Jim Heimann
California Crazy: American Pop Architecture
CALIFORNIA'S ARCHITECTURAL ANOMALIES
At the dawn of the automobile age, Americans’ predilection for wanderlust prompted a new wave of inventive entrepreneurs to cater to this new mode of transportation. Starting in the 1920s, attention-grabbing buildings began to appear that would draw in passing drivers for snacks, provisions, souvenirs, or a quick meal. The architectural establishment of the day dismissed these roadside buildings as “monstrosities”.
Yet, they flourished, especially along America’s Sunbelt, and in particular, in Southern California, as proprietors indulged their creative impulses in the form of giant, eccentric constructions — from owls, dolls, pigs, and ships, to coffee pots and fruit. Their symbolic intent was guileless, yet they were marginalized by history.
Brimming with the best examples of this architectural genre, California Crazy includes essays exploring the influences that fostered the nascent architectural movement, as well as identifying the unconventional landscapes and attitudes found on Los Angeles and Hollywood roadsides which allowed these buildings to flourish in profusion.
In addition, California Crazy features David Gebhard’s definitive essay, which defined this vernacular movement almost forty years ago. The California Crazy concept is expanded to include domestic architecture, eccentric signage, and the automobile as a fanciful object.
More About This Book
California Crazy: American Pop Architecture
ISBN 9783836572835
Published by Taschen
Publication date
Page count 324
Dimensions 11.2" x 8.3" x 1.5"
Subjects
California Crazy: American Pop Architecture
Looking for a bit more information about shopping at St. Louis Art Supply? We're glad you asked!
-
Free U.S. Shipping Over $59
We're pleased to offer free shipping to any U.S. address (including Alaska and Hawai'i) for orders over $59.
-
Shipped Quickly from St. Louis
Our efficient, centrally-located warehouse in Missouri ships orders within one business day. Unlike a lot of online retailers, we operate our own warehouse — we wouldn't trust your art supplies to anyone else.
-
Real People, Here to Help
Any questions? Please reach out to our friendly customer service folks at [email protected]. We're art supply experts and we're happy to assist.
-
Real Pictures
Almost all of our images are shot right here in our St. Louis studio. We never generate content or images with AI.
-
Quality Pledge
We only stock materials we'd use in our own studios. Every product is tested in St. Louis and continually evaluated for quality and value. We're never afraid to discontinue an item that misses the mark.
-
Trusted Since 2015
We've been in business since 2015 and we've shipped hundreds of thousands of orders. We use bank-level encryption to protect your data and excellent packaging to protect your supplies.
-
Something else?
Click here for even more information about St. Louis Art Supply (if you aren't tired of hearing about us already!)
New in the Bookshop
FAQs
Even more info about us here
How quickly will my order ship?
Our St. Louis warehouse team is pretty speedy! We generally ship orders within one business day of receiving them. You'll receive a tracking number by email as soon as your order's packed and out the door.
How long will it take to arrive?
We offer shipping estimates for each order at checkout. Please note that these are only our system's best guess — there are many factors that may affect shipping time.
Generally speaking, our parcels take about 2-3 business days to travel to most U.S. addresses once they are shipped.
In a hurry? We offer expedited shipping options, including overnight shipping, at checkout.
IMPORTANT NOTE: We never guarantee delivery dates because carrier delays are not within our control. We do not issue refunds due to delays in transit.
Do you accept returns?
Yes — we accept returns of unopened, undamaged items within 30 days of receipt.
If your return is because we made a mistake, we'll pay for the return shipping label. If you're returning an item because you changed your mind, return shipping is at your expense.
Read our full return policy here.
Is there a physical store?
Yes, there is! We'd love to see you at our St. Louis retail store. We're in the Grove neighborhood, near lots of fun places to eat, drink, and shop.
Do you offer wholesale or bulk discounts?
We do! Educational and institutional customers can email [email protected] to place a discounted bulk order. Send us a screenshot of your Blick or Amazon cart and we'll do our best to match it. You can always finish checking out with the big guys if we don't have a great bid for you.
If you're buying for a retail store, we'd love to meet you! Please head over to our wholesale division, Federal Color. You'll find our wholesale catalog and application there.