In the Hollywood Hills, where
mansions overlook the glit-
tering city below, the cliff-
perched Stahl House is a
shining example of über-mod-
ern minimalism by archi-
tect Pierre Koenig. Built in
1959, the rectangular resi-
dence has three sides made
of glass, which capitalize on
its cityscape view. The house
became the posterchild for
modern architecture during the 20th cen-
tury, thanks to the work of renowned archi-
tectural photographer Julius Shulman.
With a tour ticket (reserve in advance), you
can view the streamlined interior, a popular
location for film and fashion shoots.
Perched in the hills above the Westside
of Los Angeles in Brentwood, the Getty
Center looks like an elevated modernist
city, its pearl-beige walls as compelling
your car and take a five-minute tram ride
to this glorious six-building compound
with expansive city-skyline and ocean
views. Designed by Richard Meier as
a tribute to culture and landscape, the
Getty was constructed with 16,000
tons of Italian travertine. You'll need
half a day to take in the hundreds of
pre-20th-century European paintings,
drawings, illuminated manuscripts,
decorative arts, and photographs, as
well as the outdoor sculpture gardens
and fountains.
Tucked between Little Armenia and Thai
Town in Los Angeles, this National Historic
Landmark was designed by Frank Lloyd
Wright for oil heiress Aline Barnsdall in
1919. Described as a harbinger of California
Modernism, Hollyhock House reflects a
melting pot of design influences including
Mayan, Aztec, Asian and Egyptian.
(Lloyd Wright called the style "California
Romanza.") The house is constructed
solely of geometric cast-concrete "textile
blocks" and is adorned with Barnsdall's
favorite flower, the hollyhock. Book ahead
to join a docent-led tour.
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