Living Outside Inside

In an effort to blur the distinction between the interior and exterior surroundings of the home, clients are demanding that architects come up with designs that fully integrate the two realms. Through extensive use of glazing, porches and decks, the architects represented in this book see the garden as an outdoor extension of the space of the houses that they design. As a result, the exterior spaces surrounding these houses are in many ways as important as the interior spaces. Courtyards, terraces and pergolas serve as connections between the house and the garden, very much in the Modernist tradition established by such architects as Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra and Rudolph Schindler in their designs for houses in Southern California in the 1920s-1950s.

The projects have been selected for their excellence in design, innovative use of materials and methods of construction. Each house comprises a case study that includes interior and exterior photography by some of the finest architectural photographers working today; drawings including site plans, details, and floor plans; and concise, informative text that highlights the design and technical aspects of the house.