builders, Frank Escher, and Julius Shulman.
Murray Grigor–writer/director, Anna Thomas + Sara Sackner–producers.

Infinite Space: The Architecture of John Lautner

See the Hammer Museum website for updated information.

July 2008 special, News

New documentary on Lautner to screen in September

A sneak preview of the new documentary, Infinite Space: The Architecture of John Lautner, by renowned filmmaker Murray Grigor, will screen at the Billy Wilder Theater in the Hammer museum in Los Angeles on September 18, 2008, at 7 p.m.

This screening is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. For more information, please visit the Hammer website: www.hammer.ucla.edu

Following this preview, the film is expected to screen in various film festivals.

A new website with a video preview of the film will be offered by the filmmaker in a couple of weeks. When more information is available we will post it on this website.

July 2008 special, News

Panel discussion on Lautner and others in July

Opening photo of Chemosphere by Murray Grigor

The Hammer Museum is co-presenting a panel discussion on John Lautner and others on July 15 at 7 pm. According to the Hammer website:

Panel Discussion
Building Character
A lively panel will discuss high profile Modernist monuments that ultimately become protagonists when used as locations in feature films. Some highlighted architecture will include John Lautner’s “Chemosphere”, which played a starring role in Body Double, Neutra’s Lovell House, featured in L.A. Confidential, and the Marin Country Courthouse, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and is a central location in Gattaca. Co-presented with the UCLA Department of Architecture and Urban Design.

News

Wolf’s Lair, including Lautner-designed gate and remodel, for sale

A “castle” in the Hollywood hills, built by Hollywoodland developer Milton Wolf, is for sale. The property includes a modest guest house purported to be designed by John Lautner. A few photographs of the guest house can be found on the Joe Darrell Location Service website. John Lautner actually designed the entrance gate and remodeled and enlarged the guest house. According to propertyshark.com, the buildings on the site were originally built in 1924 and 1927, well before Mr. Lautner became an architect.

A second open house is scheduled for Tuesday, June 24, 2008. Please contact Brian Moore for details:

Laura and Brian Moore
The Moore Group
Keller Williams Realty
4652 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
www.LAVintageHomes.com
Vintage, character & architectural specialists.
Office: 323-300-1090
Cell: 310-849-4990
Fax 323-300-1024
LAVintageHomes@earthlink.net

News

Hammer tours expanded to four

Photo of Sheats-Goldstein residence by Tycho Saariste

The Hammer Museum in Los Angeles has recently confirmed four tours of Lautner buildings. According to the museum website the tours are:

Tour I: Sunday, July 27, 2008
Tickets: $145 each

The Harpel Residence (1956)
The Tyler Residence (1953)
The Schwimmer Residence (1982)

Tour II: Sunday, September 14, 2008
Tickets: $145 each

The Jacobsen Residence (1947)
The Harvey Residence (1950)
The Reiner Residence – also known as Silvertop (1963)

Tour III: Sunday, August 24, 2008
Tickets: $55 each

Sheats/Goldstein Residence (1963)

Tour IV: Sunday, October 12, 2008
Tickets: $55 each

Sheats/Goldstein Residence (1963)

Ticket prices are listed above and include admission to the exhibition, shuttle service, discounted parking, and an active level friendship to the MAK Center at the Schindler House.

To purchase tickets for the first two tours, you must be a member of the Hammer Museum at the Contributor level or above. Up to four (4) tickets can be purchased per membership. For more information on Hammer membership, click here. For tours III and IV you do not need a Hammer membership.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS.

For more information on Between Heaven and Earth: The Architecture of John Lautner, click here.

News

Hammer screenings

The Hammer Museum in Los Angeles is screening four films that feature Lautner buildings from Friday, July 18 through Sunday, July 20. The films are:

Diamonds are Forever (Elrod house)
Less than Zero (Silvertop)
The Big Lebowski (Sheats-Goldstein residence)
Body Double (Chemosphere – Malin residence)

Check the Hammer website for more information: http://www.hammer.ucla.edu/exhibitions/139/

John Lautner Buildings, News

New Owners of Lautner’s Desert Hot Springs Motel

The Desert Hot Springs Motel, which had to be sold after the untimely death of Steve Lowe, has been purchased. The new owners are:

Tracy Beckmann, Interior Designer
Tracy Beckmann Design

and
Ryan Trowbridge

Ms. Beckmann and Mr. Trowbridge have joined the Foundation.

The motel was built in 1947, as the first phase in a motel development that was never completed. The pool that was built with it was demolished several years ago, so the four-unit motel is all that remains of the original plan. The motel rooms were rented as apartments for many years, until Steve Lowe purchased the motel in the early 2000s and restored it. It then became a destination motel for many, including many on the Foundation board of directors.

The motel had to be closed soon after Steve Lowe’s death. The new owners have not announced their plans for the building.

Furniture in picture by Charles Hollis Jones

John Lautner Buildings, News

Tours to be offered by Hammer during exhibit run

Opening photo by Tycho Saariste

The Hammer Museum, working with the MAK Center for Art and Architecture, will be offering tours of Lautner homes during the time the Hammer Lautner exhibit is running in Los Angeles. The exhibit will run from July 13 – October 12, 2008. Two tours have been confirmed: July 27 and September 14.

Only Hammer museum members (at the “Contributor” level and above) are permitted to purchase tickets, which go on sale June 16.

For more information and to purchase tickets visit the Hammer exhibit webpage at http://www.hammer.ucla.edu/exhibitions/139/) or the MAK Center at http://www.makcenter.org.