With his fascinating blog entry in 'Southern California Architectural History,' historian John Crosse documents the giant role of the underrated heroine of modernism in So. California, Pauline Gibling Schindler, the wife of famed architect R. M. Schindler, had on spreading it socially, as a journalist and as a curator.
3 Comments
orhan
John's blog is very good and should be read by anyone interested in SoCal architecture, early modernism, LA history. Here are some other anecdotes.
You probably remember that Bill Meyerhoff's mom and Pauline were friends, which is how i connected with living at King's Road, staying in the guest studio.
The house didn't have decent working locks and for a while after Pauline's death the King's Road house was 'open' at night, still furnished, and played the role of host as a SCI-arc party house. More than a few SCI-arc grads played the role of "Pauline" to our "Schindlers"
Charles and Maggie Jencks later rented Pauline's half of the Schindler House. We would get high with their nanny.
Melica Dedijer (at the time living w Glenn Small) was also working there with Bernard Judge (of geodesic dome house fame). Judge had his office in the other half of King's Road.
If i remember correctly Bernard Judge was working at the time on Marlon Brando's Polynesian house. They were friends and collaborators for 30 years. Bernard was at the hospital when Brando died.
While cleaning up the garage I rescued several of Schindler's rotting furniture and brought them in to repair the loose joints. Now that they are collectors items and I wish I kept them.
I also found a poorly typed letter from Reyner Banham to Pauline requesting a visit to Kings Road. He was working on his first book, Theory and Design in the Machine Age.
You already know the story of Lauren F waking up to a busload of Japanese tourists ...
eric chavkin
I remember the place falling apart and badly in need of rescue. I am glad all the riff raff finally start to 'get a room' elsewhere, like in Ray Kappe's construction sites.;.))
Yes, John Cross' site is a gem!
Hi Orhan
I am working with Bernard Judge on an article on his Beachwood Canyon dome and forwarded this to him. You might be interested to know that he has a new book out called "Waltzing With Brando" regarding his fascinating work in Tahiti building one of the first "green" eco-friendly developments using only available materials. A must-read!.
John Crosse
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.