Home Tour to Resume After 1-Year Hiatus

After a year’s hiatus, the San Fernando Valley chapter of the American Institute of Architects on Sunday will resume its 30-year tradition of showcasing architecturally significant houses in the Valley.

Last year, a tour of houses in a gated community at Vista Point was canceled at the last minute when a group of homeowners protested extended public access to their neighborhood.

This year, the tour will feature houses throughout the Valley--from Granada Hills to Encino to Sherman Oaks.

The residences consist of a lakeside cabin-style pool house, two transformed early 1960s tract houses, and a house designed by renowned Los Angeles architect Bernard Zimmerman in 1960 to which several additions have been made.

AIA Home Tour Chairman Craig P. Earl said the significance of this year’s tour lies in both the commitment to form and architectural innovation displayed in the structures.

“The additions to the Zimmerman home were made to meet the homeowners’ needs for more room, but they were done in a way that carries through the original design theme,” Earl said.

“Instead of adding their signature to the structure, the architects simply continued Zimmerman’s philosophy.

“Meanwhile,” Earl said, “the tract houses were placed on tour to give people an idea of how to give tract homes their own distinctive personality. They are both modern, functional homes, but fully unique in their design.”

The tour is scheduled from noon to 5 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students. For ticket information, call (818) 781-7108. Proceeds will benefit scholarships for architectural students at local colleges.