John Lautner: The mirror of Los Angeles

Click here for more on John Lautner’s Chemosphere (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

June 20, 2013 6:12 PM PT

In the long roster of great Los Angeles architects, John Lautner stands out more than any other as the mirror of this city.

Lautner, who died in 1994, would have marked his 100th birthday this month, and a slate of events is celebrating his legacy.

The city and the architect shared the same creatively rebellious soul. Both have the courage to be unorthodox and defy conformity, and both have suffered for it.

Chemosphere (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

Harpel House (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Koenig, Glenn -- - 095624.RE.0402.home.1.GMK. The Master Bedroom of the Payne remodel by John Lautner in San Dimas. John Lautner designed this room . This shoot is for the Home of the Week feature, which looks at an interesting home for sale each week. This is a John Lautner designed home from 1947, which had the same owners until both recently died. She was an artist and collector of folk art. The house reflects this and shows Frank Lloyd Wright’s influence on Lautner. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)