Architecture Without Rules

Although Marcel Breuer's name conjures up images of his ubiquitous "Breuer Chair", it is his many houses that best reveal his design philosophy. Virtually all of his houses were designed in collaboration with Herbert Beckhard, who began as a young associate and later became a partner in Breuer's firm. The houses are noted for such dynamics as interior spaces that flow into each other, a rigorous denial of extraneous detail, a keen respect for, and use of, natural materials, innovative applications of state-of-the-art technology and a conspicuous articulation of structure. "Architecture Without Rules" examines 20 houses in chronological order, including the renowned Roebeck, Starkey, Hooper and Wise houses. The variables that define each house are examined, including site constraints, client stipulations, materials, and interior and exterior functions.