Eric Owen Moss (Architectural Monographs No 29)

Philip Johnson referred to Eric Owen Moss as the "master jeweller of junk". Even the most avant-garde designers in Los Angeles considered Moss's architecture to be unconventional. His highly individual approach to structure and geometry is the key element in the creation of complicated interlocking spaces. This sets his work apart as a personal statement about the contemporary condition in LA and the radical changes that have taken place since he started his practice there nearly two decades ago. Many of his projects are situated near his base in Culver City, between Downtown and the Pacific. This area has become a testing ground for experiments in complex geometry, dramatically expressed in his Spar City complex, which is presented in detail in this monograph as a utopian vision of what the city may become in the future. Several new, previously unpublished, residential projects such as the Aronoff and Lawson/Westen House, are also included. These demonstrate his unorthodox approach on a domestic scale. The unique nature of his projects in this area are made possible by close collaboration with the developer Frederick Norton Smith. This makes Moss's work one of the most effective programmes for a unified architectural plan in this region.