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Docomomo US stands against 'anti-diversity' policies, reinforces values for upcoming Florida symposium

2024-01-16T12:23:00-05:00

Docomomo US has issued a statement clarifying its stance on issues that have been raised in advance of its 2024 National Symposium in Coral Gables, Florida.

The group’s decision to host its annual event in the Miami area had come under scrutiny over the state’s pursuit of “anti-diversity” measures in the past year. The symposium will now continue with a renewed focus on sharing stories that can relate to the experiences of those communities targeted by lawmakers, organizers say. Their statement joins a prior call from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) outlining the detrimental impacts such "anti-woke" policies could have in the architectural education realm in places such as Arkansas, Iowa, South Dakota, and Virginia.

Other new laws and policies in Florida that have been labeled as equally antagonistic to the work of architectural historians and heritage preservation efforts were also decried by Docomomo. Beyond the local slate of major battles that inclu...

Marcel Breuer's Wellfleet Cottage is at the center of a preservation battle on Cape Cod

2023-08-24T12:12:00-04:00

Campaigners seeking to save Marcel Breuer’s 1949 Wellfleet Cottage residence on Cape Cod have launched a $1.4 million fundraising effort aimed at saving the home from an expected demolition that’s likely to come in the next few years.

The Cape Cod Modern House Trust is spearheading the effort and says the home they have agreed to purchase from Breuer’s son is in danger adding to the tally of historic designs in the area they have been unable to save through preservation since 2016.

The house was at one time a haven and meeting place for Bauhaus alumni and intellectuals associated with Breuer and his wife Connie. The architect himself designed a large art studio addition in 1961 before adding another apartment and darkroom for his photographer son Tamas in 1968. The Trust says its sale will include all of the home's original furnishings (including pieces from the Eames' and Eero Saarinen), art collection, and private library, which will all be made available to public view after the ...

NBBJ will lead the redevelopment of Paul Rudolph’s Hurley Building at Boston Government Center

2022-08-31T11:13:00-04:00

NBBJ has been selected by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to lead the redevelopment of Paul Rudolph’s iconic Charles F. Hurley Building at the Boston Government Service Center.

The move was announced last week after years of speculation as to the fate of Rudolph’s endangered Brutalist follow-up to his Yale School of Art & Architecture building from 1963. NBBJ will add two glazed towers to the site directly on top of Rudolph’s Hurley Building, while Beyer Blinder Belle is on tap for the interior renovations of the extant structure.

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker called it a “transformative redevelopment” that would “add much-needed housing, and boost the Commonwealth’s world-class life sciences sector.”

Image courtesy Leggat McCall Properties/NBBJ

As part of the deal, developers Leggat McCall says the remade site will include some 350,000-square-feet of government offices at no cost. The existing central plaza area will be transformed by the local landscaping firm Mikyoung Ki...

KPF renovation of Roche-Dinkeloo's 60 Wall Street comes under landmarks preservation review

2022-06-27T17:47:00-04:00

A key building feature on one of Kevin Roche’s most ingenious New York City designs is under threat of being erased, according to the preservation group Docomomo US.

The late Pritzker winner’s 60 Wall Street building is undergoing renovation by Kohn Pedersen Fox this summer, and the group says it includes the removal of the facade’s characteristic chamfered design elements and changes to the atrium that will alter its unique lobby space “beyond recognition.”

The atrium of 60 Wall Street. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons user Matthew G. Bisanz (CC BY 3.0)

A rendering of the proposed changes to the atrium. Image courtesy Paramount Group

Completed in 1989, the postmodern office design was included in Docomomo’s list of 11 endangered historical places earlier this year and is, per the air rights transfer agreement that was signed when the property was sold a few years ago, legally required to be redeveloped in “harmonious relationship” to the Greek revival former National City Bank Buildi...

The 11 most threatened modern sites across the U.S.

2022-04-29T15:44:00-04:00

In response to the recent surprise demolition of Marcel Breuer’s Geller I house on Long Island, modernist conservation group Docomomo US has released its first-ever list of the 11 most threatened modern sites in the United States.

Working on the advice of its chapter members, the group selected 11 sites across the country in danger of seeing the same fate as Breuer’s first post-war residential project beginning with Miami’s Marine Stadium, which is still currently awaiting word on a publicly-funded restoration effort.

Washington state was a popular location, with Space Needle architect John Graham Jr.’s Lloyd Center and the Weyerhaeuser International Headquarters both making the list.

Massachusetts is also well-represented with the “Long House” prototype cotta...

Paul Rudolph-designed First Church in Boston prepares for 50th-anniversary celebrations

2022-04-25T19:20:00-04:00

Dedicated in 1972, plans are underway to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Paul Rudolph’s design for the First Church in Boston. In 1967, a fire destroyed most of the original 1867 gothic revival church by William Ware and Henry Van Brunt. The congregation considered proposals from Marcel Breuer, Joseph Schiffer, Joseph Eldridge, and Paul Rudolph. They voted in favor of Rudolph’s design [...]

In celebration of the anniversary, several events are scheduled at the church building for this weekend, April 30th and May 1st, including an Architects Panel on Sunday from 2–4 pm.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by @docomomous

Marcel Breuer's first binuclear house has been demolished in Long Island

2022-01-26T18:23:00-05:00

Marcel Breuer's first binuclear house, Geller I in Lawrence, New York has been demolished in the dead of night. Geller I is largely considered the project that propelled Breuer to private practice in New York and prompted the Museum of Modern Art to commission Breuer to design an exhibition house in the museum’s courtyard entitled The House in the Museum Garden in 1949.

The conservation advocacy organization chalked up the loss to a combination of changing local property dynamics and the inability of the town of Hempstead’s planning laws to prevent the destruction of a structure it says would have claims to both the New York State and National Register of Historic Places.

“Late last year, Docomomo US was alerted to plans to demolish the house for a larger project combing multiple lots. Docomomo US and our colleagues at Docomomo US NY/Tri-State, the Preservation League of New York State, Preservation Long Island and Caroline Rob Zaleski author of Long Island Modernism formed a coalition to work for a better preservation outcome,” the group’s statement explained.

A photo of the demolition underway this morning, January 26. Image courtesy of the Town of Hempstead, Landmarks Preservation Commission.

“In December, an application for local landmark status was submitted to the Town of Hempstead and enthusiastically received and supported by the Hempstead...

Docomomo US responds and opposes Trump's new executive order for 'classical and traditional' architecture

2020-12-23T20:47:00-05:00

The architecture community continues to respond to Trump's latest executive order promoting classical and traditional architecture as the "preferred style" for federal buildings. After signing the mandate at the tail end of his presidency, institutions and organizations have voiced their criticisms and thoughts on the matter.

On December 22nd, the American Institute of Architects released a public statement on the matter, sharing they "never will prioritize any type of architectural design over another." Today Docomomo US released a statement expressing their frustration and opposition.

Featured on Archinect: AIA opposes Trump's classical architecture order, plans to reverse it under Biden. Facade of the new SOM-designed United States Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles, California. Photo: Flickr user Sharon Hahn Darlin.

Below is an excerpt from Docomomo US' response:

Docomomo US Response to President Trump’s Executive Order on Promoting Beautiful Civic Architecture

December 23, 2020 ...

Docomomo US highlights 18 projects as winners of the 2020 Modernism in America Awards

2020-11-13T17:01:00-05:00

The seventh iteration of the Modernism in America Awards program Docomomo US recognizes 18 projects that "highlight the best in preservation practice by today's architects, designers, preservation professionals, and grassroots advocates."

For this year's awards program, winning projects were selected based on their model preservation efforts that showcase meticulous, innovative, and a continual pushes towards the preservation field within inclusive histories and holistic approaches.

Below are the winners and selected project images.

Hunt House. Image © Dan Chavkin Photography

Eames House Conservation Management Plan

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

Hunt House (Malibu, CA)
Texwipe/EarthCam (Upper Saddle River, NJ)
Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice (New York, NY)
Florida’s Midcentury Modern Architecture (Florida)
Eames House Conservation Management Plan (Los Angeles, CA)

Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice. Image © Garret Rowland, Gensler

Arvonne Fraser Library. Image © Peter J. Sieger Phot...

Docomomo US announces winners of its inaugural architectural photography competition

2020-09-09T18:02:00-04:00

In its inaugural year, the Docomomo US I Spy Modernism Photography Competition welcomed photographers of all skill levels to “put their own photographic imprint on modernism,” or as the iconic photographer Julius Schulman once put it, “to assemble thoughts in [their] mind,” and share them with the world in the form of a photograph. Close to 300 submissions were received with the jury selecting twelve winning photographs, taken by students, amateur photographers, and professionals.

The 2020 winners are:

FIRST PLACE
Joy Mullappally, "National Maritime Union Headquarters"
Lenox Health Greenwich Village, New York, NY, Albert Ledner 1964

SECOND PLACE
Tiecheng Chen, "The Hole"
Galaxy SOHO, Beijing, China, Zaha Hadid, 2012

THIRD PLACE
Julio Alberto Cedano, "Farnsworth House"
Farnsworth House, Plano, IL, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, 1951

And below are those who received honorable mention:

DOCOMOMO prepares for coming decade as 1970s architecture turns 50

2020-08-31T15:23:00-04:00

With the start of another decade comes the opportunity to highlight a new crop of historic architecture. Many who haven taken part over recent years in the sometimes insufferable debates over the merits of Brutalism, or in earlier conversations arguing for the legitimacy of midcentury modern architecture, will perhaps find a new conversation piece: Architecture from the 1970s.

As the 1970s themselves turn 50 years old, the age that is typically allows for buildings to be considered "historic" from a legal and regulatory perspective, architecture from this era is due for a lengthy reconsideration.

Writing for Docomomo US, Flora Chou, a Senior Associate and Cultural Resources Planner for Page & Turnbull's Los Angeles office, explains that "like the previous decades, there will be places from the 1970s that are important and worthy of preservation. Our eyes and personal tastes will gradually adjust to see the beauty in what many now consider to be outdated, ugly, and mundane."

"We are ...

Preservation groups urge to protect Milwaukee's Marcus Center for the Performing Arts

2019-05-07T13:41:00-04:00

The Marcus Center for the Performing Arts was designed by architect Harry Weese, with the surrounding landscape by Dan Kiley, and was completed in 1969. [...] In December 2018, the Center announced an overhaul of the cultural venue, the culmination of a months-long strategic planning process. However, the proposal drew backlash for its insensitve treatment of the Dan Kiley-designed landscape.

At the center of the historic designation discussion is the planned replacement of the 36 horse chestnut trees in front of the Marcus Center with a lawn bordered by 18 honey locust trees.

"Preservationists said removing the trees would harm the legacy of grove designer Dan Kiley, whose other works include the Cudahy Gardens in front of the Milwaukee Art Museum," writes Tom Daykin for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

What will be the fate of Jon Jerde's iconic Horton Plaza?

2019-02-22T14:31:00-05:00

Preservation advocates, including Docomomo US, have come out in strong support of retaining the site's unique postmodern elements, writing letters and urging the new owner, Civic San Deigo, the local economic development entity, and the San Diego Historical Resources Board to evaluate the project further and consider its historic significance.

To some Horton Plaza may appear to be an odd mix match of colors and structural directions, but to others, this postmodern complex is an architectural relic that should be preserved. Opening its doors in 1985, the plaza was designed as a place that would help revitalize San Diego's downtown Gaslamp area during the mid-'80s. Although its overall appearance may not have screamed the traditional shopping center look, the plaza's opening drew in over 30 million visitors in its first year alone. With the success of the plaza's engagement, this allowed for the project's architect Jon Jerde and supergraphic designers Deborah Sussman and Paul Prejza to launch their careers in shopping mall design.

Horton Plaza in San Diego, Image By Sandy Huffaker, Jr. Photography - The Jerde Partnership, Inc., CC BY 3.0

Jon Jerde, a Los Angeles based architect, was commissioned by developer Ernie Hahn to...

Preservation groups urge to save Venturi, Rauch, and Scott Brown-designed postmodern Abrams House from demolition

2018-09-07T15:36:00-04:00

With more and more buildings of the postmodern school regaining media attention—either by entering the realm of heritage protection or by getting contemporary makeovers (essentially taking the Po out of PoMo)—we've now learned about another threatened structure, designed in the late 1970s by Venturi, Rauch, and Scott Brown (DSB was awarded the 2018 Soane Medal earlier this week).

The Society of Architectural Historians and Docomomo US have issued a joint statement calling for the protection of the Abrams House in Pittsburgh, calling it a "landmark of American architecture" and a "significant example" of American postmodern architecture on a par with the AT&T Building and the Portland Municipal Services Building.

Image: realtor.com, via docomomo-us.org.

Here's an excerpt of the statement:

The Society of Architectural Historians (SAH) and Docomomo US express strong opposition to the demolition of the Venturi, Rauch, and Scott Brown-designed Abrams House, 118A Woodland Road, Pittsburgh...

Winners of Modernism in America Awards renew value of modern architecture

2014-02-27T14:05:00-05:00

The Modernism in America Awards have announced this year's winners. The national awards program highlights the documentation, preservation and re-use of modern buildings, structures and landscapes in the U.S. or U.S. territory [...] One Award of Excellence was given in the categories Design, Advocacy, and Inventory/Survey. Five Citations of Merit were also awarded. Winners will receive their prizes during the Docomomo US National Symposium on March 13-15, 2014 in Houston, Texas.

(Pictured above) Design Award of Excellence: Furnace Creek Visitor Center at Death Valley National Park

Advocacy Award of Excellence: Peavey Plaza

Survey Award of Excellence: Curating the City: Modern Architecture in L.A. Website

Design Citation of Merit: The Arboretum (formerly the Garden Grove Community Church)

Advocacy Citation of Merit: Miami Marine Stadium

Design Citation of Merit: Stillman and Huvelle Houses, Litchfield, CT

Design Citation of Merit: Trenton Bath House and Day Camp Pavilions

Survey Citation of Merit: North Carolina Modernist Houses, Inc.

Find more on Bustler.

Tour the stunning "The Fish Church" in Stamford as part of the Docomomo US Tour Day

2013-10-04T18:44:00-04:00

Docomomo US will begin its 7th annual national Tour Day program at the First Presbyterian Church on Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Stamford, Connecticut. The Docomomo Tour brings together architects, designers, historians, enthusiasts, and organizations for exclusive tours and related events devoted to the appreciation of US modern architecture and mid-20th century design. Tomorrow's event at the First Presbyterian Church is the first of more than 50 Tour Days in 23 states throughout October.

Built by architect Wallace K. Harrison, the First Presbyterian Church of Stamford is also known as The Fish Church because of its fish-like shape. The Fish Church is -- excuse the pun -- quite a gem with its interior that is bathed in a sapphire light and made of 20,000 pieces of dalle de verre glass in 86 hues.

At the altar stands a Visser-Rowland (Opus 87) organ. The instrument is a 4-manual, 51-stop, 74-rank organ with 4,026 pipes, 244 keys on 4 keyboards and 32 pedals. The chur...