Sheats Apartments, Modernist apartments in Westwood, Los Angeles, United States
The Sheats Apartments is a modernist residential building designed by architect John Lautner between 1948 and 1949, consisting of eight separate units arranged around exterior spaces. Each dwelling has its own terraces, decks, and garden areas connected by external pathways, creating a unique layout where no unit sits directly above another.
Built between 1948 and 1949 for Helen Taylor Sheats and Paul Henry Sheats, the project allowed architect Lautner to realize his innovative residential concept. The design responded to the sloped terrain of the site near UCLA, integrating the units into the hillside to create a new approach to multifamily housing.
The complex demonstrates Lautner's approach to residential living, where each unit maintains its own outdoor spaces, allowing residents to feel independent despite the close proximity of their homes.
The complex sits near UCLA and is accessible by public transportation, making it popular with student residents. The staggered levels and connecting pathways require some walking to explore, but the location offers quiet residential streets and good pedestrian access.
Lautner arranged the eight units so that no apartment sits directly above another, which is unusual for a multifamily building of its kind. This spatial strategy proved that modern shared housing did not require the typical stacked arrangement found in most residential complexes.
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