The Mid-Century Influence: Joseph Eichler and the Apple Aesthetic

Updated: February 21, 2026 — Expanded to include new insights on the shared post-and-beam language between Eichler and Cliff May, and our recent restoration work in the Rancho Estates.

Foster Residence location: 17145 West Nanette St., Granada Hills, Los Angeles, California

The Mid-Century Influence: Joseph Eichler and the Apple Aesthetic

Steve Jobs famously grew up in a home that, while often attributed to Joseph Eichler, was actually a "Likeler" home built by the developer McCuish & McKay. Though not an official Eichler, the residence heavily emulated the Modernist style that Eichler popularized: bringing high-end design to the masses through clean, single-story post-and-beam construction. This environment, defined by the philosophy that "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication," served as the aesthetic foundation for what would eventually become the Apple motto.

The Post-and-Beam Legacy The "Eichler Homes" were defined by their open floor plans and floor-to-ceiling glass, blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor living. This style was shared by other visionaries of the time, including Cliff May, whose work in the Rancho Estates of Long Beach similarly revolutionized the California Ranch.

A Modern Ranch Revival At Conner + Perry Architects, we’ve had the privilege of continuing this legacy through projects like our recent Ranch Revival at the Cliff May Rancho Estates. By restoring the integrity of the original post-and-beam structure while updating it for modern living, we aim to preserve the same "organic modernism" that inspired a young Steve Jobs decades ago.

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Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Eichler_Homes_-_Foster_Residence,_Granada_Hills.jpg
http://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/text/Apple/Apple.II.1977.102637933.pdf
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/growing-up-eich-159561
http://gizmodo.com/5854889/the-house-that-first-inspired-steve-jobs
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/growing-up-eich-159561

Comments

David EichlerMay 28, 2012 at 12:50 AM
Many people are under the impression that my grandfather designed Eichler homes. He did not. He was a developer. He hired architects such as Quincy Jones, Robert Anshen and Claude Oakland to design the homes. He once tried to get Frank Lloyd Wright to design some homes for him, but Wright was not interested in designing tract homes for the masses.

Also, it turns out the Steve Jobs did not live in an Eichler home, but rather in a home by a builder that was trying to emulate the style of Eichler Homes. However, Jobs was certainly familiar with Eichler Homes when growing up, and the co-founder of Apple, Steve Wozniak, apparently did live in an Eichler Home when he was young.
James PerryMay 29, 2012 at 9:16 AM
Thank You for the information, very interesting I will update the blog to reflect this new information that you've brought to light. I've found other sources that back up the information that you have presented and I'm sorry that i've incorrectly stated some of the information. The original source that stated that Steve Jobs grew up in an Eichler designed home was "Steve Jobs" biography by Walter Isaacson.

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