A Giant Has Passed
Don't miss the pic of one of his most famous collaborations.
December 08, 2009
October 18, 2009
Case Study Homes
Ever wondered what all the hoo-raw was about the Case Study Houses?
Well, here are pics of nearly a dozen of them. When you see this many all at once, it becomes apparent just how revolutionary they really were.
September 25, 2009
You Don't See A Lot of Eichlers With Pools
343 Devon Drive, San Rafael | Eichler listed by Renee Adelmann
And while, if you live in Texas, the 800k price tag may knock your teeth back a bit, for California it's extremely reasonable. This one would have gone for 1.5 million three years ago.
(via Renee Adelmann).
April 01, 2008
All Things Neutra
The king of California mid-century architecture may no longer be with us, but his family firm continues apace. Click the pic for more.
March 27, 2008
Plans Ahead
Want plans to build your own mid-century modern home?
February 18, 2008
Facing a Facelift?
Mid-century modernization « BUILD Blog
An excellent, step-by-step primer on updating or remodeling your mid century home.
February 17, 2008
William Krisel
Modern life, vintage look - Los Angeles Times
The relatively unsung architect William Krisel was responsible for bringing the mid-century modern home-style to thousands of Los Angelenos. The LA Times offers a nice retrospective.
January 21, 2008
Photospread: MCM In Chicago
Here's a wonderful MCM home, and by California standards, an inexpensive one to boot.
January 16, 2008
The Eichler Network
Do you own an Eichler mid-century modern home, and need to fix something in an authentic way? Would you like to own an Eichler mid-century modern home? In either case, give The Eichler Network a try. Lots of good stuff here.
January 11, 2008
Photospread: A Wonderful MCM Remodel
New Work: Spruce House | New at Pentagram | Pentagram
This one is spectacular both inside and out. Read it and drool.
January 08, 2008
Video: Mies' Farnsworth House
Via MCMI blogpal Ed Driscoll comes this gorgeous video of Mies' iconic Farnsworth House.
I dunno, Ed. You may have switched me from the Glass House with this one.
Enjoy!
November 24, 2007
Saarinen Exibition
The first-ever retrospective exhibition of architect Eero Saarinen's remarkable career is on view at the Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills through March 30.Cranbrook was pretty much ground zero for the American mid-century modern movement. It was here, as instructors, that Saarinen and Charles Eames hatched the ur-designs that would re-shape and re-invent the interiors - and exteriors - of America's homes.
If you live anywhere near Windsor, this would be worth a trip to see.
November 15, 2007
Resources: An Eichler Home Photospread
For every Eichler owner who has no idea what they are living in, and redoes the interior in 19th century New England cottage, there is an owner who knows exactly what he has, how luckyhe is, and isn't shy about saying so, loudly and often.
November 04, 2007
Got 15-25 Million Dollars? Maybe You Could Own This Legendary Mid-Century Modern Home
Kaufmann House - Richard Neutra - Christie’s - Architecture - New York Times
PALM SPRINGS, Calif., Oct. 30 — The Kaufmann House, a 1946 glass, steel and stone landmark built on the edge of this desert town by the architect Richard Neutra, has twice been at the vanguard of new movements in architecture — helping to shape postwar Modernism and later, as a result of a painstaking restoration in the mid-1990s, spurring a revived interest in mid-20th-century homes.Don't miss the NYT slideshow: (Click the image).
November 03, 2007
Mostly Not Cheap, Though
Yes, you can still find them: Mid-Century Modern Homes.
November 01, 2007
Photospread: You Bet Your Bippy They Can
The Mid-Century Modernist: Mid-Century Modern and Rustic Can Get Along Just Fine
What a great photospread!
Clean, Green, Serene
Here is a great piece on mid-century design principles updated for the New Green World. If you thought MCM was, well, so last-millennium, think again:
Noble Home: Mid-Century Modern Green Prefab (TreeHugger)
October 29, 2007
Okay, I'm Tempted
In San Francisco, where I live, this would cost you a minimum of seven figures - or more, depending on the location. You can have this one, though - and a 20 minute drive time (if I recall correctly) to the Chicago Loop - for $213,000. Click the image for more. It's being handled by Joe Kunkel of Jetset Modern, a fave of this blog. Tell him Bill Quick sent you.
October 28, 2007
Atriums and Vaults and Flows, Oh My!
Here's a nice little essay on the philosophy behind the interior layouts of mid-century residential architecture:
Mid-Century Modern Interiors
When mid-century modern houses were built in the 1950s and 1960s, the most striking feature of their interior was usually their open and flowing floor plan. Living room spaces flowed into the dining room, which flowed into the kitchen. A vaulted ceiling over it all really did make the core of the house one big “great room.” This was, after all, the era of “togetherness.”
October 27, 2007
Nice Place
Here's a nice short photospread and review of a spectacular mid-century home in Brentwood's Crestwood neighborhood:
October 26, 2007
A Great Reconstruction
Modern resurrection is a wonderful tale of how a ruined mid-century husk was rescued and re-imagined for the 21st century. Be sure and check out the full photo spread, including some spectacular interior shots, by clicking on the picture.
October 24, 2007
Architecture: Gregory Ain's Mar Vista Development
Gregory Ain's Mar Vista is a legendary stop on the road of mid-century modern residential architecture. This is a website full of information about the history of this tract, including houses like this:
And for an interesting twist on homes now more than fifty years old, see the updated replicas being constructed in the Second Life virtual community:
Here's the same thing, but during the day:
I Had No Idea....
News Democrat Journal - Life & Style -
Although construction of the Arch didn't begin until 1963, it was actually designed during a nationwide competition in 1947-1948 by architect Eero Saarinen.
Now that's what I call thinking big, Mid-Century-wise.
Resource: Classroom - UC Irvine Extension
UC Irvine Extension Offers New Course in Modern Art, Architecture, Focusing on Los Angeles Influence
IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The University of California, Irvine Extension is offering a unique class for modern art and architecture enthusiasts to learn more about the influences of the current critical era of American art as exhibited in the greater Los Angeles area. The class, titled “What is Modern: Art & Design of the 20th Century,” will be held both at the UCI Learning Center in Orange, Calif. and in the field; allowing students to study, witness and explore many examples of modern art and architecture, including the renowned Hollyhock House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The class will be held November 10 and 11.This sounds interesting....Students will be able to discern the similarities and differences between major modern movements in architecture and decorative arts, and will learn how late 19th century movements such as Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts were the precursors to the development of 20th century modern movements such as Art Deco, Bauhaus, International Style and mid-century Modern.
October 20, 2007
Resource: Mid-Century Modern Homes For Sale - Cheap!
Inexpensive Architecture - Portfolio.com
Take the slick, mid-century modern homes designed by the Chicago firm Keck & Keck. They regularly sell for well over $1 million—if the house is in good condition and located in a prestigious North Shore suburb. But in the south-side suburb of Chicago Heights, you can find a four-bedroom Keck & Keck with all the trimmings—14-foot wood beam ceilings, slate floors, glass walls—for just $218,000.In real estate, the three most important factors are location, location, and location. But if you're looking for an affordable mid-century modern house, that maxim, while still true, may not work exactly as real estate agents usually mean it.
October 19, 2007
Now Do You See Why I Want It?
A while earlier, I posted that I really wanted a Sarfatti Triennale lamp. Well, here's another great photospread from Jet Set Modern which includes several pics of the lamp in a furnished interior: This is a Keck & Keck home, so don't miss the architectural details!
October 18, 2007
The Eames House
Charles and Ray Eames lived what they expounded - in particular, in Case Study House #8, the Eames' personal dwelling for much of their lives. Click the link or on this great pic for a comprehensive look at the home of MCM's greatest designer-duo from the Library of Congress.
UPDATE: Here is the official Eames Office site, maintained by the Eames family: Eames Gallery. The family still owns and uses the house, but permits interior tours on one day a year only. Check here for further details.
October 17, 2007
Mies' Farnsworth House (vs Johnson's Glass House)
Philip Johnson's Glass House (click for another photospread):
Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House (click the pic for a very nice photospread):
Yes, there do seem to be more than a few similarities, don't there? It's because there are. As one commenter here
notes:
According to the tour guide for the Farnsworth house, van de Rohe gave the plans to Johnson prior to building his own house, and Johnson used the plans to build his version.Wikipedia offers a quite complete entry about the Farnsworth House, as does Columbia Universty. Columbia's entry even includes architectural drawings and construction pictures.
I think in the end that you have to give pride of place to Mies van der Rohe. As Johnson himself said:
“I pointed out to him (Mies) that it (a glass house) was impossible because you had to have rooms, and that meant solid walls up against the glass, which ruined the whole point. Mies said, ‘I think it can be done.’”Still, just as a personal preference, I like Johnson's expression of Mies' idea just a little bit better.
October 16, 2007
Philip Johnson's Glass House
If you've never seen Philp Johnson's iconic Glass House, one of the greatest triumphs of modern residential architecture, check out Michael Moran's Photo Spread of the house, interior and exterior, in all seasons.
Truly an amazing place - and Johnson lived in it until his death.
UPDATE: via Ed Driscoll, a fascinating video look at Johnson and his famous house. By the way, Ed makes the excellent point that the Glass House owes a hell of a lot to Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House. He's right, and I'll be taking a look at that groundbreaker later on, as well.
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