Horatio West Court

Horatio West Court is a residential complex featuring four small houses arranged symmetrically around a central courtyard connected by a concrete passage under an arch. The narrow plot is divided by a driveway with two units on each side, creating a balanced layout.

Irving Gill designed and constructed Horatio West Court in 1919, making it one of the earliest modernist buildings in Southern California. The complex emerged during a time when architects began questioning traditional design principles through innovative forms and materials.

The buildings display early modernist features with flat roofs, plain walls, and extensive casement windows that became defining elements for residential designs of that era.

The residential complex is located in Santa Monica on Hollister Avenue, where you can explore the quiet courtyard area with its symmetrical arrangement. The best way to appreciate the architecture is to observe details from the outside, as it remains a private residential building.

Photographer and architect Richard Neutra documented this residential complex in a photographic series that was later published in his influential 1930 book. These images significantly contributed to recognizing Gill's innovative work in architectural history.