The American Institute of Building Design (AIBD) is a professional association that promotes the highest standards of excellence in residential building design.
AIBD offers a variety of resources to its members, including continuing education, networking opportunities, and marketing assistance.
AIBD is a valuable resource for anyone interested in a career in residential building design. If you want to improve your skills, network with other professionals, and stay up-to-date on the latest trends, AIBD is the perfect organization for you.
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Will There Ever Be Another Eichler? [Midweek Vibe]
Published 3 days ago • 5 min read
Hello Reader,
Congrats on surviving Monday and crushing Tuesday.
Now Wednesday beckons you to take a break and celebrate this week's Midweek Vibe!
If you're unfamiliar with Eichler, you might recognize the style of his hugely popular mid-century modern homes built between 1949 and 1966.
As a visionary developer, Eichler championed modernist design, making it accessible to the middle class, and left an indelible mark on mid-century modern architecture, revolutionizing American architecture and reshaping the suburban landscape.
His homes, characterized by open floor plans, post-and-beam construction, expansive glass walls, and seamless indoor-outdoor living, celebrated the beauty of simplicity and connection to nature.
One of the craziest things about Joseph Eichler is that he wasn't an architect, nor did he have any formal background in construction or design.
Eichler graduated from New York University with a degree in business and initially worked in his family's wholesale butter and egg business before entering real estate development at around 50 years old.
He rented the Bazett House, a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Usonian home in Hillsborough, California, during World War II and was deeply inspired.
According to his son, Eichler had never even touched a tool before his interest in mid-century modern homes was sparked by renting that house.
Claude Oakland, in particular, continues to come up in my research. It appears that Oakland was frustrated by not receiving enough credit at Anshen & Allen and left the firm to start his own.
Eichler immediately dropped Anshen & Allen and made Claude Oakland & Associates his primary architect, and Oakland created the plans for almost half of Eichler's 11,000 homes going forward.
When this all transpired, Oakland would have been in his early thirties, two decades younger than Eichler. Was Oakland stepping out of the shadows only to be shadowed again?
In an interview for a book about Joe Eichler's work, it's mentioned that Eichler would collaborate with Oakland at his drafting table and that Oakland was very proud of his work with Eichler, particularly the aspect of bringing interesting modern homes to the middle class.
On that note, I point out that Eichler wasn't just an innovator in design. He was a pioneer for social progress.
At a time when racial discrimination in housing was rampant, Eichler stood firmly for inclusivity, implementing non-discriminatory policies and ensuring his homes were available to all, regardless of race or background.
He even resigned from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) in 1958 when the organization refused to support a non-discrimination policy. That eventually changed.
In modern terms, Eichler was a production builder, and though most of us have heard of DR Horton, Lennar, and Pulte, I argue he's the most notable one ever.
But here's the thing. Although he was insanely successful (we're still talking about "Eichlers" 60 years later), he was the best at what he did and still failed.
Where there's no margin, there's no mission.
Even without the burdensome regulations that developers face today, Eichler was unable to sustain his business model.
Eichler Homes filed for bankruptcy in 1967, just about 15 years after the company's heyday began.
The collapse was due to a combination of factors, including overextension into large, risky urban projects, competition, rising land prices, and costly commitments to quality and inclusivity that often squeezed profit margins.
Eichler's refusal to compromise on design and his insistence on fair housing practices set him apart, but these ideals sometimes came at the expense of financial stability.
Can there ever be another Eichler?
Joseph Eichler passed away in 1974, having spent his final years still engaged in homebuilding but no longer at the helm of a large company.
I found it amusingly interesting that he named his next company, Nonpareil Homes.
Nonpareil
/ˌnänpəˈrel/
adjective
having no match or equal; unrivaled.
After Eichler's company went bankrupt and Joseph Eichler passed away, Claude Oakland continued designing homes. While his projects in the 1970s and beyond kept some modernist elements, they were not direct copies of the classic Eichler style.
Joseph Eichler's mission—to deliver well-designed, modern, and inclusive homes at prices ordinary families could afford—remains a powerful inspiration. Still, the challenges he faced would be even greater today.
With the regulatory environment now far more complex and costly, the question is urgent: How can we build affordable, high-quality homes and succeed in 2025?
As an industry, we can advocate for policy reform and streamlining permitting processes. But our local, state, and federal governments are only one element.
As for me, I'll be exploring modular construction, prefabricated components, and new technologies to reduce building costs and timelines. Then, offer these ideas as pre-drawn house plans, making good design more accessible.
Help me find our next Eichler.
I have a feeling the next Eichler won't be someone who has waited until later in life to begin their mission.
That's why I support the efforts of SkillsUSA.
The next two days mark an exciting showcase of talent across various trades, with AIBD proudly hosting the Architectural Drafting Competition.
Visit AIBD.org/SkillsUSA to view the outstanding entries by our high school and college students, a few photos of what we do, and DONATE.
Please help by supporting our mission to elevate the future of our industry.
One more thing—we want to lead with transparency. AI was most likely used to complete this post in one way or another. Don't blame the technology if you find a mistake; in most cases, our emails are written by humans and AI-supported. Now and then, they are AI-generated and human-edited. Both humans and AI still make mistakes.
American Institute of Building Design (AIBD)
The American Institute of Building Design (AIBD) is a professional association that promotes the highest standards of excellence in residential building design.
AIBD offers a variety of resources to its members, including continuing education, networking opportunities, and marketing assistance.
AIBD is a valuable resource for anyone interested in a career in residential building design. If you want to improve your skills, network with other professionals, and stay up-to-date on the latest trends, AIBD is the perfect organization for you.
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