Eichler Homes and Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs praised Eichler Homes (*), in a biography “Steve Jobs” (Walter Isaacson 2011).

He is considered to be the house he grew up in Eichler Homes.

Eichler Homes is a house built and sold in California from around 1950 by Joseph Eichler.

Joseph Eichler has made modern houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Their own ideal houses that median or lower income class could buy.

A simple facade with a restrained color tone, an open interior space composed of posts and beams method, an open floor plan with an atrium and a glass wall that takes in outdoor space, etc. Eichler Homes has tradition It was totally different from a typical traditional house.

Commitment to design

There is an episode symbolizes Joseph Eichler‘s design commitment to the design.

One day, Eichler, drove passed the under construction site, asked the paint shop guy, “Who choose this color? This colors do not match with the neighbors’ house”. The paint shop guy told that the owner is said this is good color, In the end it is their house. However Eichler rejected and said, “Must be joking, this is not their house, this is my house, I will change the color.” (“Eichler Homes” Jerry Dittoy et al. 1999)

Modern design, an image of fancy living, affordable prices, Eeichler Homes gained popularity among the young generation who owns the house for the first time in the post-war economic growing period.

Eichler HomesPhoto courtesy : Paul Kaplan Group

Apple and Eichler, Technology and Housing, Design of each

Joseph Eichler was also known for selling houses to African-American families as well as other at that time when racial discrimination still remained prominent.

Steve Jobs said about Joseph Eichler “Eichler is amazing. His house is fashionable and cheap, well made, it has done well, brought a neat design and simple sense to people of low income”  Jobs’ adoptive father was a high school graduate worker of skillful craftsmanship who likes machine tinkering.

Jobs also said that. “Since I thought that Eichler homes was great when I was a child, I later began to burn my passion to offer mass-market products with a clear design.”

The things and designs surrounding the individual stimulate the idea and inspiration of that person.

What is more interesting than the praise for Eichler Homes’ design is that the concept of Eichler Homes which provides a high design mass product, stimulated Jobs.

 

 

apple and Eichler Homes

Photo Courtesy : Interior design magazine

 

It is very interesting that the mass produced house known for conservative and compliant design opened up the world of new knowledge and communication and became source of ideas of Apple products that have pioneered cutting edge product design.

Conversely, it may be that the concept of Apple could someday bring excitement to the products of dwelling houses that are boring.

The superior concepts and design is timeless.