Avenel Cooperative Housing Project
Encyclopedia
Avenel Cooperative Housing Project, properly known as Avenel Homes, is a 10-unit cooperative housing
development designed by architect Gregory Ain
, and built in 1947 in the Silver Lake
section of Los Angeles
. Ain's innovative design has been called "a model for effective use of limited space for low-cost urban housing."
, leading to the conclusion that the project was "a cooperative living experiment for a group of communists." Resident and architect Richard Corsini noted: "Most of the people that originally lived here were path-breaking political types," and even after the communist cooperative broke up, the structures remained popular with progressive homeowners. (The claim that the units were originally built for a group of motion picture cartoonists and their families is not correct, but applies instead to Ain's Community Homes project of the same period.)
Though small, the unit-plan was noteworthy for its flexibility and openness. It included a sliding wall between the master bedroom and living room, and another between the two smaller bedrooms. Ain's original plan for an 'open' kitchen was rejected by the Federal Housing Administration
.
In 2002, the Los Angeles Times
ran a 1,500-word feature article about the Avenel project. At that time, one of three remaining original residents, Serril Gerber, told the Times that he and his wife had joined with nine other couples in seeking out Ain, hiring him to build a low-cost complex with a high quality of design. Gerber said, "We'd seen these modern houses in magazines, and we liked the idea of having a living space that is both indoors and outdoors. We liked the idea of doing something really modern, and we liked Greg. He was a radical person in his thinking, because he wanted to put his ideas in the service of regular people. That was his mission, really." Each couple contributed $11,000 to the project.
Preservation architect Gordon Olschlager moved into one of the units in 1992 and restored it using Ain's original drawings. Olschlager removed additions that were not part of Ain's original design. Olschlager also restored the sliding glass walls and sliding wood room dividers. Olschlager did not reverse all of the modifications, however, noting: "When you talk to people who know Gregory Ain, they say that he would have been comfortable with people personalizing their space." Olschlager won a Merit Award in the Western Home Awards for his work on the Avenel Cooperative.
By 2002, the units had become "magnets for architecture buffs" and were selling for "well over $300,000."
USC professor Christiane Robbins
lives at the Avenel complex and is directing a film on Ain's work.
in 2005.
Housing cooperative
A housing cooperative is a legal entity—usually a corporation—that owns real estate, consisting of one or more residential buildings. Each shareholder in the legal entity is granted the right to occupy one housing unit, sometimes subject to an occupancy agreement, which is similar to a lease. ...
development designed by architect Gregory Ain
Gregory Ain
Gregory Ain was an American architect active in the mid-20th century. Working primarily in the Los Angeles area, Ain is best known for bringing elements of modern architecture to lower- and medium-cost housing.- Biography :...
, and built in 1947 in the Silver Lake
Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California
Silver Lake is a hilly neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California east of Hollywood and northwest of Downtown Los Angeles. Silver Lake is inhabited by a wide variety of ethnic and socioeconomic groups, but it is best known as an eclectic gathering of hipsters and the creative class.The...
section of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. Ain's innovative design has been called "a model for effective use of limited space for low-cost urban housing."
Members
Of the ten original members of the cooperative, at least four were blacklisted or questioned by the House Un-American Activities CommitteeHouse Un-American Activities Committee
The House Committee on Un-American Activities or House Un-American Activities Committee was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives. In 1969, the House changed the committee's name to "House Committee on Internal Security"...
, leading to the conclusion that the project was "a cooperative living experiment for a group of communists." Resident and architect Richard Corsini noted: "Most of the people that originally lived here were path-breaking political types," and even after the communist cooperative broke up, the structures remained popular with progressive homeowners. (The claim that the units were originally built for a group of motion picture cartoonists and their families is not correct, but applies instead to Ain's Community Homes project of the same period.)
Architecture
Avenel Homes consists of ten identical three-bedroom units of 960 square feet (89.2 m²), situated on two 60 feet (18.3 m) lots, each 140 feet (42.7 m) deep. The units are organized in two rows of five, attached, and stepping back from the street in a saw-tooth pattern. This configuration gives each unit a front door and a private back patio.Though small, the unit-plan was noteworthy for its flexibility and openness. It included a sliding wall between the master bedroom and living room, and another between the two smaller bedrooms. Ain's original plan for an 'open' kitchen was rejected by the Federal Housing Administration
Federal Housing Administration
The Federal Housing Administration is a United States government agency created as part of the National Housing Act of 1934. It insured loans made by banks and other private lenders for home building and home buying...
.
In 2002, the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
ran a 1,500-word feature article about the Avenel project. At that time, one of three remaining original residents, Serril Gerber, told the Times that he and his wife had joined with nine other couples in seeking out Ain, hiring him to build a low-cost complex with a high quality of design. Gerber said, "We'd seen these modern houses in magazines, and we liked the idea of having a living space that is both indoors and outdoors. We liked the idea of doing something really modern, and we liked Greg. He was a radical person in his thinking, because he wanted to put his ideas in the service of regular people. That was his mission, really." Each couple contributed $11,000 to the project.
Modifications and restoration
Over the years, the units had been substantially modified by homeowners, and all but one had expanded the living space to include the outdoor patio area. Also, though built for families of four, most owners had found the units more comfortable for two persons and had converted the master bedrooms into dens.Preservation architect Gordon Olschlager moved into one of the units in 1992 and restored it using Ain's original drawings. Olschlager removed additions that were not part of Ain's original design. Olschlager also restored the sliding glass walls and sliding wood room dividers. Olschlager did not reverse all of the modifications, however, noting: "When you talk to people who know Gregory Ain, they say that he would have been comfortable with people personalizing their space." Olschlager won a Merit Award in the Western Home Awards for his work on the Avenel Cooperative.
By 2002, the units had become "magnets for architecture buffs" and were selling for "well over $300,000."
USC professor Christiane Robbins
Christiane Robbins
Christiane Robbins is a trans-disciplinary artist, director, curator/programmer, designer and scholar. She is known for creating works of video/film, photography, visual art, installation, varied cultural projects and publications...
lives at the Avenel complex and is directing a film on Ain's work.
Historic designation
Avenel Homes was listed in the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2005.