Stream now with KPBS Passport / Watch Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV. Visit homes that transformed residential living, from grand estates like Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater to the pueblos of Taos, New Mexico, and the tenements of 19th-century New York.
, this program highlights ten homes that transformed residential living, from grand estates such as Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, to the pueblos of Taos, New Mexico, and the tenements of 19th century New York.
, and others, the program offers a primer in residential architecture and a fascinating lesson in the history of American domestic life, as the evolving design of these homes over time reveals our changing relationship with nature, technology, and each other.Taos Pueblo, New Mexico : America’s first “green buildings,” the pueblos of the Taos Indians of New Mexico were built with adobe , which kept the dwellings cool during the day and warm at night. Their closely-packed design fostered a sense of community and offered protection against enemies.America’s first “green buildings,” the pueblos of the Taos Indians of N.M., were built with adobe , which kept the dwellings cool during the day and warm at night.his “essay in architecture.” Inspired by the work of Italian architect Andrea Palladio, Jefferson broke with convention by setting his plantation home on a hilltop instead of along a river. The interior was designed for the enlightenment of his guests, and as a comfortable sanctuary for its owner.on the Hudson River built by former New York City mayor William Paulding as a retreat from the industrialized city. The work of architect A. J. Davis, Lyndhurst’s irregular style complemented its rugged, picturesque setting, and proved highly influential as other wealthy Americans strove to create grand houses that expressed their individuality and connected them with the land.Lyndhurst is the gothic castle on the Hudson River built by former New York City mayor William Paulding as a retreat from the industrialized city.As New York’s Lower East Side swelled with immigrants, landlords converted every inch into rental space, creating cramped apartments in tenement buildings often five or more stories high. A visit toprovides a firsthand look at the families whose American dream began in these dank spaces without bathrooms, electricity, or running water.At New York’s Tenement Museum, one gets a firsthand look at lives of the families whose American dream began in these dank spaces without bathrooms, electricity or running water., is a prime example of an American Craftsman bungalow. The house and furnishings were handcrafted in the Arts and Crafts style, and helped inspire a bungalow-building boom as the style became synonymous with the American Dream.The Calif. retreat of the wealthy Gamble family, the Gamble House, built by architects Charles and Henry Greene, is a prime example of the American craftsman bungalow style.offered residents — primarily African Americans who had fled the South during the Great Migration — stylish homes and a ticket out of the tenements. Built by African American architect Hilyard Robinson, who believed strongly in the power of architecture to transform lives, the modernist Langston Terrace featured open green spaces, courtyards, and play areas.African-American architect Hilyard Robinson re-invented public housing with Langston Terrace, which offered residents stylish homes and a ticket out of the tenements.was built for Pittsburgh department store owner Edgar Kauffmann. Using a cantilever structure, Wright’s creation descends in layers like the waterfall that graces the site, taking the concept of integrating a home into its landscape to its ultimate extreme. The house would change our perception of how a home could be integrated with its environment, and resuscitate the career of a great American architect.Fallingwater - Often considered the greatest triumph of America’s greatest architect, Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterwork was built for Pittsburgh department store owner Edgar Kauffmann.In 1945, the publisher of Arts and Architecture Magazine challenged a handful of architects to design modern, affordable housing that could be easily replicated. Among those to answer the challenge was the. Despite being created from a wide variety of prefabricated materials, the Eames House showed that a factory-made home could still have style and personality.made urban living look glamorous again. Bankrolled by the janitors’ union in hopes of revitalizing the city’s downtown with a development for the middle class, Marina City was designed by. A three-acre complex with hardly a right angle in sight, Marina City’s uniquely shaped high rises offered a new vision for struggling urban downtown areas across the county.At a time when people were fleeing cities for the suburbs, Chicago’s Marina City made urban living look glamorous again and offered a new vision for struggling urban downtowns across the country.pre-fabricated, environmentally-friendly homes popped up in communities across the country. Modest in size, packed with “green” features, and factory-made, these “Glidehouses” are only the latest example of American designers’ quest to solve some of our greatest challenges with innovative design.Michelle Kauffman’s environmentally friendly “glidehouses” are only the latest example of American designers’ quest to solve some of our greatest challenges with innovative design.designed for ease and enjoyment everywhere you watch including Roku, smart TVs and mobile devices. It’s locally curated for San Diego by the KPBS programming team. With a clean and intuitive design, discovering and enjoying KPBS and PBS content on-demand has never been easier. You can also tune in live to watch our four TV channels in real time: KPBS, KPBS 2, Create, KPBS Kids 24/7. We also added a new channel - FNX .works on KPBS+ too! You’ll have access to even more great shows when you simply log in with your KPBS Passport account.Jen is a web producer at KPBS, responsible for program promotion, membership-related activities, and is the editor of the KPBS community calendar. Jen has worked at KPBS since 2000. She is originally from Las Vegas and attended UNLV.Fact Check: I-5 not closing in North County for Marine Corps’ 250th birthday celebrationKPBS keeps you informed with local stories you need to know about — with no paywall. Our news is free for everyone because people like you help fund it.
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