Bringing the outdoors in is essential to midcentury modern architecture, as author Beth Dunlop shows in her book Gardens for Modern Houses: Design Inspiration for Home Landscapes (Rizzoli, 2025). Join the Society of Architectural Historians Southern California Chapter for an inside look at the importance of modern landscape designs with the author.
The book features 30 gardens from across the US—half in Southern California—created by today’s leading landscape designers, including local practitioners SAH/SCC Life Member Lisa Gimmy, ASLA, Mark Tessier, ASLA, Nord Eriksson, FASLA, Elysian Landscapes, Ana Saavedra, Marmol Radziner (co-led by SAH/SCC Life Member Ron Radziner), Mia Lehrer, FASLA, and Terremoto.
The book contains hundreds of gorgeous contemporary photos with detailed captions that provide plant information, so garden enthusiasts can gain inspiration for their own homes. The book truly shows how landscape can enhance both a house’s architecture and the quality of its inhabitants’ lives.
Dunlop is one of the country’s most noted architectural writers. She was the Pulitzer-nominated architecture critic for the Miami Herald for more than 20 years and the editor of Modern Magazine from 2011 to 2017. She is the author of numerous books, including Addison Mizner: Architect of Fantasy and Romance (Rizzoli, 2019), Arquitectonica (Rizzoli, 2004), A House for My Mother: Architects Build for Their Families (Princeton Architectural Press, 1999), and Building a Dream: The Art of Disney Architecture (Harry N. Abrams, 1996). Her writing has appeared widely in architecture, design, and travel publications. She has won many awards, including a medal for writing and criticism from the American Institute of Architecture.