The unknown Modernist… and the first modern A-frame

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The unknown Modernist… and the first modern A-frame

December 2, 2010 by Eric

UPDATE… Jan 2012… I’ve discovered that Rudolph Schindler built an A frame house in 1936… So this post is somewhat misleading. Sorry about that. Needless to say… Schindler is probably my favorite architect in the world anyway… here is the post from a year ago below. Click the link just above to see Schindler’s aframe.

In 1949/1950 a fellow by the name of Gerald Rupp built this A-frame home in Morro Bay, CA. It was the first Modernist A Frame house I think. (A fellow by the name of Andrew Geller often gets credit for being the first to re-introduce the A-Frame style though … as his house built on Long Island in NY in 1955 was published in the New York Times in 1957.)

Gerald (Gerry) also built these homes in Morro Bay… a few lots away in the early 1950’s

and this home… next door to the a frame…

here again below (out of focus)…. notice the early fifties addition to the a-frame house in the background

and this house below… across the st…. mid 1950’s…

another shot… this house below was torn down just last month… sad

a view of the a-frame from high on the hill… before some of the other houses… and before the addition to the front… below:

The other side of the A-frame… below… all in all there were 8 neighboring modern houses… and a few a couple more lots away… 10 all together. Gerald sold them to artists, writers, musicians… all early modernists. It was a hotbed of intellectualism and Beat Culture in the 1950’s. Known then by the local fishermen as “Beatnik Hill”. One of the first experiments in building intentional community between like minded individuals. Many Famous beat generation icons stopped through on their way to Big Sur.

neighborhood context 1949 or so I think

The man… Gerry Rupp 1922-2010… with my older brother… circa mid 1950’s:

Rest in Peace Dad

Posted in architecture, california cultural anthropology, city planning | Tagged a frame home, a frame house, a-frame, architect rupp, Beat Generation, beatnik, beatnik architecture, california modernism, case study homes, case study houses, Early modernist, Frank Lloyd Wright, gerald rupp, gerry rupp, john etenza, modern architecture, modernism, modernist, Morro Bay architecture, Richard Neutra, rudolph schindler, the movement, Warren Leopold | 9 Comments

9 Responses

on December 28, 2010 at 6:50 pm | Reply Ed Swain

Eric,
I enjoyed reading about your Dad,he was way ahead of his time and an interesting guy.

Ed Swain
on January 18, 2011 at 1:04 pm | Reply Johanna Rupp

Eric, how lovely to see them all together, succinctly displayed and contextually described. Oh to have been a fly on the wall of one of those walls on Beatnik Hill!

x

Johanna
on February 20, 2011 at 5:59 pm | Reply Thomas

Hi Eric,

Just wanted to say I have only recently come across your site, it was only on a search for west coast modernists that I found it. The images of your fathers work are so evocative and depict an idyll (to a brit like me,) like something out of Eden Ahbez record or the Darma Bums. I hope you keep up with the site, I’m fascinated by your own personal style and sensibilities and look forward to further dispatches from the west coast. Best wishes Thomas.
- on March 3, 2011 at 1:42 pm | Reply Eric
  
  My sister told me a story about my dad camping in Big Sur back in the day… where a hippie girl comes hiking out of the woods with a friend or two… and she suddenly comes upon my dad…standing there in his cord shorts and beard in the middle of nowhere… and she stops… stumbling a tad… and asks… “are you the father of the beatniks?”
- on March 3, 2011 at 2:03 pm | Reply Eric
  
  Thomas, one more thing… I had never heard of Eden Ahbez until your comment. So I looked him up. He sold the song “nature boy” to Nat King Cole in the 1940’s. My mom was working for Capital Records in the very late 1940’s early 50’s… as a copywriter… she wrote copy on the various record albums and sleeves etc. I think she did a few Nat King Cole albums… Sarah Vaughn etc. I’m a tad bummed I can’t ask her if she ever met Eden… or about that particular detail.
on March 10, 2011 at 2:10 pm | Reply Michele

Eric,
This is just too beautiful for words!! I am stunned by the beauty of these sites you have created – a true “homage” to Lucy and to Gerry. Just marvelous.

I am filled with admiration for your creation – wonderful writing, stunning photos – my bro’. I have tears seeing Lucy’s beautiful profile in Italy.
I miss her too – each and every moment. Thank you for this tribute – it’s just excellent in every way.
Sis (one of them!)
on January 3, 2012 at 5:19 pm | Reply aframehistory

Fascinating photos and story. Would you mind if I write a piece for aframehistory.com?
- on January 4, 2012 at 12:26 pm | Reply Eric
  
  I’d love to chat with you. I’ll send you an email at Aframehistory.com
on January 4, 2012 at 12:54 pm | Reply Eric

I did a bit more digging and uncovered the fact that Rudolph Schindler (my favorite architect BTW!) actually built an A frame house in the mid 30’s. So I suppose I have to take my dad off the pedestal. Rats.

Just below is a cut and paste link to Schindler’s aframe though. He is FREAKING awesome if you don’t know him. Look up his work.

http://architecture.about.com/od/houses/ss/Schindlers-A-Frame.htm