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SUBSERIES 1: John W. Geiger, Architect

Architectural Projects (alphabetical order)

Note: The names given for the projects are generally taken from the title block found on drawings, when available.

ALEXANDER: House for Mr. and Mrs. Larry Alexander
Culver City, California (1962)

Documentation consists of 2 presentation drawings, a set of working drawings, photographs, and some publications in which the Alexander house appeared. The original house was designed in 1960 and constructed in 1962, with additional work in 1964. This project was the most widely published architectural work by Geiger.

APARTMENT: 37 Unit Apartment Building, project
West Covina, California (1960)

Documentation consists of 10 sheets of preliminary working drawings. The design was not built. The client for this commission is unknown.

applin: House for Mr. and Mrs. Ron Applin
Playa del Rey, California (1961)

Documentation consists of a presentation rendering, a set of working drawings, and exterior photographs. Original house was designed and constructed in 1961, with later alterations. Records carry an assigned project number of "6109." In a usage found in some architectural offices, that would indicate the 9th project number for the year 1961.

applin: House for Mr. and Mrs. Ron Applin, addition and alterations
Playa del Rey, California (1964)

Documentation consists of a set of 5 working drawings for a remodeling of the house that was constructed in 1961. Some sheets from that earlier project form the basis of drawings found in the set for the subsequent work.

bleavins: House for David Bleavins
Topanga, California (2009)

Documentation consists of sets of preliminary and Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety approved working drawings, structural calculations, and correspondence regarding design problems and later legal proceedings concerning adjacent property owners that resulted in delays. Although construction started in 2010, this project was not completed beyond site grading and hillside retaining walls due to the death of the client in 2017.

cohen: Cohen house, project
Location unknown (undated)

Documentation consists of 7 sketches and preliminary working drawings. This residential design was not built.

corland: Building for Corland Company
Los Angeles, California (1963)

Documentation consists of a set of 7 working drawings and specifications. This project provided an exterior facade and administrative offices at a warehouse owned by an aerospace ardware distributor. Records carry an assigned project number of "6207." In a usage found in some architectural offices, that would indicate the 7th project number for the year 1962.

corland: Renovations for Corland Company  
Inglewood, California (1997)

Documentation consists of 8 working drawings. This project provided minor exterior and interior changes to an existing facility for an aerospace hardware distributor. Dated drawings are titled "Renovations for Corland Company" and indicate primarly exterior elements. Undated sheets are titled "Alterations for Corland Company" and indicate interior details and furniture.

cowdell: House for Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Cowdell, project
Inglewood, California (1962)

The documentation consists of a rendering and a set of 6 working drawings. This residential project was not built. Records carry an assigned project number of "6204." In a usage found in some architectural offices, that would indicate the 4th project number for the year 1962.

daigneault: Remodeling for Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Daigneault
Palos Verdes Estates, California (1997)

The documentation consists of 4 working drawings. Whether this project went to construction is unknown.

garland: House for Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Garland House
Playa del Rey, California (1959)

Documentation for the original construction consists of a set of working drawings, photographs, and a publication. This residential project represents the longest client relationship for John Geiger, with additional work continued over more than thirty years.

garland: House for Mr and Mrs. Thomas Garland, addition and alterations
Playa del Rey, California (1989-1994)

Documentation for additions and alterations consists of working drawings including structural engineering, detail sheets for cabinetwork, furniture, and other decorative items, soils report, building approvals, contractor records, and photographs. Uniquely for Geiger projects, the records for the Garland house also show payment for services to the architect. The project was a complete interior and exterior remodelling of the original 1959 design, with extensive additions and detailing, carried out over a four year period.

geiger: Dorothy Geiger House, alterations
Minneapolis, Minnesota (1954)

Documentation consists of sketches and working drawings. This interior residential remodeling for his mother was the first work undertaken by John Geiger following his departure from the Taliesin Fellowship. Photographs of the unaltered exterior of the Geiger house as seen in a promotional publicaton and interior views showing the alterations as incidental background can be found in other locations in the collection.

geiger: "Propinquity" RETAIL Store for Geiger and Geiger, alterationS
Los Angeles, California (1973-1978)

Documentation for a series of projects includes sketches, working drawings, photographs, and marketing materials. This retail store for novelties together with a related mail order business was operated by John Geiger and his brother Dudley. The business premises were remodeled repeatedly with incorporation of adjacent first floor gallery space and additional showroom, storeroom and office space on the second floor of the building as tenant improvements. Cabinetry and display systems were also redeveloped on an ongoing basis.

geiger: Westgate Apartment Building for Geiger and Geiger
Los Angeles, California (1959-2002)

Documentation for this apartment building of studio, one, and two bedroom units consists of sketches, working drawings, and photographs. The building was constructed in 1959 as a joint venture between John Geiger and his siblings. Only a single sheet of the original 1959 working drawing set survives in the collection. Diverse alterations to the exterior and interior remodeling projects for various apartment units, together with a seismic refit due to the 1994 Northridge earthquake, were executed between 1986 through 2002.

irby: House for Mrs. Thelma Irby, project
Yucca Valley, California (undated)

Documentation consists of set of preliminary working drawings. This residential design was not built.

klein: Entry Gate for Vada Klein
Hermosa Beach, California (1997)

Documentation consists of working drawings, detail drawings, and a publication. This small residential alteration was executed, though no remnant of the work survives at the property.

klein: Screening Room for Vada Klein
Hermosa Beach, California (1997)

The documentation consists of a single working drawing. Whether his small residential alteration was executed is unknown.

laughlin: House for Mr. and Mrs. Jack Laughlin, project
Ventura, California (1959)

Documentation consists of three preliminary working drawings. This residential project was not built.

leslie: Sitework and Carport for Mr. and Mrs. Jacques Leslie
Beverly Hills, California (1961)

Documentation consists of two working drawings by John Geiger and a plat map done by a surveying firm. This project represented preliminary work for the Leslie residence constructed the following year.

leslie: House for Mr. and Mrs. Jacques Leslie
Beverly Hills, California (1962)

Documentation consists of a set of working drawings. This residential project may have been executed due to the extensive development of the drawings, though nothing remains visible of the original design at the property due to subsequent remodeling. Records carry an assigned project number of "6108." In a usage found in some architectural offices, that would indicate the 8th project number for the year 1961.

lewis: House of Kathy Lewis, remodel
Los Angeles, California (1960)

Documentation for this residential alterations project consists of a publication.

mckissock: Proposed renovation for Mr. and Mrs. William McKissock
Location unknown (1977)

Documentation consists of a single drawing. This residential project for remodelling and addition to an existing house was not built.

nauman: Office Building for Mr. and Mrs. Larry Nauman
Los Angeles, California (1961)

Documentation consists of a set of working drawings, and a publication with a reproduced presentation rendering. This two story commercial property was built to house an optometrist business for Dr. Mary Jane Hurt on the first floor and tenant offices on the second floor. The building survives with subsequent alterations to the entrances of the commercial spaces.

selk: House for Mr. and Mrs. Reynold Selk
Sherman Oaks, California (1960/1961)

Documentation consists of sketches, preliminary and working drawings, and a scrapbook containing various experimental presentation approaches. This residential project was not built. Records carry an assigned project number of "6007." In a usage found in some architectural offices, that would indicate the 7th project number for the year 1960.

shafer: 28 Unit Apartment Building for Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Shafer, project
Torrance, California (1959/1960)

Documentation consists of a set of working drawings. This apartrment building design was not built. Records carry an assigned project number of "5920." In a usage found in some architectural offices, that would indicate the 20th project number for the year 1959.

shearer: Cabinet work for Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Shearer
Los Angeles, California (1963)

Documentation consists of 6 working drawings, including 2 floor plans that have a separate title block, "Existing Residence for Mrs. and Mrs. Lloyd Shearer." This project introduced minor alterations to the interior of an existing residence. Records carry an assigned project number of "6301." In a usage found in some architectural offices, that would indicate the first project number for the year 1963.

wilson: House for Mr. and Mrs. Don Wilson
Playa del Rey, California (circa 1960s)

Documentation consists of working drawings and later photographs.

wilson: House for Mr. and Mrs. L .F. Wilson, project
Rancho Palos Verdes, California (1962)

Documentation consists of a presentation rendering, a preliminary working drawing, and two sets of working drawings. This residential project was not built. The house design was, however, submitted to the city building department.

woolslair: House for Mr. Eugene Woolslair, project
Location unknown (1961)

Documentation consists of sketches and preliminary working drawings. This residential project was not built.

Unidentified: House #1
Location unknown (circa 1960s)

Documentation consists of a presentation rendering. This residential project was not built, and no other information about the design is present in the collection.

Unidentified: House #2
Location unknown (circa 1960s)

Documentation consists of a presentation rendering, which survives only as a digital image. This residential project was not built, and no other information about the design is present in the collection.

Miscellaneous Drawings

Study: Ross House Schematic (1986)

Documentation consists of a single drawing. This drawing was prepared by John Geiger as part of studies for his thesis concerning the cottage designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for Charles Ross at Lake Delavan, Wisconsin, in 1902.

Study: "Coonley Tile Pattern" (undated)

Documentation consists of a single drawing. This drawing was prepared by John Geiger to study geometric and scale relationships he observed in decorative tile design and placement at the Avery Coonley residence designed by Frank Lloyd Wright at Riverside, Illinois, in 1907.

Design: Binding for Ausgefurte Bauten (1986)

Documentation consists of a single drawing. This drawing was prepared by John Geiger as a design for a special binding to cover his copy of the Ausgefurte Bauten publication of Frank Lloyd Wright in 1914. The binding was not executed.

Unidentified: Miscellaneous project drawings (undated)

Documentation consists of 4 drawings that are unidentified and possibly unrelated to one another.

Subseries 2: John W. Geiger, associated architect

Curtis Besinger, Architect

HOUSE BEAUTIFUL: Recreation Pavilion for Filon Corporation
Residence of Mr. and Mrs. David Perry
Beverly Hills, California (1959).

Documentation consists of a sketch, working drawings, and an issue of the periodical in which the constructed building appeared. This pool pavilion was designed as an example of upscale entertainment space utilising the fiberglass reinforced acrylic building products of a commercial sponsor, Filon Plastics Corporation, for publication in House Beautiful magazine as part of the Pace Setter design series.

John deKoven Hill, Architect

HOUSE BEAUTIFUL: Residence for Mr. and Mrs. J. Ralph Corbett
Cincinnati, Ohio (1959).

Documentation consists of reproduced presentation renderings, a floor plan drawing, and the series of issues of the periodical in which the constructed building appeared. This large residence was designed as an example of complete coordination of architecture and interior design for publication in House Beautiful magazine as part of the Pace Setter design series.

Subseries 3: John W. Geiger, construction supervision

Frank Lloyd Wright, Architect

60 YEARS OF LIVING ARCHITECTURE: Exhibition Pavilions

There were two installations of this exhibition in the United States. The first took place in New York City in 1953, and the second in Los Angeles a year later. John Geiger emerged as coordinator for the transfer of the exhibition from the East to the West coast, and supervised the construction of the temporary Exhibition Pavilion in the context of Hollyhock House, a residence designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the 1920s and used as the Los Angeles venue.

Guggenheim Museum installation
New York City, New York (1953)

Documentation consists of original and reproduced drawings for an exhibition house, furnishings, and gallery installation layout, photographs, and publications. The 60 Years of Living Architecture exhibition was first installed in New York City from October 22 to December 13, 1953 on the site where the Guggenheim Museum building by Frank Lloyd Wright would later be built. The exhibition included the construction of a full scale Usonian house. John Geiger was among the members of the Taliesin Fellowship who built the structure and participated in the installation of drawings, models, and artwork in related to the show in attached galleries.

Barnsdall Art Park installation
Los Angeles, California (1954)

Documentation consists of original and reproduced drawings for the exhibition pavilion, correspondence, manuscript, photographs, and publications. Following the close of the exhibition in New York on December 13, 1953, the contents were shipped to Los Angeles, California, for installation at a temporary pavilion to be built at Hollyhock House, which had been designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the early 1920s. John Geiger emerged as the person responsible for the shipment of the exhibition materials and construction of the temporary gallery space.

See also: "Commentaries in Memoriam," Episode 1, My Last Summer at the Fellowship and the Los Angeles 60 Years of Living Architecture Pavilion

ZIMMERMAN: House for Dr. and Mrs. Isadore Zimmerman
Manchester, New Hamphire (1950).

Documentation consists of drawings (most executed by Geiger at the construction site), correspondence, oral history transcript, photographs, and publications, including Historic Structures Report and restoration program information. This residential project is the most important example of work by John Geiger during his time in the Taliesin Fellowship.

See also: "Commentaries in Memoriam," Episode 1, The Zimmerman House

Subseries 4: John W. Geiger, drafter

Victor Gruen, Architect

CITY: City National Bank
Beverly Hills, California (1955)

Documentation consists of exterior and interior photographs of the finished building. John Geiger was employed in the Gruen office in Los Angeles at the time the construction of this bank building was completed.

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