A Lautner Century

The true measure of an architect's legacy is not just the buildings left behind but also the impact on future generations.

Annie Block, Mark McMenamin, Deborah Wilk, Meghan Edwards, and Mairi Beautyman -- Interior Design, 7/1/2011 10:18:00 AM

The true measure of an architect's legacy is not just the buildings left behind but also the impact on future generations. With "John Lautner Turns 100," a four-month commemoration, the John Lautner Foundation is promoting the preservation of his mid-century body of work and trumpeting his continued relevance. July 16, which would have been his birthday, was the kickoff-proclaimed John Lautner Day in Los Angeles, the city that made him famous.

Tributes have now shifted to Lautner's hometown of Marquette, Michigan, with the two-venue "John Lautner: A Life in Architecture." The Marquette Regional History Center is underscoring local influences that shaped the young Lautner and showcasing photographs of his first building experience: at the family's summer chalet on a hillside overlooking Lake Superior. Called Midgaard, it was designed by his mother with his precocious input, at age 12. Next, starting August 19, photographs as well as drawings, models, and a video will appear at the DeVos Art Museum at Northern Michigan University. For those who haven't gotten their fill, the Hotel Lautner opens in Desert Hot Springs, California, in 2012.