About

“Edwards House”

Gregory Ain, architect. 1936

Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument 260. Declared 05/17/83. Council District 13.

History:

Named “House of the year” in Home Beautiful in 1938

Listed as one of the best small houses in America in Architectural Forum 1940.

“This single story house is comprised of a series of walled enclosures that give each space complete privacy.” (Source: Gebhard & Winter, A Guide to Architecture in Los Angeles, 1985, p.176.)

Dr. Theodore Lindauer, owner of the Edwards House, reported that restoration of this Gregory Ain designed house was started in 1976 and is 95% completed. He stated that when he purchased the house it was in a state of disrepair and neither he nor the seller were aware that it is an architectural award winning house. T. Lindauer stated that this house was Mr. Ain’s first commission after completing his apprenticeship with R. M. Schindler. He added that Mr. Ain has been the consultant on the restoration at no charge and was a frequent visitor before becoming ill. Some of the craftsmen who originally built this structure helped with the restoration. ( Source: Minutes of the Cultural Heritage Board, 03/09/83, Cultural Affairs Dept., Room 1500, City Hall, Los Angeles 90012.) (Source: Owner of HCM # 260 Record: Christine Chatterton, 5642 Holly Oak Drive, Los Angeles, 90068, 213/4678666)

The Edwards House was constructed in 1936; designed by Gregory Ain in the International Style. Ain is one of just three architects the New York Museum of Modern Art had do its “exhibition house”. (Frank Lloyd Wright and Marcel Breuer were the others) Mr. Ain gained national recognition with the Edwards House, his first commission after apprenticeship with R. M. Schindler. It was named “House of the Year” in Home Beautiful in 1938 and listed as one of the best small houses in America in the Architectural Forum in 1940. Gregory Ain introduced such features as a trellised garden off two bedrooms, which leads around the corner to a small swimming pool. Most unusual is the way he broke the facade on the garden side with a projecting glass cage which slips from under a higher solid roof as if it were part of a nest of tables. The cage in this case is a small sunroom off the living room, but Ain used variations of it in several later houses.
During the restoration of the residence in the late 1970’s the architect was consulted every step of the way and wherever possible, the original craftsmen were utilized. (Source: Cultural Heritage Board. 07/05/83 Ileana Welch, Coordinator.)

Gregory Ain, one of three architects of “MOMA” in New York. The house has a trellis that integrates pool with overhang; house and site treated as a unit; privacy afforded on curve in road by wall designs and landscaping; entrance, shielded from street, allows access to all rooms of house; glass living room “wall”, a series of sliding doors to patio lawn; each room opens onto its own patio; hot-air circulating fireplace.

“Guide to Architecture in Southern California”, LA County Museum of Art. Ford & Ford’s book “The Modern House in America”. 1946
(Source: Southern California Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians, Ester McCoy, David Gebhard, Arthur Drexler (MOMA)
See Los Angeles Times 5/20/90, real estate section “House Machine At Home on Southland Hillsides”, by Leon Whitson.
See, Esther McCoy,”The Second Generation,” Hennesey & Ingalls.
See David Gebhard, “Schindler” Viking Press, N.Y., p. 141, photograph of Edwards House

1940 Census:
5642 Holly Oak Drive (Value $9,000): 1) Clifford H. Edwards, head of household; white married male 39 years of age; born in Ohio; printing, banking; earns $1,920. 2) Phyllis M. Edwards, wife; white married female 35 years of age; born in South Dakota; teacher, public school; earns $2,042. 3) Fredrick F. Perley, lodger; white single male 38 years of age; born in California; salesman, brewing company; earns $2,300.