Two Houses: Case Studies in Hubris and Stewardship

In 2015 and 2016, two very different houses were torn down: Ray Bradbury’s house in the Cheviot Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, and the Bavinger House, designed by Bruce Goff, outside Norman, Oklahoma. At first examination, these two houses had little in common: Ray Bradbury’s house dated from 1937 and was conventional for L.A. houses of its time, notable only for its bright yellow color—and its resident, a 20th century literary master. Meanwhile, the Bavinger House, built between 1951 and 1955, was known for its singular quality, arguably the masterpiece of a master architect. Despite the differences in the houses, the stories of their demolition have many overlapping qualities. Specifically, the destruction of these houses was the result of a lack of stewardship and an excess of hubris. In the case of the Bradbury House, the house was ultimately judged on its architectural merits alone, isolated from its notability as the residence of an important author and screenwriter. The final owners of the Bradbury House—who purchased the house with the explicit intent of demolishing it—showed utter contempt for the home’s cultural significance. In the case of the Bavinger House, the owner—who inherited the property—showed no regard for or understanding of the house’s architectural value. In both cases, significant heritage was lost because people acted as property owners, not cultural stewards. In neither case was the idea of an obligation to others paramount or, arguably, even present. Notably, the stories of the demolitions played out in the media, but perhaps more dramatically on social media, where premature obituaries of the Bavinger House may have helped seal its fate. In both cases, concerned citizens used social media to voice their desire that the houses be preserved, but in both cases, those citizens were ignored. More than just an interesting tale of two demolished houses, the stories of the Bradbury House and the Bavinger House provide case studies to explore aspects of collective memory, conservation, and stewardship.

https://doi.org/10.35483/ACSA.AM.108.121

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ISBN
978-1-944214-26-5