Rudolph Schindler house in LA to host design exhibitions

Interior view of Fitzpatrick-Leland House featuring white walls, wood flooring, large windows, a black chandelier, a sideboard with a lamp on top and wooden seating with white padding and cushions

Rudolph Schindler’s famed Fitzpatrick-Leland house is set to host a series of exhibitions focusing on design this year

(Image credit: TBC)

last updated 10 August 2022

The famed Fitzpatrick-Leland house, perched at the top of Mulholland Drive, has been billed a ‘theatrical’ structure by historians – as well as, frankly, ‘a come-on’.

Built as a spec house to attract similar development in the 1930s, it sits at the intersection of the city’s notorious mountain drive and the twisting thoroughfare of Laurel Canyon, an area today hosting many impressive homes.

This year, the Rudolph Schindler creation, now owned by the MAK Center for Art and Architecture, will welcome a series of design exhibitions and programming related to the home’s history. The series begins with ‘Pin-up: A Designed Tribute to Schindler’s LA’, juxtaposing the work of LA-based designers and artists with that of Schindler, who hailed from Austria and moved to LA in 1921.

View of the dark wood 'Chene' desk and stools by Atelier de Troupe in a space with white walls and grey floors — *’Chene’ desk and stool by Atelier de Troupe*

Schindler’s innovative designs utilised the interplay of indoor and outdoor space as well as uncommon materials, making him one of the city’s vital architectural voices even today. A former collaborator of Richard Neutra, he built more than 150 homes in the LA area from the 1920s onward. Participating designer Pamela Shamshiri, a former film set designer, lives in the Schindler-designed Lechner House, which she recently restored. Shamshiri, behind the look of spots like the Ace Hotel Palm Springs, made pieces on display in collaboration with artist John Williams. Brendan Ravenhill, also on view, has too made the Schindler legacy part of his design practice, restoring the Southall House in Echo Park and designing fixtures for Schindler’s Bethlehem Baptist Church in South Los Angeles.

The design group Atelier de Troupe, led by Gabriel Abraham, has created an on-view group of light fixtures and furniture that takes cues from 1920s aesthetics; while a kidney-bean shaped wood table and chair set were designed in collaboration with MOC Woodworking. Also contributing designs is Marmol Radziner, a long-time Schindler supporter, with a recreated Schindler sofa, ottoman and sling chairs. The talent on display may well be a contemporary come-on for those tempted by LA’s booming design scene.

View of a black framed room divider with two wood panels and lighting attached. There is also a small light coloured trolley in a space with white walls, grey floors and windows offering a view of the trees and sky outside — ’Pin-up: A Designed Tribute to Schindler’s LA’ juxtaposes the work of LA-based designers and artists with that of Schindler

View of the ’Long Church’ chandelier and a light wood recreation of Schindler’s dining table and chairs in a space with white walls, grey floors and windows offering a view of the trees outside — A recreation of Schindler’s dining table and chairs for Beata Inaya’s Apartment, and the ’Long Church’ chandelier, all by Brendan Ravenhill Studio

View of Rudolph Schindler’s wooden and white sling chairs and a dark coloured trolley by Pamela Shamshiri in a space with white walls, wood flooring, chandeliers and windows — Rudolph Schindler’s sling chairs, built by Marmol Radziner, and trolley by Pamela Shamshiri, who resides in the Schindler-designed Lechner house

Two side-by-side photos of pieces of furniture. The first photo features the black ’Tempo’ chandelier by Atelier de Troupe and the ’Kings Road’ collection by Marmol Radziner which includes wooden seating with white padding and cushions. The space has white walls and wood flooring. And the second photo is of a Schindler lamp by Studio Shamshiri and the ’Kasbah’ sideboard by Atelier de Troupe in a space with wood flooring and large windows offering views of the trees, hills and sky outside — Left, ’Kings Road’ collection by Marmol Radziner and ’Tempo’ chandelier by Atelier de Troupe. Right, Schindler lamp by Studio Shamshiri alongside ’Kasbah’ sideboard by Atelier de Troupe

INFORMATION

‘Pin-up: A Designed Tribute to Schindler’s LA’ is on view until 11 February. For more information, visit the MAK Center website (opens in new tab) and the Atelier de Troupe website (opens in new tab)

ADDRESS

MAK Center for Art and Architecture, Los Angeles
835 North Kings Road West
Hollywood CA 90069

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