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The Museum of Art, Design, and Architecture (AD&A Museum) at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) recently announced that Los Angeles architect Steven Ehrlich has donated artifacts from his personal archives to the institution. Erlich’s donation includes original paintings, photographs, sketchbooks, demonstration boards and 15 small models from his decades of practice.
Today, Ehrlich’s paintings and photographs created between 1958 and 1977 are housed at the Getty Research Institute (GRI). The ephemera presented to UCSB tells the story of Ehrlich’s career, which began in 1979 when he founded his own practice, Ehrlich Architects, which was eventually renamed Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects (EYRC Architects) in 2015.
The archives in the AD&A Museum’s collection document the architect’s application of “multicultural modernism” throughout his career. The Californian architect’s commitment to vernacular design has earned him comparisons with other luminaries such as Yona Friedman and Bernard Rudofsky.
Silvia Perea, director of the Architecture and Design Collection (ADC) at the University of California, Santa Barbara, said: “Ehrlich’s multicultural modernism refers to a project-based An architectural approach to a vernacular context, rather than being wedded to stylistic fashions or movements.” “This inherent condition ensures the site-specificity of each Erlich commission while enhancing the cultural dimension of its location.”
AD&A museum officials said Ehrlich’s diverse design philosophy was deeply influenced by his extended stay in Africa as a young man. After graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1969, Erlich joined the Peace Corps and served the Moroccan government in the city planning and architecture departments in Marrakech. Also during that time, he taught at the Ahmadu Bello University in northern Nigeria.
The architect eventually returned to his hometown and founded his own practice in California in 1979. A series of interesting modernist projects followed; many of them shot by world-renowned photographer Julius Schulman. These include Culforth Studios (1980), Julius Schulman’s private residence in Brentwood (1989), Sony Child Care Center in Culver City (1995), Neutra Beach House (1999), Erlich’s own home in Venice (2002), and the Ridge Mountain House in Palm Springs (2017). Erlich also has programs in Arizona, Texas and Abu Dhabi.
Going forward, GRI and AD&A museum officials will collaborate to cross-reference their records and showcase Erlich’s work in exhibitions and publications, officials said.
“Ehrlich’s work and biography will be in dialogue with several special collections organized by the GRI. The document shows a direct link to Bernard Rudofsky’s famous work “Architecture without Architects”. His practice is also closely related to the work of Yona Friedman in 1960 related to some of the projects developed at the beginning of the year,” said Maristella Casciato, GRI senior curator and head of the architecture collection.
AD&A Museum Director Gabriel Ritter added, “With ADC’s longstanding focus on Southern California’s built environment, Steven’s architectural practice will leave a lasting impression in our archives. Being able to connect with UCSB students, faculty and staff for decades to come will It is an honor to share his work with researchers.”
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