Pierre Koenig

Pierre Koenig (b.1925) is a leading figure of the Modern movement in America, and a guiding influence in the Case Study House Program. This monograph, the first ever to document his pioneering work, provides an unparalleled insight into the evolution of Modernism on the West Coast.

Koenig designed and built his first exposed steel house in 1950. In 1957 he was chosen by Arts and Architecture Magazine to design Case Study Houses #21 and #22. These homes, two of the most innovative buildings in the programme, have since become iconic, and capture the intense excitement and optimism of the period.

This book, a comprehensive study of Koenig's career, includes both newly commissioned and vintage photographs together with the architect's original drawings of his refined and dramatic architecture.

James Steele is Associate Professor of Architecture at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. His many publications include Los Angeles Architecture: The Contemporary Condition and Architecture Today, both published by Phaidon.

David Jenkins was Buildings Editor of the Architect's Journal. He is currently with Foster Associates.

'Gives the architect his full due.' (Elle Décor US)
 
'Being from Phaidon, the book is well produced, and the text by James Steele (of USC) and David Jenkins is clear and methodical.' (The Architect’s Journal)
 
'Panoramic scenes of LA, wraparound glass walls and pools with a view are abundant in this, the first comprehensive monograph of Pierre Koenig's work.' (Wallpaper*)
 
'This book is as much about the rediscovery of a 'lost' era as about the unearthing of a 'forgotten' architect. Those unfamiliar with the story of the Case Study Houses will find it useful in setting Koenig's work in context. Those interested in a more detailed analysis of the architect's early work and intrigued to discover 'what happened next' are rewarded by detailed commentaries on all the main projects of his long, but spasmodic, career.' (Building Design)

'The book is extremely good value.' (The Architectural Review)
 
'A book on Pierre Koenig is long overdue and we should be grateful to James Steele, David Jenkins and their publisher for this beautifully produced volume.' (RIBA Journal)
 
'Lavishly illustrated.' (Christie’s Magazine)
 
'A book on Pierre Koenig was long overdue; credits to James Steele, David Jenkins and the publishers for the handsome volume … This monograph documents Koenig's career with the advancements of every project. Unfamiliar readers are completely put to the context of the period … The monograph is timely and makes Koenig's work accessible to a wider audience.' (Indian Architect and Builder)