John Lautner's forgotten masterpiece! The Ernest Lautner House in Florida. Overview & walkthrough
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ก.ย. 2024
- The Lautner House in Pensacola, Florida, is one of the least known designs by John Lautner. Hardly anyone knows of it's existence and That's a shame because the house is a brilliant designed masterpiece. I believe the house deserves more attention and with photo's provided by Tycho Saariste and J.R Kikkert I made a complete walkthrough. John Lautner made this house for his cousin Ernest Lautner and therefore it's also called the Lautner House.
The house is in at least one of the collected works volumes I have on Lautner's houses, but those photos - while great - never give nearly as good and complete a picture of the houses as your excellent videos! The Ernest Lautner house pushes at least three of my favorite buttons: it's a Lautner, it's circular, and it is radically open plan over several levels. It's like a cathedral for living, or perhaps a "Temple of Man".;)
One addition, that I think you didn't include in your video, or maybe I just missed it, but your pictures basically make it clear: the whole design was built around the fact that one of the clients was wheelchair-bound. I guess that's also why there was virtually not sitting furniture in the "sitting room".
Very interesting comment! I didn't notice the person in the wheelchair, It's very good possible that it was designed for a wheelchair bound person, but I don't know if it's true. Indeed there are only a few pieces of furniture in the house. I shall ask it to Lautner biographers Tycho Saariste and J.R Kikkert.
I've never visited the house. It was very hard to get the pictures of this house, because it was hardly ever photograpghed. Luckily Lautner researchers Tycho Saariste and J.R Kikkert visited the house only once but they made a ton of photos, so only with ther help I could make this video.
@@SuperJobbel I've been trying to find that book again, but I have a lot of my books in permanent storage at the moment. I am, however, positive that I saw some pictures of this house - and read about Lautner's inclusion of wheelchair acessibility - in an official book about his works. Almost a hundred percent. Sorry I couldn't be of more help!
It is not in the "Taschen" book, or in "The Architecture of John Lautner", by Alan Hess (1999). It may have been in "Between Heaven and Earth: The Archtecture of...".
@@ghostbeetle2950 Okay interesting, let me know if you know more or read more in that book.
@@SuperJobbel Will try.👌
The Lautner House in Pensacola, Fl, known to the Lautner family as "The Round House" was not only designed by John Lautner for Ernest Lautner (John's cousin) but the contractor and builder was Ernest's 2nd son, David Lautner (including the amazing brick work) and is still owned by the family.
It is like living in an incredible piece of art!
We think it is cool that David, when stationed at Point Mugu, worked weekends with John on home projects… amazing mentor!
David is the man you see in the wheelchair in some of the pictures.
Yes that's true! They still live in the house
Thank you very much. Fantastic home.
Love from Canada
Your welcome! Greetings from the Netherlands.
What a great find, thanks for all the detail on the construction and design. The home was solidly built and appears to have aged quite well. It appears the 1968 Lincoln coupe in the carport was also well built and appears to have aged well. What a beauty, the car really gives context to the house and the era of its construction. Thank you thank you
Really wonderful that you loved the video so much. Funny that you noticed the 1968 Lincoln Coupe, that's one detail that I overlooked, because I live in Europe and I'm not grown up/familiair with American cars. The vintage Porsche 911 is my favorite car I grew up. But indeed the car fits perfectly with the rest of the house. I love vintage cars!
ah... friend. what a pleasure to hear your calming kind voice. thank you for do el cerrito, this is the exact concept as the Zimmerman(berry Dr) which I love. the same differences aside I've not seen many photos of this except USmodernist but I know they are both built using the same center supports with boards that meet a larger outer ring. also berry Dr. is a bachelor pad which I like as well very simple the furnishings follow the circle but instead of looking down from the kitchen to a patio its looks down into its indoor pool. the property is opposite this being very sloped and small. I think with you providing us with this outstanding detailed look I would not understand the special gift Mr. Lautner to make spaces flow and feel so natural. I would never have been able to visualize how floorplans are laid out so I cant thank you enough. im a fanatic for his work so to get this content makes me so happy. sadly the house I'm sure alot of people want to know is one of the most private. Dr. Levy's Concrete Castle is so amazing but I cant even get a single idea of its lay out. hopefully you might know some but if you don't know it than none will because we look to you as the Lautner Shaman. wonderful video as usual. I hope you and your family are well and as always I cant wait til the next one. cheers friend
Thank you for your comment and thanks for calling my voice kind and calm. I am familiair with both the Zimmerman and Levy House but both house have only s few pictures available so it will be difficult to make videos of them.
- Zimmerman looks very similar to this house (both house are round with a skylight and thin wooden window frames) But the Zimmerman has a roof supported by multiple concrete columns instead of one in the centre like the Ernest Lautner house. There is also a large indoor swimming pool under the house.
- I have the floor plan and drawings of the Levy House, but only a handful of pictures, the house is amazing, probably Lautner's best design. But only a few people have ever entered the house : so its very mysterious.
If you can help me with making pictures about one of the houses, I will be forever grateful to you. At the moment it's not possible to make videos about them. Dont be disappointed: a lot more videos about other John Lautner homes will come up soon!
Another great presentation of the work of a brilliant mind.....thank you !
You're welcome! Lautner is indeed a brilliant mind. His career was full of great works, he made so many houses, I'm still not done with Lautner homes yet, more videos about unknown surprising masterpieces will come up soon.
The finest presentation of Mr Jop elevates the beauty of this amazing house ...
Thank you, your comment stimulates me to make more videos!
Sunday could not have started better. Thank you job. I read Lautner A-Z ….from A-Z. Your videos are the perfect extension and make me read A-Z again. Thank you.
Haha... mooi om te horen dat de videos ervoor zorgen dat je zondag niet mooier kan beginnen! Ja ''Lautner A-Z'' is inderdaad een goed boek, ik word geholpen door de makers ervan. Meer videos van andere John Lautner ontwerpen komen er binnenkort aan.
Amazing! And excellent presentation. I've seen round houses before, but the main living space plan being on a circle eccentric to the roof layout is pretty innovative. Almost always everything is concentric about a center point. Really cool.
And the storage door next to the fireplace is very interesting being at an angle, but doing that helps maintain the hierarchy of the fireplace.
Thanks for calling the video excellent! Yes, this house has a floor plan unlike any other home in the world. I also like the hidden door where the firewood is stored: it's looks a bit like a secret space where you can put a treasure. With a painting covering the door in the wall! More videos about new Lautner homes will come up, because he made so many designs and each of them is unique and full of surprises.
Wonderfull House and great video !!!
Thank you! Great to read that you liked it. More content coming up.
Excellent presentation. Thank you.
You're welcome! I like making these videos. Thanks for your comment it stimulates me to make more videos :)
Once again Thanks Jop. Incredible work. I didnt know about this marvel
you're welcome: i really liked making this video! Until a month ago I didn't knew about the existence either, once I knew about it: I start researching but the available photo's were very limited, luckily Tycho Saariste & J.R Kikkert had a lot of photos for me, so I'm forever gratefull to them.
You are making a remarkable work for architects and enthusiast of good architecture and Lautner in specific. I just buy 2 books af Lautner published by a well known editorial (taschen) let me tell you taht your videos have much more sustance. keep on going and nice to ear that you also enjoy making this videos, imaging your audience
@@SuperJobbel
I found these photos a few years ago and studied the floorplan but having you really walk us through the house was awesome. I got so much more out of this home. Thank you very much!
I want to give people the feeling that they actually walk through the houses. Showing every detail about the house. Each video is a lot of work but I like doing it. I started this channel because there was so little information available about Lautner, he deserves more recognition. Especially this house, which is hardly known, that's why I called it "his forgotten masterpiece"
AWESOME!!!what a wonder! thank you so much🙃👏👏👏🙌😎
You're welcome! Thanks for your comment. I really liked making this video. More content will come up soon.
This house is fantastic and so innovative. I hope that Ernest and his wife enjoyed living there. With all the circles, it's like a geometry lesson. Your drawings help the viewers to understand the ingenious structure.
Great that you liked the video. Indeed,the floorplan is very clever with all the circles, like a geometrical artwork. I enjoy analysing the houses and explaining everything. John Lautner is my favorite architectt: all the details, all the inventions, everything is so well thought out. You see hardly such complicated designs with other architects.
This is so good. I really appreciate these Lautner videos: a real service for art. Thank you!
You're welcome! I love to make this videos and try to improve them everytime. Great to read that everybody likes them. More videos will come up in the future.
your the only youtuber i would ever donate to keep ‘em coming
Oh thank you! Next video will come up soon. If you want to donate to me: you can support me on patreon or you can send me a personal mail, than I can send you bank information. Anyway I'm going on with making the videos about these wonderful houses.
Thank you for this excellent presentation.
You're welcome!
Masterpiece is the right term. Thank your Jop for in depth analysis enabling us to grasp elements of it's beauty from afar.
You're welcome! I like exploring these houses in depth, more videos will come up.
Really like your profound analyses!
Thank you! Great to read that you liked the videos.
Thank you yet again Jop, this is a very little known Lautner masterpiece more reminiscent of his initial work but definitely part of the bridge in his journey to the concrete later works and very intriguing in its form. Although not a huge fan of brick masonry, I think that this example more than redeems this choice of materials to its benefit. Again excellent coverage and thank you for giving me this indulgent journey and making my day yet again! G
You're welcome! I love making this videos and its always great to read on the comments that you have enjoyed them. The house indeed is an early design by Lautner that shows many trademarks that appear in later larger concrete designs. Brick walls give a modern house always a more classic feeling, so I'm not a big fan of it either: but in this house it is wonderful. Personally this is not my favorite Lautner house to live in, but its one of his better designs and one of its most original, but its sadly unknown..,
Thank you for making those beautiful videos and making John Lautner more well known.
You're welcome! It's my mission to make John Lautner more well known. He deserves more credit becuase his house are so amazing.
Wow amazing and great tour of the house
Thank you! More videos will come up soon:)
Always a pleasure to watch this channel. I guess each videos requires a lot of work so that the viewer understands the volumes of each house. As a fan of John Lautner, thank you.
Thanks for your comment. Each video is indeed an enormous amount of research to explore all the photos and drawings, I haven't visited most of the houses in the videos. But I like doing it, and its always a challenge to create a complete overview. Each house by Lautner is challenging and interesting because of all the clever inventions and smart details, the more you look into the house the better it becomes.
Another great video!
What an amazing house, the way the shapes blend together is mesmerizing.
Yes I love this house, but its so little known: that's why I call it the forgotten masterpiece! I love making these videos, so more off them will come up soon: next video is about the Zahn House.
I truly love this house! Amazing, simple design that transcends time. You did an absolutely amazing job creating this video!!
Oh thank you! Woderfull to read the positive comments and great to read that you liked the video. It's indeed an amazing designed house. More videos will come up soon!
Great video, thanks for the info.
Thank you for giving us such a through and yet compact overview of this very complex design. I've not been much of a fan of Lautner and so haven't given his buildings much attention, so this was helpful. I absolutely loath this home and find that I am atavistically repelled by it. But that really makes it doubly important that I dig in and understand better what could invoke such strong (negative) emotions in me. Again, your excellent presentation really helped in this and, notwithstanding my feelings about the structure, I am genuinely thankful for this video being made.
What a very odd comment
Great that you liked the video and thanks for your comment. Whether you like or dont like Lautner that everybodies choice and taste, but his designs are undeniable original and inventive for sure! More videos about Lautner will come up.
Now *this* is one amazing Lautner...the brickwork alone is mind boggling. The round shape and tall tall wood framed windows remind me of the Pearlman Mountain Cabin.
Yes, both the Pearlman Cabin and thiso house are round houses with large windows. The brick work is indeed brilliant, the construction workers first made a wooden mold and placed the bricks in it.
Thanks Very Much. This is one I’ve been waiting for, I live in Florida and this is only Lautner house here. Very Special house Florida doesn’t have much architecture
Oh really funny! I've never been to Florida by I make a video about a house in your state. Yes Florida is a beatiful state it needs more architecture.
@@SuperJobbel Turner House in Aspen next please 😁
@@jco3872 Haha... Yes, I'm already busy with making a video about the Turner House in Aspen Colorado. First I will make a video about the Zahn House and then the Sheats Apartment Building. After that I will do theTurner Hous, it will be somewhere in April or May.
Good Job Jop!
Really amazing. Thank you for a very good presentation. We fully understand where all the elements are. Seems it needs a bit of maintenance though.
Great to read that you liked the video. Also good that you say that you can understand where all the elements are, because I like to make the walkthrough as clear and complete as possible and it's always a lot of puzzling to achieve that! Indeed the house needs some maintenance though. Next video will come up soon.
Wonderful!
Lautner was a really good engineer. I have always said that a non-flat (or sloped) site is a great gift to an architect.
Lautner was a student of F.L Wright and Wright always said: ''never built on top of the hill but always on the sloping side'' Lautner listened very good ot his mentor.
Thanks for sharing.🙌
"Screened in Porch" is the name that people in the American South call that kind of a room, although they're usually much simpler than this one!
If there was a swimming pool in there it would be called a "Florida Room."
Okay, I didn't knew it was called ''a screened in porch''. Are you from the deep south/Florida? Maybe they can make a Florida Room in the boathouse: an indoor pool would be great.
@SuperJobbel yes, I'm from the south. These types of rooms are very common here where you want to enjoy the warm weather but don't want to enjoy the mosquitos! It's no problem that you didn't know, we all know you're not fron here. Besides, we all knew what you meant, which is most important. I just thought you'd enjoy knowing what we call it. Great video, as always, my friend.
@@clayton97330 Yes where I'm from they don't have that much mosquitos. Thank you for your reaction. Great that you liked the video. Another video will be uploaded next week! :)
Fantastic!
John was a real gem.
Absolutely true
A lot of nice structural details, as expected from Launtner, but for me personally…. Not a fan of this example, especially the floor plan, flow and amount of natural lighting. I can see why this is one is “forgotten” or less well know. Good video and presentation on your part as always.
Great that you liked the video, yes the opnions about this house are divided. The house is original and inventive for sure, but the lack of sunlight and the round floorplan is not everyone's favorite choice. I never have visited this house in reality, so I can not judge about it's qualities. The roof constructing is still amazing to look at.
Definitely one of Lautner's best roof designs... beauty in simple geometry. And the kitchen is amazing. I do think that the design would have benefitted by Lautner adding another meter or two to the radius of the circle, as it is a bit cramped, especially around the bedrooms.
This house has an amazing roof design and masonry. I also like the large screened porch. I agree with you that it sometimes feels a bit cramped, but I don't know if it as possible to make roof larger or not. My next video about John Lautner's Zahn House will be uploaded this weekend.
I can visit this house, it is not far. An incredibly useful, and awesome, Lautner original. Thx man
You're welcome! Great that you liked the video. It's indeed a very original house. Do you love nearby Pensacola? Where do you live?
@@SuperJobbel Tampa area, but traveling northwest soon. Couple month tour on my schedule, a stop in Pensacola is a target. Thx again for letting us John Lautner fans such great presentations.
@@Brian-os9qj I never been to Florida, so I haven't visited this house neither. But on the way back from the north west to Tampa you can stop in Pensacola. The adress is 539 El Cerrito PL. Maybe you can first contact the owners, than may you can look inside.
@@SuperJobbel I will effort to do just that. Appreciate the info. Look forward to your future presentations.
@@Brian-os9qj Yes, the next video will be about John Lautner's Zahn House.
Thanks!
You're welcome!
Thank you again for such a great video. I really love this house and think it would be very livable. I'd probably want to repurpose the boat house given that it likely can't be used for it's original purpose.
Oh, it still can … you would have to lay a new boat track and move the jetty which now blocks the path to water, but these are not impossible to do, all it takes is money
Yes, all you need to do is place a new rail, you can place the rail slightly diagonal so it will come next to the jetty.
Thank you for your presentation! I've never seen pictures of the inside. Reminds me of Mr. Zimmerman's house.
You're welcome! From the outside both this and the Zimmerman House are very similar, but both houses are very different interior and construction. I'm preparing to make a video about the Zimmerman House, if you have any pictures of it, you can send them to me.... It's very hard to get pictures of the interior of the Zimmerman House because hardly anyone was ever allowed to enter.
@@SuperJobbel years ago I went to Hennessy & Engels architecture bookstore to pick up my pre-paid Lautner Monograph book. At the counter, picking up his own copy was Mr. Zimmerman. In a conversation with him about his own house, he invited me to come see it. I did and was very grateful. It definitely was different; one feature unique was the interior side of the concrete roof was the visual texture created by their use of bamboo - if I remember correctly. Yes it is different from the house in Florida but that's Lautner as he was always creating. I do remember the swimming pool on the lower floor. Also, Mr. Zimmerman showed me blueprints he had Lautner draw up for a remodel & addition but due to costs it was only an idea.
@@kimballbenson8116 Oh really great that you visited the Zimmerman House! You must feel blessed because only a few people have ever visited it. After Dr. Wayne Zimmerman passed away his son inherited the house but he never allowed someone to enter. I never came close to the house and there are only 3 photos of the interior (that I now..). As what I heard the house is in a very bad condition, almost falling apart. If you can visited the house please take some pictures, then I'm for ever grateful to you! . I do have a copy of the original drawings, so I know the exact lay out of the house. (a round livingroom at the 2nd floor and an indoor pool on the 1st floor. Due to hillside elvation the frontdoor is at the 2nd floor) If I get more pictures I can make a video. Thanks for your response.
@@kimballbenson8116 I even have the drawings of the remdoel&addition : it was a 2nd round house but them much smaller and palced lower in the garden.
The roof was made of concrete: the texture on the ceiling was made by covered it with plaster that wrought with a bundle of fronds.
Hello; I knew about this house but I think never saw the detailed photos of the structure. Thanks
Great to you liked the video. Yes, there are only a few photos published about this house. It's one of the least well known designs by Lautner. I was lucky that Saariste and Kikkert gave me all the photos I needed.
Looks exactly like a Minnesota chain of banks that went out of business.
Now one of them is a lighting store.
Okay interesting! I never hear of that chain of banks, let me show some pictures.
I like this house very much. Especially how it is constructed. Wonder if Wright's Guggenheim Museum ,being constructed at the same time, have any influence on this having a spiral design.
I didn't realise it, now that you say it! Indeed there are some similarities between this design and the Guggenheim museum. Honestly I don't know wether the museum is inspired by this Lautner, or the other way around. I shall check it out, thank you for your comment! :)
Thanks for sharing - great explanation video!
It's a Lautner fixer-upper. Some very positive things. Only drawbacks are (1) not much of a scenic view, (2) very dark colors (can be remedied), (3) I don't understand why that 1 inner wall is LEANING inward (?)
Also... wonder how the roof performs in the rain? As well as indoor climate controls?
I love this house … it has many Lautner quirks, the curving walls and inward lean especially … what’s a bit odd to me is why one needs a fireplace in Pensacola 😊 although further investigation reveals average lows in December and January as 42 and 43 degrees F
A fireplace also creates a good atmosphere! Great that you liked the video and indeed its a marvelous home.
You're welcome! It"s a great home. 1- I dont know if you can see much of the scenic view. From the screened porch there is a beautiful look over the landscape. 2- yes the colours are dark, but that gives the house an organic character (wood/earth colour) 3- some walls are indeed leaning inward, that's not practical but still beautiful. - the roof is very rain resistant. - the house has a lot of shadow, so it's very cool, but there's no air conditioning. During hot days you need to sit on the screened porch.
@@SuperJobbel Thank you for the thorough response - great channel you've put together. 👍 Just curious . . . is the house considered a museum (or historically preserved)? Or is it for sale? (or both?)
As an aside - - I saw a couple bought a Frank Lloyd Wright home and invested in re-furbishing it top to bottom.
I love JL!
So do I!
Did he work on the Guggenheim museum with FLW? I think this might be a new favourite ngl
No, Lautner never worked on the Guggenheim museum. He was only an assistant of Wright between 1935 and 1940, while the Guggenheim was constructed in 1959. Still, there are some similarities between the Guggenheim museum and this house. This is also one of my favorite houses by Lautner.
Imagine it in light/white brick, paint and stain.
Yes, a common complain is that this house is to dark. With a white coloured ceiling it would look more bright, still the dark ceiling with the bricks, give it a more organic feeling, more F.L Wright like. So both options are good: it's a matter of taste.
How i wish architects would study this mans work instead of producing the rubbish they do.
I think young architects indeed all must study Lautner's work. That's why I make these videos, to help them study it better. However, not all contemporary architecture is rubbish, still we need more creativity and orginality.
I'm not a fan of the house plan. The curves of the brick walls give the impression that the ground is not flat. However, it remains original.
Like all of Lautner's work it's a brilliant design, but because of the deep overhanging roof it's very dark.
Honestly, I never have visited this house in reality, so I don't know if it's very dark or not, on some photos it seems to be dark for sure. I think with the large windows, still enough sunlight will enter. At the same time the overhanging creates a lot of shadow. Anyway it's a very original and inventive design for sure!
What a treat, thanks! A smaller ( less crazy) predecessor of the Zimmerman house.
You're welcome! Indeed the house has some similarities with the Zimmerman House, I'm planning to make a video on that house to, but there are only a few photos available. If you have photos about the interior please send to me! Thanks :)
This is nowhere near as good as Lautner's other designs. But still, the video and the explanation is fantastic, Jop. How about you cover Palais Bulles by Antti Lovag, the house of Pierre Cardin?
Thank you, great that you liked the video. I never heard of the Palais Bulles by Antti Lovag, the house of Pierre Cardin. I shall check it out and maybe I can make a video about it!
Yes, Antti Lovag's work is amazing!@@SuperJobbel
Kitchen cabinets for DAYS
❤❤❤❤❤
This house makes me slightly dizzy, lol. It's a bit baffling how he came up with the interior layout. It's definitely unique!!
Hahaha.. thanks for your comment. I can imagine that the floorplan looks a bit dizzy, but I guess that once you actually live in the house it doens't look dizzy anymore. Living in the house feels very organic with view towards the landscape. What I like so much is that each house looks very different and each design is unique. Therefore makingthese videos is never boring.
@SuperJobbel Watching your videos is never boring, either. You do an amazing job at describing how each home was planned and the resulting effects. I wish I could live in one but the next best thing is getting to see inside via your channel. Many thanks!!
Why do we get a slideshow on youtube? TH-cam is for VIDEOS!
A slideshow was the only way to make a video of this house... Moving images weren't available. All my videos are slideshows...
❤️
This might be his best work
Craftsmanship >>>
Yes it's definitely in the top10 of his best works, i think
😍
I am sure that those interested Mr. John Lautner from different countries would like to put a translation for your videos,do not forget Arabic language☺️
Okay, I will try to figure out, how I can put subtitles under the videos. Also in Arabic. I don't know how it works yet. Maybe so google translation. Great that you liked the video! :)
Please let me get the furnishings in there to make this a home.
Yes, most pictures were taken when the house was empty. At the moment it's decorated with furniture.
That boathouse with a seawall at the waterline is about useless unless you have a kayak
Yes, its not in use anymore, but you can easily remove a part of the seawall and put the rails back up.
forgotten ?? by whom ?? i live in pensacola and have known about this home for years ...
You know it because you live in Pensacola, but most people outside Florida have never heard of this house. I used the term "forgotten" because the house not included in most books about Lautner and is not mentioned that often, especially compared with some other brilliant designs by Lautner. So I thought the word "forgotten" was justified.
Floriduh
4:3 ..... fail.
Gorgeous architecture in an awful location...such a waste.
i thought the exact same thing!
It's a beautiful house for sure, but I never been to Pensacola so I don't have a opinion about that.
@@SuperJobbel it’s not about Pensacola - it’s the view outside the backyard. (They never really show much of the front yard either)
@@_Breakdown. True, there’s not much landscaping to speak of … a talented landscape architect could solve that problem, the yard real needs work and so many great plants can grow in that climate it’s a shame the yard is in such rough shape
@@_Breakdown Oh I thought the Bayou was really looking nice, but it still is a matter of taste.
Wonderful!
Thank you!