Brave New Houses

Los Angeles and Southern California have always been a crucible for the experimental in residential design. Here then are the successors to Neutra and Schindler, Lautner and Gehry-architects who break out of the box to create houses that respond to the benign climate and varied topography of Southern California and express the needs and dreams of their clients. From serene white forms to bold expressions of structure, from houses that engage the landscape or ocean to those that turn confined lots to advantage, these are models of creative design. Behind every creative design is a successful architect-client relationship, and Webb gives a rare glimpse of the collaborative process of "designing a house." With some of the best houses built in the past decade," Brave New Houses" should appeal to everyone who has thought of designing or owning a house that is one-of-a-kind.