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BUILDING |
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Thomas Mann House
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DESIGNER |
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DESCRIPTION |
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February 2019
 Timelessly harmonious and distilled to the essential: Even a century after its inception, the unparalleled Bauhaus style still influences today's architects and designers. This once revolutionary design concept can be newly discovered in the former residence of German writer Thomas Mann in the US city of Los Angeles. After careful restoration, the villa, which now bears the name of its past famous resident, was furnished by German designers, including lighting manufacturer Occhio. It now serves as a model of timeless creativity.
 The home was built in Pacific Palisades in 1942 by the American architect of German origin Julius Ralph Davidson and later captivated Thomas Mann, who lived there with his family for 10 years. The German government purchased it in 2016, at which point the Thomas Mann House underwent extensive restoration. In keeping with its original style, the villa was furnished by well-known companies representing modern German interior design.
The Bauhaus principle of “form follows function” inspired the concept for updating the home. Classics from various decades of German design were used to create a timeless, welcoming space in the California residence now owned by the German government. The interior concept focused primarily on maintaining the openness of the home and on reflecting the nature and attitude of Mann within the context of the present. In selecting the design and materials for the restoration work, special attention was paid to emphasizing the character of the house.
“We practiced restraint with the interior concept and selected unobtrusive furnishings that establish space to breathe,” explains Ursula Seeba-Hannan, managing partner of the Berlin-based design and construction firm Lenzwerk Holding, which was responsible for the interior design. “We wanted guests to feel at ease and inspired from the moment they enter the Thomas Mann House.”
The Thomas Mann House is the German federal government’s residence for visiting cultural, political, business, media and science intellectuals through the scholarship program overseen by Villa Aurora & Thomas Mann House e.V. |
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LOCATION |
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| Continent |
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North America |
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| Nation |
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 United States |
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 California |
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Los Angeles |
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 Los Angeles |
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Pacific Palisades |
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| Address |
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1550 San Remo Drive
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| Website |
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MAP |
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TYPOLOGY |
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Main |
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ARCHITECTURE | Residential buildings
Detached, semi-detached houses and villas
Operations on existing buildings
Renovation, rehabilitation and restructuring
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Additional |
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LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS | Landscape architecture
Private gardens
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CHRONOLOGY |
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Project |
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1941
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Realisation |
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1941 - 1942 |
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ADDITIONS AND DIGRESSIONS |
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| During his time in this house Thomas Mann wrote Doctor Faustus and The Holy Sinner. |
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CLIENT |
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DIMENSIONAL
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| Surface |
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sq.m. 460 (sq.ft. 5,000)
site ha 1
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STAFF |
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| Project |
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| Restorations |
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2018
Interior construction and design: Lenzwerk Holding
Lighting design: Lenzwerk Holding |
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CREDITS |
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Photos by Robert Sprang, © Occhio
Text edited by Occhio | Communication Plus
Courtesy of Occhio | Communication Plus
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