Vol. 1 No. 2 April 2010
Love Triangle Not familiar with George Smart and Triangle Modernist Houses? Well, its time you learn about one of the leading advocates for modernist design.
PLUS: PROGRESS & PRESERVATION MICHIGAN MODERN The Role of a Historical Monument in City Culture
RPPN Bulletin
APRIL 2010 Vol.1 No.2
Page 13
Page 19
Page 5 Page 9
contents SECTIONS FEATURES NEWS BRIEFS
3
5
A recap of some of the biggest stories from March 2010.
ON THE WEB
24
The latest updates from the RPPN website’s most popular features.
EVENTS CALENDAR
25
Our listing of upcoming events from across the country.
PROGRESS AND PRESERVATION Where does the preservation field stand? We hear from Christine Madrid French, Director of TrustModern.
9
MICHIGAN MODERN Michigan has a wide range of modernist resources. See what the Michigan SHPO is doing to spread the word.
13 LOVE TRIANGLE One of the nation’s most active modernist groups is located in the state of North Carolina. Meet them.
19 THE ROLE OF A HISTORIC MONUMENT IN CITY CULTURE The country of Armenia is facing devastating losses of architectural and cultural heritage. The latest threatened site—the Moscow Cinema Summer Hall.
PRESIDENT’S NOTE
RPPN Bulletin is a
Dear RPPN Supporters,
published by the
monthly newsletter Recent Past Preservation Network, a
In the mid-1990s, before RPPN was even founded, a group of concerned
national non-profit organization dedicated to
historians and preservationists began discussing how to save Richard
promoting preservation education and
Neutra’s Cyclorama Building at Gettysburg National Military Park from
advocacy to encourage a contextual
demolition by the National Park Service. When RPPN was founded in 2000,
understanding of our modern built
the Cyclorama was the primary focus of the group. Over the past decade,
environment.
while RPPN’s activities have expanded greatly, the Cyclorama has remained a constant fixture in our advocacy efforts.
2010 Board of Directors Devin Colman, President
After exhausting all other avenues, RPPN, along with Dion Neutra and Christine Madrid French, filed a lawsuit in 2006 against the National Park Service to save the building. After a preliminary ruling in our favor by Magistrate Judge Alan Kay in March 2009, we now have a final ruling by Judge Thomas F. Hogan: on March 31, 2010, Judge Hogan upheld all of the relevant portions of Judge Kay’s March 2009 ruling. Put simply, this means the National Park Service will need to comply with the National
Aaron Marcavitch, Vice President Julie Ernstein, Secretary Rebekah Dobrasko Jeffery Harris Alan Higgins Cindy Olnick Frampton Tolbert
Environmental Policy Act before taking any action to demolish (or otherwise
Mailing Address
harm) the Cyclorama Building.
Recent Past Preservation Network P.O. Box 3072
This doesn’t mean our work is done, however, since Judge Hogan’s ruling
Burlington, VT 05408
only prohibits demolition; it does not compel any specific type of preservation. The next step, then, is to persuade the National Park Service
On the Web
to identify and consider appropriate alternatives for preserving the building.
URL: www.recentpast.org
We’ll be working with our partners to identify new uses for the building and
President: president@recentpast.org
exploring all options for its rehabilitation. If you have ideas, by all means let
General Info: info@recentpast.org
us know. This is truly a group effort, and many people have played
Website: webmaster@recentpast.org
important roles in getting us to where we are today. Most importantly, the Cyclorama Center, once slated for demolition in 2000, remains standing
Newsletter
today, awaiting a new role in the history of Gettysburg National Military
Designed & edited by: Alan Higgins
Park. All information is from sources believed to be accurate. RPPN is not responsible for
Sincerely,
omissions or errors.
Devin A. Colman
Please send all comments, questions, and story ideas to us at: newsletter@recentpast.org
CONNECT WITH RPPN ACROSS THE WEB
ON THE COVER: Parker House by F. Carter Williams, Raleigh, North Carolina (1951). Renovation by Perry Cox. Photo by Perry Cox.
NEWS BRIEFS FIRST MIAMI MODERN MOTEL RESTORED The first of Miami’s Modern motels was restored and had its grand opening on March 20. Located on Biscayne Boulevard, the owners did much of the work themselves as they restored the historic building, re-opening the former Davis Motel as the Motel New Yorker. Working from photos and documents, the owners meticulously restored the 1953 work of architect Norman Giller. Located in the MiMo Biscayne Historic District, which was designated in 2006, the restored motel stands poised to spur restorations throughout the district and has a captive market in Photo: Mickael Masliah
those who want an alternative to expensive beachfront hotels.
2010 FALLING BY THE WAYSIDE The Society for Commercial Archeology announced their 10 Most Endangered Roadside Places List. This list is established to raise awareness of the importance of preserving roadside places throughout the United States. The list includes such roadside elements as a concrete cowboy statue in Texas, a motel strip in New Mexico, an interstate rest area in Kentucky, a teapot dome gas station in Washington, and a roadside diner in Pennsylvania. Photo: Pargon
S.O.S. TONGA Located in the basement of the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco is the Tonga Room, which was opened in 1945 with a design by MGM set designer Mel Melvin. The current interpretation, featuring a large central lagoon and tropical showers was the outcome of a 1967 re-design. Unfortunately, the Tonga Room has been threatened with demolition since 2009 when the current owner announced his plans to demolish the space, as well as the rear portion of the hotel. Now, S.O.S. Tonga, a group dedicated to advocating for the preservation of the Tonga Room, is feverishly working to protect and document the hotel, including submitting an application to San Francisco’s Historic Preservation Commission to amend the local landmark status for the Fairmont Hotel to include the Tonga Room as a protected space. Photo: anafa
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RPPN BULLETIN MARCH 2010
Photo: 1541
NEWS BRIEFS YAMASAKI ARCHIVES SAVED! In a dramatic final hour salvage effort, on March 2, the Archives of Michigan was allowed to enter the offices of Yamasaki Associates in Troy—just one hour ahead of the shredders— and remove any documents of historical importance. Pauline Saliga, executive director of the Society of Architectural Historians in Chicago, alerted the SHPO that Yamasaki CEO Ted Ayoub had been granted access to the property for a day. The state archivist, Mark Harvey, and SHPO staff were allowed to Photo: MI SHPO
accompany him.
Founded by Minoru Yamasaki in 1950, the firm closed in January 2010. Among the items rescued were presentation drawings for the World Trade Center, Yamasaki’s library, and the firm’s slide and photo collection. A consultant has been hired to evaluate the collection and its condition.
TULSA CITY HALL A buyer has come forward for the former Tulsa City Hall and Francis Campbell City Council Chamber. The principals of Brickhugger LLC approached City officials with an offer of $1 million to buy the complex. Here, they plan to spend $30 million to renovate the
Photo: oilerfan07
two buildings that make up
Photo: qnr
MEMORIAL COLISEUM
the complex. The City Hall building is planned to be a 200-room hotel while the council chamber is envisioned as a restaurant. The sell also includes a part of Civic Center Plaza, as well as surrounding and underground parking. The City vacated the building in 2008, following the construction of a new building. In addition to aiding in revitalization efforts in downtown Tulsa, the plans would also preserve one of the sites listed on Preservation Oklahoma’s 2010 Most Endangered List and one of Tulsa’s monuments to progressive city planning and civic building. Begun in 1955, the plan was credited to the Architectural League of Tulsa, with Robert Lawton Jones overseeing construction. Individual buildings were designed by various Tulsa architects.
The battle to save Corpus Christi’s Memorial Coliseum remains a divisive issue as Friends of the Coliseum, a local non-profit continue to hope that an alternative to demolition will be accepted by the City. As of now, a district judge has agreed to delay demolition, although this delay expires on April 8.
News Briefs continued on page 12
Demolition was originally to start March 15. www.recentpast.org
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& FEATURE
Progress
By Christine Madrid French, Modernism + Recent Past Program Director, National Trust for Historic Preservation
Preservation
Excerpted with permission from The Minnesota Preservationist, March/April 2010 issue, published by the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota
Is innovation in preservation an oxymoron? Can any
War II? What are the methods for analyzing character defining
American movement that traces its roots back to the
features for a structure that is only forty-years old, and
Ladies of Mount Vernon Association of the 1850s
delineating standards for reservation and re-use? Are existing
remain current with the times?
guidelines adequate to address these issues, or are widespread changes required? At the 1995 conference, H.
A major innovation in our field was officially
Ward Jandl, a noted preservationist, predicted that we would
recognized in 1995, during the Preserving the Recent
be “grappling” with these key issues “for the remainder of this
Past conference in Chicago (the first of its kind),
century and well into the next millennia.” Well, here we are,
followed quickly by part two in Philadelphia a few years later. The timing seemed perfect for this discussion. All across the country, significant modern buildings and landscapes of the recent past were disappearing before our eyes while plans for the demolition of others continued to come in. The momentum of the conferences was followed by a series of similar events, new public education strategies, and the founding of a number of grassroots organizations, including the Recent Past Preservation Network. A few major victories were scored, with notable building “saves,” yet there were also casualties within the field, marked by contentious battles and sad losses over the last decade. Advocates for modern and recent past issues have sparred with critics of preservation over a few basic ideas: When does a building “become historic”? How do we single out significant structures from the proliferation of buildings constructed after World
5
RPPN BULLETIN MARCH 2010
FEATURE still sorting through what makes a building or landscape worth saving. In the meantime, the buildings continue to age and a new set of concerns—Brutalism, Post-Modern, Urban Renewal, Sustainability—rise up as pertinent issues in preservation. Perhaps it is our collective best interest to accept this “new” idea of preserving our recent history and work together to embrace our past, however problematic. There are notable challenges in this pursuit. Federal policies for listing resources on the National Register of Historic Places are restrictive to the point that designation of buildings from the mid-twentieth century is rare. The “Fifty-Year Rule,” or criteria for consideration of listing, states that properties that have achieved significance within the past 50 years shall not be considered eligible for the National Register unless they are proven to have “exceptional Photo: Christine Madrid French
importance.” Application of this guideline over the last half century has skewed the reliability of the National Register, which at this point does not accurately reflect the range of architectural expression in our country. Communities will seek out local designation, which typically lends the most oversight and protection for a structure, rather than entangle themselves within the complexities of these national criteria. Palm Springs, California, a mecca for modernists, counts more than sixty buildings as Class 1 Historic Structures, for example, yet has not structures listed on the National Register. Indeed, the entire state of Minnesota has
(top) SAINT JOHN’S ABBEY, Collegeville, Minnesota. Designed by Marcel Breuer and constructed 1958-1961 as part of Saint John’s University complex in Minnesota, which features nine Breuerdesigned structures.
(left) RICHARD & DION NEUTRA VDL HOUSE & STUDIO, Silver Lake, California. TrustModern is working with the Neutra family and Cal Poly Pomona to secure the structure and remedy material issues at this landmark modernist building
www.recentpast.org Photo: Christine Madrid French
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FEATURE fewer than a dozen post-World War II buildings recognized on the national level. Yet a map of “Minnesota Modernism” produced by the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, the American Institute of Architects and the University of Minnesota’s College of Design, lists more than 90 notable buildings and landscapes throughout the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota. As advocates, we need to present these structures as an integral part of our nation’s own architectural lineage and expand our definition of significance to include cultural contexts that matter the most to local and regional constituencies. A troubled modern building—abandoned or in disrepair—is easily portrayed as a misfit that must be removed to restore community integrity. The structure is deemed worthy not of praise but of demolition. Forced to choose sides in this debate, the public often relies on subjective aesthetic analysis and unfavorable generalizations. The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Modernism + Recent Past Program, also known as TrustModern, is actively working to change how communities view, steward, and preserve the architectural and cultural heritage of the recent past before more landmarks are lost. Funded in large part by a generous grant from the Henry Luce Foundation, TrustModern is supporting efforts to save treasures of modernism and the recent past along America’s roadsides, in its metropolitan centers, and on Main Street. With the valuable help of our local, state, and national partners, we are promoting preservation of modern-era resources through advocacy and improved public awareness, while assisting in efforts to identify, document, and list important architecture of the twentieth century. Social media sites are proving to be a 7
RPPN BULLETIN MARCH 2010
FEATURE valuable new resource as we nurture this nationwide
We don’t want to end up “so 2000-and-late” as the
network, with a large part of our communications occurring
Black Eyed Peas intone, but keep ahead of the curve
through Twitter (with almost 600 followers of our
in preserving architecture and understanding
TrustModern feed), Facebook, and PreservationNation.org,
America’s built history. During a recent dinner
the website of the National Trust.
discussion, my young sons calculated what year it would be when they reached my age. The answer
A perusal of the feedback on our internet sites reveals that
was 2045. We as a profession are duly inspired by the
we are not alone in this effort. The preservation of modern
belief that we are saving buildings “for the next
buildings and structures of the recent past is an
generation,” but have we really considered what that
international movement. Organizations such as ICOMOS
means? In practices, that 1950s main street bank or
(International Council of Monuments and Sites) have
1960s library at the center of our current debate will
dedicated resources and established specific committees in
be nearly a century old by the time my children near
this area. I currently serve on the 20th Century Heritage
middle age and have their own families. The drive-in,
Committee for ICOMOS, and we regularly communicate with
roadside diner, or bowling alley will be relics from
people struggling with the same issues in Germany,
another era, if any survive at that point. Are we
Australia, and Britain, just as we do in Portland, Salt Lake
prepared to tell people that these resources were
City, and Cleveland. At a time when development pressures,
not worthy of recognition or deserving of our full
the vagaries of the economy, and aging infrastructure put
efforts when we had a chance to make difference?
more modern and recent past resources at risk, the National Trust is recommitting itself to create a strategic agenda and
Christine Madrid French co-founded the Recent Past
network that enables citizens and organizations to
Preservation Network and served as the president for nine years.
successfully advocate for these buildings and landscapes.
She is currently the Director of the Modernism + Recent Past Initiative with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a new program launched in March 2009, and also serves on the 20thCentury Heritage Committee for the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).
on the web Visit the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s TrustModern program at: Web: www.preservationnation.org/trustmodern Facebook: www.facebook.com/trustmodern Twitter: www.twitter.com/trustmodern
JOHNIE’S BROILER, Downey, California. Nearly demolished, the building was rebuilt by Bob’s Big Boy and is now re-opened.
www.recentpast.org Photo: Christine Madrid French
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RESEARCH
Michigan Modern
by Amy Arnold, Michigan SHPO
This summer the Michigan State Historic Preservation
The atmosphere at Cranbrook encouraged creative
Office (SHPO) will embark on a project called
thinking and attracted Modern designers and architects
Michigan Modern to document the events, people
such as Charles and Ray Eames, Harry Weese, and
and places in Michigan that influenced the Modern
George Matsumoto. Cranbrook was so respected in the
movement (1940-1970). Michigan was instrumental
Modernist world that when Le Corbusier embarked on
in the growth of Modernism in America, but its
his first trip to America in 1935 he visited New York City,
leadership role has gone virtually unrecognized. We
Chicago—and Cranbrook. Architect Minoru Yamasaki
want to change that.
left Seattle to take a job with the Detroit architectural firm of Smith, Hinchman, and Grylls in order to be closer
Some of the state’s outstanding contributions to
to Saarinen and the Cranbrook art community.
Modern design include:
Yamasaki designed many schools, churches, and office buildings in Michigan and around the world, but is best
Though long considered a manufacturing pioneer
thanks to Henry Ford and the automobile
known as the architect of the World Trade Center in New York City.
assembly line, Michigan is less known for its considerable role in the evolution of Modern design. Detroit architect Albert Kahn laid the foundation with the innovative factory buildings he designed for Michigan’s fledgling automobile Photo courtesy of Michigan SHPO
industry in the early twentieth century. Architect Alden Dow, trained at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin School, designed many Modern buildings in his hometown of Midland, including his outstanding home and studio. But it was Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen and his appointment in 1932 as president of the newly established Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills that set Michigan on its leadership path. ALDEN B. DOW HOME AND STUDIO, Midland, Michigan. Architect Alden Dow’s personal residence and studio, built 1934-1941. 9
RPPN BULLETIN MARCH 2010
RESEARCH
GENERAL MOTORS TECHNICAL CENTER, Warren, Michigan. Designed by Eero Saarinen with landscapes by Thomas Church, the GM Technical Center is among the world’s premiere examples of modern industrial design. The complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in March 2000 and on the State Register of Historic Sites in January 2002. Photo courtesy of Michigan SHPO
Michigan’s automobile industry was a strong
The Herman Miller Furniture Company of Zeeland,
supporter of Modernism. In 1927 General Motors
Michigan, took a chance on a young designer,
hired a custom car designer from Los Angeles,
Gilbert Rohde, hoping his Modern designs would
Harley Earl, to head its first design department. Earl
make the company stand out and increase sales
turned automobile production upside down by
during the Great Depression. They did. Rhode’s
bringing sleek lines, color, and detailing to car
success caused Herman Miller’s founder, D. J.
design. Along with other pioneering industrial
DuPree, to take other design chances. He hired an
designers like Michigan native Norman Bel Geddes
architectural critic, George Nelson, to head the
and Walter Dorwin Teague, he brought design into
company’s design group, let him hire an untested
everyday life. After World War II when Michigan’s
designer, Charles Eames, and encouraged Eames’
automobile industry was at its peak, Earl pushed for
experimentation with modern materials like molded
the construction of a new, inspirational design
plywood and fiberglass. DuPree even had Eames
center at General Motors and hired Michigan
design a house for him. The DuPree house in
architect Eero Saarinen (son of Eliel) to design it.
Zeeland is one of three residences designed by
The General Motors Technical Center in Warren,
Eames, now lauded as one of the world’s greatest
Michigan, with its Thomas Church designed
Modern designers.
landscape is often cited as the world’s best example of Modern industrial design. Eero Saarinen is
The school of architecture at the University of
considered a master of Modern architecture. He
Michigan put itself at the forefront of Modern
defined the look of the 1960s with his curvilinear
design in 1940 when it held the first in a series of
buildings, such as the TWA Flight Center at JFK
forums known as the Ann Arbor Conferences.
International Airport in New York and his “tulip”
Attendees at that conference included Walter
furniture line for Knoll.
Gropius, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Eliel and Eero www.recentpast.org
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RESEARCH Saarinen, Mies van der Rohe, James Marston Fitch,
hundred of the most significant buildings will be
Albert Kahn, and Alden Dow. In 1950 Modern
researched in depth. Ten of those will be nominated to
architect William Muschenheim was hired as a
the National Register of Historic Places in order to
faculty member at the school and Gunnar Birkerts
qualify property owners for federal historic preservation
joined the faculty in 1959. The city of Ann Arbor
tax credits for rehabilitation projects.
contains over one hundred Modern residences designed by architectural professor George
Michigan Modern is made possible by a grant from
Brigham. The school’s graduates include architects
Preserve America and support from the Michigan State
Edward Charles Bassett, Louis Redstone, and Emiel
Housing Development Authority, the Finlandia
Becksy who worked with Los Angeles architects A.
Foundation, and the Detroit Area Art Deco Society. Visit
Quincy Jones and Craig Ellwood. Another University
our interim website at www.michiganmodern.org for
of Michigan graduate, Richard Pollman, and his
more information.
partner, Irving Palmquist, did much to popularize the mid-century modern house style. From the late 1950s to the 1970s they created over twenty-five
Amy Arnold is the preservation planner with the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office and serves as the project manager for Michigan Modern.
hundred mid-century modern house plans, which were published in a series of popular home plan books by Home Planners, Inc. of Detroit. Because of the wealth the automobile brought to
southeast Michigan after World War II there were hundreds of Modern resources in Flint, Detroit, and its surrounding suburbs. Among the best is Lafayette Park, a seventy-eight acre urban renewal project in Detroit designed by Mies van der Rohe, Ludwig Hilberseimer, and Alfred Caldwell. Through Michigan Modern we want to promote Michigan’s modern resources and create tourist destinations that will appeal to a new market of young, creative, and international tourists. A main outcome of the project will be the development of a Michigan Modern website that will be geared toward architectural tourism. The project will document Michigan-based Modern architects that worked during the period, develop lists of their work, and collect their oral histories. It will also document the work of internationally known Modern architects in Michigan. A
MICHIGAN MODERN FOR SALE
historic context narrative on Modernism in Michigan will
The personal residence of noted Detroit architect
be completed and a historic resource survey of
William Kessler, located in Grosse Point Park, was
Michigan’s Modern buildings will be undertaken—one
recently placed on the market. You can view the full-size sales sheet on our website here.
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RPPN BULLETIN MARCH 2010
NEWS BRIEFS INTERNATIONAL
MODERNISM & RECENT
In Ireland, DoCoMoMo
PAST ON THE NATIONAL
Ireland has stated that
REGISTER THIS MONTH
Liberty Hall (pictured) should be preserved as a
Photo: NPS
“heritage structure of national importance.” Built
IBM BUILDING Chicago, Illinois
between 1961 and 1965, this was the first high-rise
KINGSWAY JEWISH CENTER Brooklyn, New York
building in Dublin. This statement from DoCoMoMO comes in light Photo: cpbills
ALEXANDER HOUSE Atlanta, Georgia
CITIZENS BANK TOWER Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
of a proposition to replace
the structure with a taller tower. The organization goes ton
ALDEN B. DOW OFFICE & LAKE JACKSON CITY HALL Lake Jackson, Texas
to say that “more than any other building of the modern era, Liberty Hall has embedded itself in the collective consciousness of the city, even the nation, and our sense of identity as a people.” Photo: NPS
HOTPOINT LIVINGCONDITIONED HOME Knoxville, Tennessee
In Canada, the future of the Public Safety Building in Winnipeg remains uncertain. The police are scheduled to move from the building in three years time, and despite a
OTHER MARCH NEWS
college’s expressed interest in taking the building, it remains
Judge halts deal to sell downtown Seattle’s Federal
to be seen whether or not the building will be demolished.
Reserve building
The building was completed in 1966 as part of a complex, including the City Hall and Manitoba Museum, in the city’s Exchange District. This brutalist structure is but one of
Demolition permit issued for first Modern school in New Orleans
several modern Winnipeg structures that could be
Clearwater officials consider abandoning aging City Hall
demolished in the near future. Also included on this list is
Thiry house headed for demolition
the Winnipeg airport terminal.
S.S. UNITED STATES The S.S. United States, a Cold War weapon designed as a luxury liner, is facing pending destruction. The current owners have been collecting bids from scrappers. Conducting its maiden voyage in 1952, the ship was a prominent vessel that carried presidents, diplomatic and business leaders, as well as celebrities, immigrants and many others. Now, the S.S. United States Conservancy is working to establish a public-private partnership that would save and preserve the ship, which is docked in Philadelphia. Photo: donr
www.recentpast.org
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LoveTriangle What happens when one man’s modernist roots catch up with him? He creates the largest educational, historical archive for Modernist residential design in America, of course.
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RPPN BULLETIN MARCH 2010
by Jane Andrews
www.recentpast.org 14 1958 CARR HOUSE. Kenneth Scott, AIA, architect. Photo by Walter Shackelford. Courtesy of Triangle Modernist Houses.
SPOTLIGHT George Smart spends his working hours in Durham,
According to Smart, Modernist homes are easy to
North Carolina, speaking and consulting nationally with
identify, even by the uninitiated. Under the strong
senior executives and coaching local business owners.
influences of Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe,
What does a successful consultant do while waiting at
Louis Sullivan, and others, Modernist homes typically
airports or in the middle of the night? He Googles. The
have open floor plans instead of separate living and
son of a Raleigh architect, exposed from birth to the
dining areas. Large and numerous windows integrate
North Carolina State University School of Design (now
inside and outside spaces and invite natural light.
the NCSU College of Design) and the surrounding
Vaulted ceilings rise to flat or low-pitched roofs.
architecture community, Smart had “no interest in
Ideally, the landscaping and furnishings are planned to
architecture whatsoever.” But, to paraphrase Emily
connect the outside with the natural elements of the
Dickinson, you don’t have to be a house to be haunted.
house itself.
One night in 2007, Smart thought about his Dad, a
Destruction is a constant threat to mid-century
Raleigh architect, who passed away in 2003. He typed
Modernist architecture, Smart says. Even at their peak
“Raleigh Modernism” into Google. Four or five houses
Modernist residences were unconventional and not
popped up. Suddenly, names of architects his Dad
embraced by folks accustomed to more traditional
talked about appeared and Smart was hooked. He
living spaces. In their first heyday, back in the 1950s,
spent the next week finding fifteen more houses.
the designs were way ahead of materials science, therefore maintenance and repair was often costly.
When Smart’s inventory of mid-century Modernist
Flat-roofed moderns developed a bad reputation for
houses reached twenty, he made pamphlets and
leaks, for example. Since then, building materials used
shared them with local architects who were his dad’s
in many Modernist projects are far superior and are
friends and colleagues. They referred more homes,
surprisingly more energy-efficient.
and by the time the list of North Carolina Modernist houses reached sixty, people said, “You should have a website.” So, he built one Triangle Modernist Houses or TMH. North Carolina is home to an estimated 700 Modernist houses with more documented than anywhere else except the Los Angeles and Chicago areas. TMH is an extensively detailed archive of these houses, the owners who lived there, and the architects who designed them. There are countless photographs of existing and demolished houses.
on the web Visit Triangle Modernist Houses at
www.trianglemodernisthouses.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Triangle-Modernist-Houses/97954432790 http://www.twitter.com/georgesmarttmh
15
RPPN BULLETIN MARCH 2010 GEORGE SMART, lowres.
SPOTLIGHT
Photos courtesy of Triangle Modernist Houses.
EDUARDO CATALANO HOUSE, 1954. Eduardo Catalano, architect. Although originally designed for Catalano himself, he lived there only a few years. Highly publicized as the “House of the Decade” by House and Home magazine, the house was the most significant Modernist residence in North Carolina and one of the best in the country. After a series of owners in the 1960s and 1970s, the house found a long-term occupant who remained until 1996. Following, the house set vacant from 1996 to 2001, during which time it irreversibly deteriorated.. Despite efforts by Preservation NC to find a buyer that would build a house of the same design on the lot, the house remained vacant. In 2001, the owner sold the house to a developer who built two McMansions on the site.
Through TMH, George Smart found he is not alone.
When Modernist homes fall into disrepair because of
Thousands across the country share his passion for cool
finances, lack of knowledge, or absentee ownership, TMH
houses. Architects, designers, historians, and
connects the owners to appreciative renters and buyers,
preservation advocates serve on the TMH Board and
also without charge.
advisory council. The website gets up to twenty-five thousand hits a month. Be warned: You can lose several
“Our mission is three-fold,” says Smart. “Documentation of
hours of your life there. The award-winning site has
existing houses, preservation of what’s endangered and
made TMH a unique and thriving organization. The
worth saving, and promotion of new Modernist
website is the largest educational, historical archive for
construction.”
Modernist residential design in America. Regarding preservation, he adds, “The worst time to save a Besides its archive, TMH hosts tours of Triangle
building is when developers or bulldozers are on the
Modernist houses. Since 2008, hundreds of modernist
horizon. That means you’ve waited too long. We intervene
enthusiasts have participated in TMH’s fifteen tours.
month or years earlier whenever possible, assuring that a house doesn’t go through the early-warning stages of long
TMH also maintains an exclusive, free online listing of
listing times or, even worse, vacancy. By making people
local modernist houses for sale (36 are on the market
aware earlier, we dramatically improve the chances of new
currently). “Most MLS systems (multiple listing systems
ownership and, with it, the funds for restoration.”
used by the real estate industry) can’t distinguish Modernist design,” says Smart, “but we can.” www.recentpast.org
16
SPOTLIGHT Such education is essential to raise awareness of the
Beyond the website, the heart of TMH is local
historic, economic, aesthetic value of Modernist
programming. Besides house tours, TMH held an
houses. Journalist Mike Welton, who contributes
Architecture Movie Series this winter which screened
architecture articles to Dwell magazine and The New
films and documentaries where architecture was the
York Times, confirms the danger Modernist houses
“star.” In November, TMH hosted its first annual
face. He reminds us that thirty or forty years ago,
“ModStock” party with AIA Triangle’s Young Architects
many viewed Victorian architecture as old, fussy, and
Forum. For TMH’s serious fans, there’s the “Mod
overly ornate instead of historic. Since then the value
Squad,” supporters donating tax-deductible gifts and
of Victorian homes has increased by a large margin,
receiving special discounts and invitations to exclusive
and we lament the many that were destroyed.
events in return.
Regarding Modernist houses, Welton says, “These buildings speak the language of our history. It’s extremely important to preserve them.” Welton’s blog, Architects+ Artisans, appears daily on the TMH Photo by Brian Shawcroft. Courtesy of TMH.
site. In agreement is Brian Shawcroft, AIA, a Raleigh architect who has been designing Modernist houses since 1960. A former associate professor of architecture at the NCSU School of Design, he has seen six of his houses destroyed. Their preservation is important, he says, not only because they are historical artifacts, but because he sees them being replaced “by some very false things: post-Modernism and *a+ clumsy rehash of the past.” And after fifty years of designing Modernist architecture, Shawcroft says, “It’s still fun. Always.”
STACK RESIDENCE, 1971. Brian Shawcroft, AIA, architect. Fayetteville, North Carolina. Destroyed by fire.
Smart notes, “Modernist houses are really sculpture
TMH, which includes up to 40 volunteers now who act
on a larger scale, and people are always surprised to
as docents, fundraisers and researchers, also hosted its
learn how many livable ‘works of art’ we have in North
first out-of-state architectural tours in January. Twenty
Carolina.”
-eight people went on a Richard Meier/Eero Saarinen tour of New York and Connecticut. There’s a summary
“Modernist architecture changes people’s lives,” Brian
on TMH’s Past Events page.
Shawcroft says, “and North Carolina has an ideal climate for Modernist houses.”
Reaching out to even younger fans, TMH released an architecture music video last year that was developed
TMH encourages the public to revisit Modernist design
by Enloe Gifted and Talented Magnet High School in
and reconsider the advances in materials and
Raleigh.
technology by showcasing these homes and the lives of the architects who designed them. 17
RPPN BULLETIN MARCH 2010
SPOTLIGHT TMH’s most recent preservation success is the Carr House, a pristine mid-century modern by architect Kenneth Scott of Durham. Small, on a golf course, and with an empty lot next door, it was prime developer bait. From a nationwide alert in fall of 2009, the house was purchased in early 2010 by two appreciative Duke University faculty who have split the empty lot with the adjacent neighbor.
Photo by Walter Shackelford. Courtesy of TMH.
Smart says the appeal of Modernist houses is not
JOHN AND BINFORD C. CARR RESIDENCE, 1958. Kenneth Scott, AIA, architect. Prime teardown material because of its location, the house was purchased by appreciative buyers in early 2010 following a national alert initiated by TMH.
immediately apparent. “Modernist houses are not only visually different but they also
More recently, TMH launched “Appetite 4
have a profound effect on people. Over time, they
Architecture,” or A4A, dinners that bring together a
often experience a very real serenity. We know how
series of experts including designers, builders, and
buildings evoke strong feelings from visiting significant
architects to share fine dining and engage in
churches and synagogues and mosques. Modernist
discussions with Modernist fans at local restaurants.
houses produce a similarly strong emotion. And let’s face it, we don’t generally fantasize about having our
These efforts have not gone unnoticed. Preservation
own Modernist hospital or office building. It’s all about
North Carolina has honored George Smart with its
the houses. We read DWELL, we collect coffee table
coveted Carraway Award of Merit for “raising
books, and we dream about how profound it would be
awareness of Modernist architecture.” Smart received
to own one.”
the 2009 City of Raleigh/Sir Walter Raleigh Individual Award for Community Appearance. The Raleigh
Soon Smart will discover this for himself, with his own
Appearance Commission bestows the award to honor
brand-new Modernist house due to be completed this
exceptional achievement in enhancing the appearance
summer in Durham, North Carolina. Will it be on one
of the city. The award recognized Smart as “a
of TMH’s tours? “Look for it,” says Smart, “as part of
champion of the local Modernist architectural
several special events TMH plans for late 2010 and
movement, raising public awareness through web-
2011.”
based resources, grants, and public tours.” TMH also won the Vernacular Architecture Foundation’s Paul E.
Jane Andrews is a freelance writer, teacher, and editor in Raleigh,
Buchanan Award in 2009.
North Carolina. She doesn’t live in a Modernist house but wishes she did.
www.recentpast.org
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INTERNATIONAL
The Role of a Historical Monument in City Culture by Yeva Sargsyan
The country of Armenia finds itself quickly losing its heritage —the latest threat is to the 1966 Moscow cinema summer hall
Photo by Lilit Sargsyan
The center of Yerevan, as in most of the historical cities, is
This last notion is vaguely present among the
built up with old traditional buildings from the 19th and
architectural professional community and is even more
early 20th centuries. This architectural layer represents
threatening in itself than in the practical result it can
different stylistic approaches, including Muslim influenced
have. This is an expression of selective culture which
simple brick houses, typical Armenian stylizations of
means segregation of historical monuments as valuable
Russian classicism, etc. Those buildings with higher artistic
or not valuable according only to its impressiveness and
characteristics and better integrity are included in the list
representativeness. The value of a monument should be
of historical monuments as national property to be
sought beyond its artistic expression and function of
preserved by the state. Others which were of not high
enriching culture with another bright historical artifact.
artistic value or were in semi-ruined condition at the
Historical monuments are not artifacts or museum
beginning of the 21st century were either dismantled with
pieces, nor servants of archived historical culture.
the counterfeit intention to be reassembled in other parts
Monuments should be perceived as an actual part of our
of the city or were completely destroyed. The official
contemporary life, a part of the culture and history that
explanation of this was that the city center should be
we create today, a vibrant part of the image of a city
rebuilt and renovated with a more representative and
and its cultural tradition.
accurate architectural image. Nevertheless, the most controversial and rarely assumed motivation for
Buildings in Yerevan such as the old houses on Buzand
demolishing these historical layers was that these
Street and in Kond, buildings of the first print shop or
buildings were of little or even of no architectural and
first photo studio in the city dating to the late 19th
cultural value and hence are not worth keeping as
century might not have distinguished architectural
historical memory.
characteristics; but they definitely play an important
19
RPPN BULLETIN MARCH 2010
INTERNATIONAL (opposite page) MOSCOW CINEMA SUMMER HALL. View of the Moscow Cinema Summer Hall in its urban context of Yerevan. (left) DETERIORATING BUILDINGS. Historic buildings that have been left to further deteriorate and in some cases to be demolished.
(above) COURTYARD OF A BUILDING ON BUZAND STREET. Located on one of the oldest streets in Yerevan, such buildings remain threatened. (above, right) THE FIRST PHOTO STUDIO IN YEREVAN. Although the first photography studio and the location were many famous Armenians were photographed, the building was recently demolished. (right) NINETEENTH CENTURY BUILDINGS. Located in the oldest districts of Yerevan, such buildings sit in various states of disrepair. (far right) REPRESENTATIVE EXAMPLE OF ARCHITECTURE BEING ERECTED ON SITE OF DEMOLISHED HISTORIC BUILDINGS. Increasingly, the streets of Yerevan are characterized by contemporary high-rise towers that have replaced the architectural heritage of earlier centuries.
www.recentpast.org
20
part in the memory of city dwellers, due to which the
the core of a historical town built up with the oldest
city maintains its unique image and upon which it
houses, are the most expensive and desired areas for
continues to further develop its culture and
investors. Nevertheless, these newly added layers
architectural tradition. Only if such historical buildings
should not erase the historical ones, otherwise one day
are interpreted beyond “quantitative� characteristics,
we will be left with only several scattered remnants of a
which is rather a consumer perspective, it could become
past which reminds us of rare museum pieces rather
a real and live part of the culture and tradition of the
than a live city with a unique culture and vibrant
city.
traditions.
Surely cities should evolve and new cultural and
When the question comes to the demolition of a
architectural layers should be added near but not over
historical monument with the aim of building something
or instead of the old layers. Apparently, each epoch
else in its place it is always the price of this sacrifice that
brings new functional, aesthetic and social demands
should be evaluated. Although such decisions are
which require new urban organization and solutions.
usually adopted by the state and particular officials,
Besides, the central parts of all cities, which are mostly
sometimes with the participation of several specialists,
21
RPPN BULLETIN MARCH 2010
INTERNATIONAL it is still up to society to decide which values and which
church on the site of the Summer Hall, which currently
monuments are considered to be part of culture; it is up
is not completely functioning.
to the people to decide which traditions will be inherited from the past.
While talking about the architecture of the Summer Hall, first of all its urban positioning should be
The problem that the community of Yerevan is facing
mentioned. The main building of the amphitheater is
these days is the threat of losing another outstanding
harmoniously inserted into a quite narrow area
historical monument in the city center. A modernistic
between the Moscow Cinema on its right and a five-
one this time.
story residential building on its left. With this position, it stands in the heart of the city, but at the same time is
The building of Moscow Cinema’s Summer Hall in
neatly secluded in the yard of neighboring buildings.
Yerevan was built in 1966 by architects Spartak Knteghtsian and Telman Gevorgyan. The Summer Hall is
The most appropriate definition of this architecture is
not only an architectural masterpiece but also a cult
probably to call it a phenomenological architecture. It
building in the cultural and architectural realm of the
seems that the large volume of the amphitheater
city. The concrete slab accomplishing the architectural
inserted into a comparatively narrow area should have
image of the complex was destroyed in the early 1990s.
called for a feeling of disproportion. But, on the
Once, being on the list of historical monuments
contrary, the scale and proportional dialogue of the
preserved by the state, today this building has been
space, neighboring buildings and the amphitheater is so
removed from that list and is probably going to be
deliberately elaborated that this proportional
destroyed in favor of restoring the St. Paul-Peter
controversy even strengthens the feeling of the space
Church, which was demolished by the Soviet
and perception of the amphitheater as a space
government. Although the church occupied the
organizing volume. While standing beneath or on the
neighboring area, it is believed that it would be
amphitheater, one can feel the space dispersed around
historical justice to rebuild a smaller model of the
and cut by its volume almost as a material phenomena.
(opposite page) MOSCOW CINEMA SUMMER HALL, 1968. General view of the Summer Hall, showing the structure as originally designed in 1966 by architects Spartak Knteghtsian and Telman Gevorgyan. Again, the urban context of the Hall can clearly be seen with its close proximity to and integration with neighboring buildings.
(right) CONCRETE SLAB, 1960s. View of the concrete slab situated in front of the Summer Hall. This distinct architectural element was destroyed in the 1990s. Now, interested parties are battling to make sure that the entire structure does not suffer the same needless fate. Photos from Contemporary Architecture of Armenia, Grigoryan, A.G. (1983).
www.recentpast.org
22
INTERNATIONAL The amphitheater used to form an architectural complex with the concrete slab covering the front area. Holes were made in it to give the trees, which were already there, the possibility to grow further. This witty maneuver, which has also become an artistic part of the architecture, is a brilliant example demonstrating modernism’s main idea of solving functional and aesthetical problems jointly through the language of architectural form.
Photo by Nvard Erkanian
Armenian society, intellectuals and dwellers of Yerevan are against the demolition of this building and are actively battling for its survival. The value of this building is not only in its artistic architecture. This building has become a symbol of city culture and its traditions, and a part of society’s collective memory. It is also a cult building because it is one of the only modernistic buildings in Yerevan, which defines a period of liberation in art and culture from the Soviet totalitarian ideology, which at that time was spreading over arts as well. The importance of a historical monument besides its architectural value is its cultural educational function. The Summer Hall is a bright model of
Photo by Lilit Sargsyan
transition and development of national architectural traditions from the early middle ages into modernism. The spatial and proportional organization and architectural solutions of this monument are clearly declaring the typical
(top) MOSCOW CINEMA SUMMER HALL, 2010. Taken from the human perspective, the imposing nature of the structure is clearly exposed. The Summer Hall’s contextual setting is also exposed, showing the structure placed carefully amidst surrounding buildings. (bottom} MOSCOW CINEMA SUMMER HALL, 2010. A current view of the
Armenian architectural thinking articulated into
Moscow Cinema Summer Hall seating and stage, as seen from the top of a
modern language. By demolishing this and other
nearby building.
similar monuments another cultural layer will be erased from the history of the city, depriving present and future generations of Armenians and people who live in Yerevan of having an ancient city with rich architectural tradition, memory, and culture. 23
RPPN BULLETIN MARCH 2010
Yeva Sargysan is an Armenian architect currently engaged in theory and criticism of architecture. She also serves as editor-in-chief of the architectural department of the online journal Armenian Times Architecture and writes prolifically on local cultural, architectural, and social issues in Armenia.
THIS MONTH ON THE WEB
NATIONAL WINDSHIELD SURVEY FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF MINNEAPOLIS Minneapolis, MN 1973
UNIVERSITY LUTHERAN Gainesville, Florida 1961
CLOWES MEMORIAL HALL Indianapolis, Indiana 1962
RESEARCH & RESOURCES
Philadelphia Modernism Context
Princeton Modern: Highlights of Campus
SHARE WITH RPPN!
Architecture
Lustron Bibliography
RPPN is all about sharing! Have
Arapaho Hills Survey Report
a news story, research project,
Modern Apartment Complexes in Georgia,
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1936-1954
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AIA Historical Directory of American
you want to share for the benefit of the RPPN community? If so,
Architects
please consider submitting directly to our website or contact us!
We’re also looking for a few more submissions for two new pilot
FACEBOOK DISCUSSIONS
projects:
What got you interested in modernism and the recent past? Everyone has their own reason for
Case Study Corner: Here, we’ll share other preservationists’
taking an interest in modernism or the recent past
experiences and tales of what practices work and what practices
and its preservation., whether it be a threatened
don’t work.
local resource, childhood memories, an enthusiastic mentor, or some other reason. Stop by
Student Projects: If you’re a high school or college student
our Facebook page and share your story!
working on a project dealing with modernism or the recent past, we want to highlight your efforts! www.recentpast.org
24
EVENTS CALENDAR EXHIBITIONS
LECTURES & WORKSHOPS
October 17April 18
John Portman: Art & Architecture High Museum of Art Atlanta, Georgia
April 8 7:00 PM
The Early Modern Houses of William R. Jenkins HoustonMOD Houston, Texas
January 16April 11
Arcadia/Suburbia: Architecture on Long Island, 1930-2010 Heckscher Museum of Art Huntington, New York
April 8 12:00 PM
Saving 20th Century Architecture: Lessons from Europe AIA Chicago Chicago, Illinois
January 24May 1
Westport Modern: When Cool Was Hot! Westport Historical Society Westport, Connecticut
April 13 7:00 PM
February 6April 17
After You Left, They Took it Apart: Demolished Paul Rudolph Homes Auburn University Auburn, Alabama
Mid-Century Modern Savannah: Architecture in Oglethorpe’s Colonial Capital Historic Savannah Foundation Savannah, Georgia
April 15 12:15 PM
February 16May 14
Work of Jose Oubrerie The Spitzer School of Architecture City College of New York New York, New York
Mid-Century Houses of Worship: A Radical Departure Landmark Illinois Chicago Cultural Center Chicago, Illinois
April 21 6:00 PM
Modernism At Risk: Modern Solutions for Saving Modern Landmarks World Monuments Fund, New York, New York
Modernist Manifesto on the Dunes Russell Wright Design Center + Cape Cod Modern House Trust New York, New York
April 22 6:00 PM
Preserving Colonial Modernism: The Belgian Friendship Building AIA NY AIA NY Century for Architecture New York, New York
April 22-24 All day
Imagining the Blue Ridge Parkway for the 21st Century Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Boone, North Carolina
April 28 6:30 PM
A Modernist Suburb National Building Museum Washington, D.C.
May 1 7:30 PM
Lloyd Wright: Architecture of Sunlight and Shadow Art Center College of Design Pasadena, California
May 6-8 All day
Landscapes for Living: Post-War Years in Texas The Cultural Landscape Foundation Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas
February 17May 1
February 20May 23
Between Earth and Heaven: The Architecture of John Lautner Palm Springs Museum Palm Springs, California
March 1April 26
Eero Saarinen: Shaping the Future Yale University Art Gallery New Haven, Connecticut
March 14August 1
Modern Art, Sacred Space: Motherwell, Ferber and Gottlieb The Jewish Museum New York, New York
March 21June 20
March 30January 15
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Las Vegas Studio: Images from the Archives of Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles, California The Art of Architecture: Foster + Partners Nasher Sculpture Center Dallas, Texas
RPPN BULLETIN MARCH 2010
EVENTS CALENDAR OTHER EVENTS
TOURS April 10 9:00 AM
Morning at the Museum: Gropius House Historic New England Lincoln, Massachusetts
April 9, 10, 11 7:00 PM
AIA Spring Home Tour AIA Los Angeles Venice, California
Fotofest Film Screening of Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman Museum of Fine Arts Houston Houston, Texas
April 11 11:00 AM
April 13 7:00 PM
April 10-11 All day
Annual Modern Phoenix Home Tour and Expo Modern Phoenix Phoenix, Arizona
William Krisel, Architect The Getty Center Los Angeles, CA
April 14 6:00 PM
John Margolies: Roadside America Architectural League of New York New York, New York
April 14-15 All day
White Rock Home Tour White Rock PTA White Rock, Texas
April 21-25 All day
Society of Architectural Historians Annual Meeting SAH Chicago, Illinois
April 17 All day
Georgia’s Modern Byways DOCOMOMO/US Georgia Augusta, Georgia
April 29 6:30 PM
April 17 9:00 AM
Street of Eames Portland, Oregon
Utah Premiere Screening of Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman Utah Heritage Foundation Salt Lake City, Utah
April 30May 2
Wright & Mid-Century Modern in Minnesota FLW Building Conservancy Twin Cities, Minnesota
April 29 6:30 PM
Screening of Desert Utopia: MidCentury Architecture in Palm Springs HoustonMOD Houston, Texas
May 8 10:00 AM
Lloyd Wright Homes Gamble House Southern California
May 1-2 All day
Los Angeles Modernism Show Santa Monica Air Center Santa Monica, California
May 15 9:00 AM
Modern Architecture Walking Tour Historic New England Cambridge, Massachusetts
May 18 10:00 AM
Philadelphia Modern Modern Homes Philadelphia Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
June 5 1:00 PM
Back to the Future: MidCentury Modern Home Tour Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana Indianapolis, Indiana
June 5-6 All day
Modern Atlanta Home Tour Modern Atlanta Atlanta, Georgia
SHARE YOUR EVENT Want us to post your event to our community calendar? Just fill out our web form and we’ll post it to our site and newsletters.
View our full calendar. www.recentpast.org
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