Shulman House, Steel frame residence in Hollywood Hills, California, US
Shulman House is a steel frame residence in the Hollywood Hills with expansive windows offering views toward a nature preserve. The structure combines glass and steel elements in an open layout featuring concrete floors and integrated studio spaces.
Architect Raphael Soriano designed this residence in 1947 and completed construction in less than a year, during the post-war boom of modern architectural experimentation. The project emerged from a moment when Southern California became a testing ground for new building materials and design ideas.
This residence served as both home and workplace for photographer Julius Shulman, who documented California's modern architecture from this very location. The open floor plan and abundant natural light still reflect how creative work once thrived within these spaces.
The residence is located in a hillside neighborhood with winding roads and steep terrain, so visits require careful navigation or walking on narrow pathways. Access is restricted and typically available only through scheduled tours or by special arrangement.
The house retains its original cork entry sequence and screened-in patios, features that most other modern steel frame projects from this era saw altered over time. It stands as the least modified example of Soriano's architectural approach and reveals how the original materials and spatial divisions actually performed.
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