Though he designed three of the 25 houses ultimately built for Arts & Architecture's influential Case Study House program (Nos. 1, 11, and 15), Julius Ralph Davidson is one of the program's most under-the-radar participants. Which is a bit of a shame, since Davidson seems to have had quite an interesting life and career. Born in Germany in 1889, Davidson operated his own practice in Berlin until 1923, when he fled the turmoil of the Weimar Republic for Los Angeles. After landing in LA, he worked in the office of Robert D. Farquhar, then as assistant to MGM's legendary art director Cedric Gibbons. Davidson opened his own Los Angeles firm in 1927, designing such local landmarks as the fabulous Cocoanut Grove nightclub and the Hi-Hat restaurants. First of the CSH architects to introduce key elements such as the flat roof line, plywood as a suitable material for walls, and colored concrete flooring throughout all living areas, Davidson designed this forward-thinking residence in 1947. Located on a .43-acre lot just east of Rustic Canyon, the 2,684-square-foot house features three bedrooms, two baths, an office, a stone fireplace, built-in seating and storage, walls of glass, a swimming pool with cabana, and ocean views.
· Julius Davidson [PCAD]
· The Cocoanut Grove [KCET]
· 1630 AMALFI Dr [Redfin]
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