Set against the sparkling Pacific shoreline, Long Beach offers one of Southern California’s richest concentrations of modern architecture and provides the perfect setting for a day immersed in California’s modern heritage. On this full-day bus excursion, discover how the city became a hub for innovation in design and planning, from early experiments in modern living to bold postwar expressions of the California lifestyle. Tour the office and residences of local master Edward Killingsworth, renowned for his refined Case Study Houses and expansive glass-and-wood residences, and residences by Cliff May, a pioneer of suburban postwar housing, known widely as the “father of the ranch house.” Along the way, tour attendees will view other landmark designs by Irving Gill, John Lautner, Hugh and Donald Gibbs, and others.
This tour features a combination of interior site tours, walking and drive-by stops throughout Long Beach’s many Modern-inspired neighborhoods, providing a comprehensive overview of the evolution of Long Beach from a seaside resort town to a laboratory for 20th-century architectural ideas. Lunch and coach transportation included.
** Bus tours depart promptly from the USC Hotel at the indicated start time. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to start time to board the bus.
About the Tour Leader
The tour will be led by Brannon Smithwick and Sarah Locke.