Julius Shulman (1910-2009) was a pivotal American architectural photographer whose work was instrumental in shaping and promoting modernist architecture during the mid-20th century. In Southern California, he captured the sleek lines, open spaces, and innovative designs of modernist buildings, emphasising the harmony between these structures and their natural surroundings. Shulman's iconic images played a significant role in defining this architectural style and its cultural impact. 

In 1950s California, rapid economic growth and Hollywood’s cultural reach helped transform modern architecture into a symbol of glamour, progress, and sophistication. This period saw a surge in experimental buildings that reflected the optimism of postwar America and the growing appetite for stylish, futuristic living. Wealth, media, and film played a key role in popularising this vision, turning California homes into aspirational icons of modern luxury.

Southern California became the heart of this movement, embracing the International Style and favouring design elements such as open-plan layouts, minimal ornamentation, and seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces. Cities like Los Angeles and Palm Springs were home to some of the most celebrated examples of this architecture.

Julius Shulman’s photography played a critical role in defining and promoting the California modernist style. More than simply documenting buildings, his images glamorised a way of life — one that balanced elegance, innovation, and harmony with the environment. By making these designs appear accessible, aspirational, and forward-thinking, Shulman helped reshape ideas about urban planning and suburban living, leaving a lasting impact on architectural culture both in the United States and globally.

L.A. Confidential (1997) is a neo-noir film set in 1950s Los Angeles that shows the city’s crime and corruption. The film’s opening highlights the wealth of the era—cheap land, good jobs, and large, stylish homes that many people could afford. Hollywood stars took this further, living in homes that reflected the glamour and sophistication of the time.

After World War II, the American Dream shifted from simply owning a home to aspiring toward a modern, stylish lifestyle that reflected progress, prosperity, and personal success. Economic growth, the rise of a middle class, and rapid suburban expansion created a strong demand for homes that were not only functional but also forward-looking and aspirational.

Julius Shulman’s photographs captured this changing ideal. By documenting the innovative designs of modernist architects like Richard Neutra and Pierre Koenig, he gave visual form to the new American Dream — light-filled, efficient homes with open plans, sleek materials, and a strong connection to nature. These homes projected optimism, individuality, and technological progress.

More than just records of architecture, Shulman’s images helped shape public desire. They appeared in magazines, advertisements, and exhibitions, making modern design not just acceptable, but desirable. His work reflected and reinforced a cultural moment where good design symbolised national confidence and a hopeful vision for the future.

Both the burlesque scene in Don’t Worry Darling and Taylor Swift’s Bejeweled music video evoke mid-century opulence through lavish visuals—champagne and hard spirits flowing, diamond-studded costumes, grand performance venues, and an atmosphere of indulgent luxury. These elements channel the glamour and excess associated with the era’s high-society nightlife.

TW - Burlesque

The Wolf of Wall Street is a parody of the American Dream, showing how ambition and success can spiral into greed and corruption. While set decades later, it reflects the same values of excess and luxury that began to emerge during the 1950s–60s economic boom, when wealth and status became key symbols of personal achievement. The film exaggerates these ideals to critique the darker side of chasing prosperity.

TW - Drug use, course language, misogyny

Make your own copy of the table provided and complete it. You can do this in pairs or groups of 3.

Print this sheet. Complete in pairs or groups of 3.