Dunsmuir Flats, commissioned in 1937 and completed in 1939, is one of the earliest projects of architect Gregory Ain. This crisp, streamlined, residential building steps gracefully down a slight hill in mid-city, each of the 4 units jogged a bit for privacy, and to allow the private patios, a communal courtyard and the home's themselves to be flooded with natural light. It exhibits character-defining features of the International Style such as the extensive use of clerestory ribbon glazing. Every inch of Dunsmuir Flats' efficiently-scaled units was planned to maximize space and minimize cost. Dunsmuir Flats was declared a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural landmark in 2009.
Ain, who worked primarily in the Los Angeles area, is best known for bringing elements of modern architecture to lower- and medium-cost housing. During his long career, he collaborated with, and/or worked the most influential architects and landscape architects on the mid-century Los Angeles scene, such as Richard Neutra, R.M. Schindler, Garrett Eckbo. As fascinating as his architecture was his life and commitment to a better society. Ain was partially raised in the Llano Del Rio collective and suffered professionally during the black-list era of the 1950s.
Gregory Ain was also the designer of the extremely significant 1949 Mar Vista Tract, with his "modernique" house designs, the first post-World War II historic district designated in the City of Los Angeles.
http://cityplanning.lacity.org/StaffRpt/CHC/3-19-09/CHC-2008-4976.pdf1281 S Dunsmuir Ave. los Angeles, CA 90019