"A. Quincy Jones: Building for Better Living" is the LA-based architect's first major museum retrospective happening now until Sept. 8 at the Hammer Museum.


 

Practicing architecture in Los Angeles from 1939 to his death in 1979, Jones -- or Quincy, as he was known -- is described as a quiet modernist who constantly emphasized the concept of "better living" and collaboration in his work. In addition to Jones' more glamorous projects for higher-status clients like actor Gary Cooper and art collectors Frances and Sidney Brody, Jones also made major contributions to middle-class housing in the post-war period.



A dedicated architecture professor at USC, Jones was just as committed to raising the housing design standards for a growing middle class by implementing cost-effective, sustainable, and inventive methods. He was also the first to see such developments as communal spaces through shared green spaces, non-grid site planning, and various home models.

Jones is credited to over 5,000 built projects, from churches, restaurants, libraries, university buildings, schools, and commercial buildings -- many of them still standing today.  Known for paying special attention to a structure's inner spaces, Jones' homes and buildings reflect the special attention he gave to a structure's interior spaces, as well as his efficient and thoughtful building and regard for the outdoors.

This retrospective is part of the Getty-sponsored Pacific Standard Time Presents: Modern Architecture in L.A. Learn more about the exhibit here.
 

Photos courtesy of the Hammer Museum and Phaidon.com.