"While he had no academic training as an architect, Ellwood had been an engineer during the war and had gained hands on experience in architectural design working as a job supervisor and draftsman for a Los Angeles contractor whose projects included buildings by architects whose would also later be involved with the Case Study House Program, such as Soriano, Neutra and Eames. As a result of his untraditional education Ellwood believes he was 'never tied to standard detailing or inhibited from trying out new methods.' Ellwood's commitment to new methods and materials - his belief that architects must 'apply new machine technologies with sensibility' - is evident in his architecture."