Ellwood was trained as an engineer and had a passion for using industrial materials and construction techniques in residential architecture. As a result, Case Study House #16 exhibits a highly rational design and has an exposed steel structural framing, and floor-to-ceiling glass walls took advantage of spectacular views.
Pierre-Joseph Redouté (Saint-Hubert, Luxembourg 1759-1840 Paris). On sale as part of Christie's 'Old Masters' auction today. Estimate $400,000 - $600,000 /
Roses, tulips, peonies, marigolds, a carnation, an iris and other flowers in an earthenware vase with a garden tiger moth on a stone ledge
Fagus Factory, a shoe last factory in Alfeld on the Leine in Germany [1925] by Walter Gropius and Adolf Meyer /
"The main building was erected on top of a structurally stable basement with flat caps. Nonreinforced concrete (compressed concrete), mixed with pebble dashing was used for the basement walls, an unfortunate blend unable to support great individual loads. From the basement upward, the building rose in plain brickwork with reinforced wood floors. The ceilings were underpinned with a formwork shell and finished in rough-cast plaster on the services installation side. The floors were composed of planks on loose sleepers – that is, sleepers that were not fixed between the floor joists. Hence, the ceilings in the main building were not continuous shears and thus were unable to fulfill the necessary bracing function." Jürgen Götz
