Ardn'tect's

eS 1

Architect Irving
Tobocman designed his
Birmingham home with
classic simplicity yet
contemporary elegance.

BY SUSAN WEINGARDEN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY
GLENN TRIEST

I

f you call on local architect Irv-
ing Tobocman to design a house,
be prepared. There is never any
doubt that he is the boss; it is his
way or the highway.
"I do custom work," Tobocman
says, "just like a tailor. But don't tell
me how to sew on buttons or how
many stitches to sew."
Living up to his reputation of want-
ing total control, Tobocman says, "I
am not flexible. I won't do anything
that I don't want to do."
Tobocman has been designing
homes and commercial projects in
the metro area since 1956. Describ-
ing the characteristics indicative of
the contemporary homes he designs,

40

HOME

Tobocman says, "I strive for simplicity
and timelessness. I look for proper
proportion and the proper use of
materials that capture light, shade
and shadow.
"A Tobocman home is not fash-
ionable or trendy. I strive to have
a certain elegance and feeling of ap-
propriateness to the house."
Through the years Tobocman has
built between 100-150 homes and
averages 4-5 per year. Approximately
75 percent of his clients are Jewish.
He has designed homes in other
states, including California, Arizona,
Illinois and Wisconsin. He recently

Continued on Page 71

Above: the combined living room
and dining room hosts a black
Steinway piano, gray wool sectional,
marble and stainless steel table
with Mies van der Rohe chairs;
right: Two Corbusier leather chairs
facing a bronze coffee table on an
Afghanistan rug in the foyer; far
right: The Tobocman signature
stark, white brick.
exterior