Inside the First Black Modernist Home in West Adams, Los Angeles built in 1954 | House Tour
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ต.ค. 2024
- The Robinson Residence was initially built for the first black physician hired at the Los Angeles County General Hospital and his wife, Doris Robinson, a prominent writer and TV/Radio Host. The Architect was said to have been a Black Architect; however, the original plans have only the initials “T.D” which is something that isn’t too out of character for a time when Black Architects had to study under white Architects and sometimes even had to hide behind the names of white architects to practice, We have since moved on from this style of practice, but we wonder how often and how much this happened.
The current owners of the Robinson Residence, Marc and Catherine, are history buffs and have completely fallen in love with the story of the home. They are doing everything they can to share its story and preserve its history. When they purchased the house, there were several things they had to do to bring it up to city code, which would have been a bit easier if they had taken away some of the characteristics that were initially built. Still, they wanted to preserve the legacy of the home. Today, it is one of the only modernist homes in a neighborhood primarily overrun by historic Craftsman.
Jerald "Coop" Cooper of Hood Century Modern shares the story of the home and its original owners.
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Film - Mick Aure @miccck
Producer - Elias Tebache @socalarchitecture
Music - Deep Al Brindle @DeepAlBrindle
Photography - Taylor Kealy @taylor_kealy
Special thanks - Marc Johns and Catherine Gregory, alongside Jerald "Coop" Cooper
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damn man i almost teared up watching this as a black man who has always had an infatuation for design and architecture but never really knew quite what it was until i was full grown and out of the hood. As of late I've learned about the Frank Lloyd Wrights, Arthur Erickson amongst so many others about architecture. It never occurred to me to look into the Black American Architects. I've always appreciated seeing the beautiful homes of White people and was often amazed. Thanks Open Space for highlighting this beautiful home. The brotha narrating was dope. haha! Now I have a whole new rabbit hole to explore. Oh yeah there is a Frank Lloyd home near by in Dayton, Ohio that I plan to visit very soon.
It's amazing how many Black Architects go unnoticed in the world of Architecture and construction! Paul Revere Williams may be someone you want to research as well! And there was an interior designer that worked with John Lautner, a former apprentice of FLW as well, who is also unknown. And as an architectural designer on my way to my AIA licensing, seeing someone who looks like me in this space is extremely inspiring!!
Oh, and the Frank Lloyd Wright home you're talking about touring is in Springfield, OH. But there are others in Willoughby and in Columbus, OH too!! And I'm from Ohio, Cleveland specifically but earned my degrees at Ohio State University also!!
The details, the intentionality, the relationships between materials, and the natural lighting!! I'm blown away!
This storytelling is so important. Thank you!
The home is amazing, the history is inspiring, and the speaker is even better. Thank you for focusing a video on this home.
Stunning, beautiful house. The clean, modernist lines are classic, warm and welcoming. It must be a great place to live.
Loved that third wall being broken at the end. This house is amazing - what an amazing architect "T.D." was. As noted, it feels completely modern and MCM at the same time. The way the rooms converge at different angles at the skylight is total genius . I want to listen to some John Coltrane sitting right there under that Fiddle Fig. Coop did a great job narrating. He is shining an important light on the accomplishments of Black architects. Thanks for another fantastic episode!
Didn't know much about African American history in architecture. Thank you so much for this enlightening episode!
just arquitecture.
We don't say "jewish architecture"
@@puertousbmonkey 'Not every American mid-century modern designer was Jewish. But an awful lot of them were. Immigrant and second-generation Jews like George Nelson, Alvin Lustig, Anni Albers, Saul Bass, Paul Rand, Richard Neutra, Leo Lionni, and others helped shape the epoch-defining, less-is-more, Bauhaus-inspired aesthetic that was a pervasive presence in many American homes and businesses during the postwar period.
Designing Home: Jews and Midcentury Modernism, an exhibition on view at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco in 2014, looked at how key Jewish designers-including graphic, product, and industrial designers, plus architects, patrons, and merchants-helped forge a distinctly American look that continues to exert a profound influence on contemporary style.'
Jewish Americans contribution to modernist architecture in America is already well-documented and recognized. Right now we're focusing on the work others whose efforts have not been documented or recognized.
There's no need to have a problem with that.
@@sdot31311 Ok, I expressed my self wrong. I'am saying that there is no need to say " black arquitecture" , " jewish arquitecture" , " female arquitecture", "white arquitecture" . Just arquitecture.
@@puertousbmonkey Except they said "african american history in architecture", not "black architecture". They were referring to the history of African Americans contributions. How is that at all problematic?
@@puertousbmonkey Especially considering that many of these black designers and architects from the past weren't even able to put their names on the work they did due to discrimination at the time. You can't "not see color" when it's the very reason why we have so little record of these architect's work in the first place. In this instance, race is intrinsically tied to the history we are exploring here.
Fabulous house, fabulous story! Thank you so much for sharing this on your channel. And thank you, Coop, for your excellent commentary. I'd had no idea about the black architects of that era.
Fantastic! The aesthetic originally built into a mid-century modern home has always been its best look. Such a shame when an owner feels the need to "update" the character out of it. Kudos to the owners of this fine home for keeping it real, and for keeping it beautiful!
This is the most important episode I’ve seen on this channel. It’s nice and all to see generationally wealthy white people show us the houses they inherited, but there is a lack of knowledge even available about Black architects and with that a lack of celebration. Thank you for making this! A breath of fresh air.
agreed.
What a predictably race-obsessed post, for a pointlessly race-obsessed video. If the most interesting or meritorious thing about a piece of architecture is who made it, start worrying.
betta preach
thank you for your comment. it was perfectly stated.
Nobody cares what race they are! Stop making everything about race!
Wow the character of those homes back in the days absolute craftsmanship what a beautiful house 👍🏻👍🏻
This modern mid-century home is stunning in historical context, and the storytelling and overall dialogue are so significant. This needs to be recognized-the talents of black people are just so diverse and prolific, that we cannot let them be swept under the rug.
Calm down.
Wow! I love this home. It's open and airy, and the the wood paneling adds warmth and intimacy. You can almost hear giggling kids and puppies running along the tiled floors. I love all of the unexpected angles and elevations, and how they create a sense of mystery as you move through those everyday spaces.
This is one of the most incredible homes I have ever seen.
Just Incredible!
I want more...
❤ This house looks like LOVE!
Everything about this is beautiful. Those pictures of the original owners are serene and incredible at the same time. My house is also a genuine mid century modern built in 1961 by a black architect. And considering how incredible the house is it amazes me how unknown the architect is. (I believe you've been in my home while it was for sale, it is in Anderson, Ohio)
This place is BEAUTIFUL!!! And, this piece of art is in the hands of the right owner. I love how proud you are of your abode!
I am waaaay jealous!!!
With all the wood paneling and the lack of windows on the front, you'd think it would be dark. But it's bright and sunny yet still radiates Blackness. Thanks for this upload!
It's beautiful.
When you spoke about how the black labor force was responsible for building and contributing to housing design throughout the years, it made me think of that scene in boardwalk Empire, where chalky white as portrayed by Michael Williams tells the story of how his grandfather was killed after having created a beautiful addition to a white man’s house simply because that man didn’t want anyone else to get the same design. Imagine how many designers and builders we’ve lost just like that.
Beautiful video and great story. Thank you for sharing!
So grateful to see and experience this home. Knowing our history, it makes me question if Dr. Robinson’s architectural design was copied or even stolen.
A beautiful home (I especially love all the wood paneling and the way the light flows throughout the house) and wonderful backstory. I loved the photos of the Robinsons, which as Coop said are so clear they look like they could have been taken now. Another great video in this series. 👍🏼
Phenomenal home, Love the story and glad that it's being told. I want this home!
Beautiful home. The narrator is forgetting about Paul Williams, who became an architect in 1921and had the first black owned architecture firm. His homes are everywhere in Los Angeles and are highly coveted This home was built decades later.
Thank you. Wonderful video. I want to know more about black modernism now.
That is a great house!
beautiful home
This is amazing !
Magnificent home!
One of the most stunning homes I’ve ever seen.
Thanks for this masterpiece and a piece of history.
Great work love to see people from every nationality or ethnicity showing there creativity as eveyone has a different perspective on what they like and it’s really awesome to see plus life would be boring if we all liked the same things
Great work
Thank you so much for sharing this!
love this episode, such important history ✊
absolute esthetics
Love this home!
Thank you for sharing this design and the history.
A masterpiece!!!
Beautiful.
Wow amazing! ❤
Black Licensed architects doing single family residences did not hide behind White architects. Look at Vertner Woodson Tandy in 1900s. If a client insisted on a White partner (like many public buildings) that is entirely different. Apprenticing under a White architect was not a bad thing-it fostered knowledge sharing and trust in a difficult time for Black architects to get hired anywhere. See the story of Robert Kennard, USC alumnus, turned away by dozens of architecture firms, before breaking through, with the aid of a Pasadena-based White architect. The catch 22 was to get your architect license you needed the hours and to pass the exam. Getting the apprentice hours as a Black architect at a time when no firm would have you was something we in this era would never understand.
Magnifique 🤎
Is there anyway to buy the Blueprints to this place?
Great design! Would appreciate a link to the floor plan
❤love it ❤
Please get a peacock chair for that black home brother…such a beautiful house
this is amazing
👏🏽✊🏽✨
Maganda!!!!!!!
Lovely home … 5 🌟
I think mid-mod is the only truly American form of architecture.
❤❤❤❤❤
Do the fire alarms chirp
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Amazing house and the light. I love the colours of the video. But too much ''black people/ modernism propaganda''.
Instead of separating out “black modernism”, shouldn’t it be recognising how much black designers were a part of the modernist movement and contributed to it? You can’t separate out “black” and “white” modernism when modernism was one cultural movement that both black and white designers and craftsmen were a part of - together. Celebrating the work of black designers from mid-century is great, and that history should be given the important relevance it deserves. But critically, this house should be preserved as a recognised part of an important architectural heritage alongside other preserved works of great mid-century modernist designers - no matter what the colour of their skin.
How do you know the designer was black? , sorry to be a bit negative but I've seen the first 'black' ....... applied to a few things, International England footballers comes to mind and if you find me who that is I'll send you a photo of an earlier England player but who doesn't choose to call himself black. (look up the first black Scottish international player if you like too), what I am suggesting is, that there is nearly always an earlier black whoever than is recorded.
Anyway, I do agree, it is a beautiful house and spatially quite inventive for the time in the USA ..... btw. modernism itself is an African thing, if you accept that Corbusier - trying to compete with Picasso and all his references to African sculpture inherent in his work post-1910 - decided to borrow North African houses as his prototype - btw that is white architecture ;)
I'm very excited for the owner and the docent has enthusiasm to spare for the home's history. It is so beautiful the way it is maintained with the gardens and furnishings. I can't say enough how much I appreciate everything here as is.
Great house. I wish developers stop building Mac-Mansions and start MSM again.I had to watch it without sound with CC.
Beautiful.