Santa Monica Public Library presents: No Nails, No Lumber: The Bubble Houses of Wallace Neff

Santa Monica, California – Although Architect Wallace Neff is known for his Spanish Colonial Revival residences of the 1920s and 1930s, his unique “bubble houses” are arguably much more interesting. Author Jeffrey Head discusses these houses at a lecture on Saturday, June 9, at 1:00 p.m. in the Main Library’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium, 601 Santa Monica Blvd.

Wallace Neff’s inexpensive “bubble houses” were built between 1942 and 1952 using the Airform method, which molded a concrete composite called gunnite (commonly used to make swimming pools) around a giant inflated balloon that was later popped, resulting in a round house. These inexpensive houses were Neff’s solution to what he perceived as a growing housing crisis. Despite plans for over 400,000 of Neff’s Airform buildings, a mere 2,500 were built. The last remaining bubble house in the United States is located in South Pasadena.

Jeffrey Head is the author of No Nails, No Lumber: The Bubble Houses of Wallace Neff, published in 2011 by Princeton Architectural Press. A book sale and signing will follow the author’s presentation.  

Seating is limited and available on a first-arrival basis. All ages are welcome. This program is co-sponsored by the Society of Architectural Historians, Southern California Chapter.

The Santa Monica Public Library is wheelchair-accessible. For special disabled services, call Library Administration at (310) 458-8606 at least one week prior to event. The Main Library is served by Big Blue Bus routes 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Ride your bike. Bicycle parking racks are available at the library.

For more information about this and other Library programs, visit www.smpl.org or call the Santa Monica Public Library at (310) 458-8600.