Reading List / Bibliography

This list contains the most important work on the history of the Village Green, historically known as Baldwin Hills Village.

1. Stein, Clarence, Toward New Towns for America, Cambridge: M.I.T. Press, 1957.
The author was the consulting architect for the Village Green (Baldwin Hills Village). Stein, with his colleagues, designed and built seven major innovative planned communities during the 1920s and 1930s. In this work, Stein described his experiences in designing these communities--one of them being the Village Green. This seminal work has been used as a textbook for several decades by those in town planning, architecture, and landscape architecture. Its scope of influence is international.

2. Bauer, Catherine, "Description and Appraisal ...Baldwin Hills Village," Pencil Points 25 (September 1944):58-62.
The author was a nationally known housing expert. This article provides a detailed description of the Village Green's buildings and grounds with philosophical observations on proper community planning and its benefits.

3. Mumford, Lewis, "Baldwin Hills Village," Pencil Points 25 (September 1944): 44-45.
Mumford was America's most prominent architectural critic. His numerous articles and books were influential in shaping the modern world's perceptions on how humane communities should be designed. In this article, Mumford evaluated the Village Green as an important development in community planning. Bauer and Mumford's articles contributed to the Village Green's growing national reputation.

4. Alexander, Robert, "Architecture, Planning, and Social Responsibility," interview (July to October 1986) by Marlene L. Laskey, Los Angels: Oral History Program of the University of California, Los Angeles, CA, vols. I and II, 1989.
Founding architect Robert Alexander (and the Village Green's designer) gave this interview on his fifty year career in architecture and community activism. A primary source in understanding why and how the Village Green was designed and built.
This interview can be found online.

5. Alexander, Robert, "Reginald Davis Johnson, FAIA; 1882-1952," Journal of the American Institute of Architects XIX (February 1953): 81-85.
A comprehensive article on the Village Green's lead designer---his highly sophisticated talents as an architect and also his commitment to social reform. Johnson served as a mentor to Alexander.

6. Parsons, Kermit C. ed. The Writings of Clarence S. Stein: Architect of the Planned Community. Baltimore, MD: John Hopkins University Press, 1998.
The editor was the most prominent scholar on Clarence Stein. This work contains a collection of letters written by Stein during his long life and career---some of them relating to the Village Green. It also has a comprehensive description of Stein's life and his accomplishments.

7. Howard, Ebenezer. Garden Cities of Tomorrow. London: Faber and Faber Ltd., 1945 (first published in 1898).
Howard, an Englishman, was the founder of the Garden city movement which revolutionized how communities should be designed in the industrial age. This movement continues to influence internationally how communities are to be designed. Howard served as a mentor to Clarence Stein. Robert Alexander considered it to be the most influential source for his work on designing communities and housing.

8. Wong, Dorothy Fue," National Historic Landmark Nomination for Baldwin Hills Village, " May 2000.
A work which proves the Village Green's importance to the nation. It describes a 300 year evolution (both in Europe and America) in designing and building better and more humane communities.