5 perfect examples of Mid-Mod Architecture that no longer exist

5 perfect examples of Mid-Mod Architecture that no longer exist - Printable Version

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5 perfect examples of Mid-Mod Architecture that no longer exist - C C - Jan 2, 2020

https://www.artspace.com/magazine/interviews_features/book_report/photos-are-all-thats-left-5-perfect-examples-of-mid-mod-architecture-that-no-longer-exist-56380

INTRO: The mid-century period was, without a doubt, a golden age of architecture and design. It was a time of optimism and imagination, full of ideas and ingenuity, which still resonates with us today. A whole series of powerful influences and currents converged, catalyzed by a post-war consumer boom, encouraging architects and designers worldwide to experiment and innovate as never before. House and home were radically reinvented and remade during the Fifties and Sixties, as modern lifestyles evolved to embrace more informal, playful and open-plan living patterns.

[...] But unfortunately, for some of the architectural marvels from this innovative period, legacies lasted longer than the buildings did. In Phaidon’s new book Atlas of Mid-Century Modern Houses by Dominic Bradbury, over 400 buildings are featured, by over 290 architects in over 40 countires—and 22 of them have been demolished. Here, we look at five outstanding examples of mid-century modern architecture which, sadly, we only have photographs of in the wakes of their demise... (MORE - details, images)

FEATURED:

GRAHAM HOUSE, Arthur Erickson, West Vancouver, British Columbia (CA), 1963

BUNSHAFT RESIDENCE, Gordon Bunshaft, East Hampton, New York State (US), 1963

ROBERTS RESIDENCE, Byles & Weston. Malibu, California (US), 1953

VEREEN RESIDENCE, Robert Bradford Browne, Coconut Grove, Miami, Florida (US), 1961

A HOUSE/TANGLE HOUSE, Kenzo Tange, Setagaya, Tokyo, Kanto (JP), 1953

[Image: web-grahamEstoExt2-1-680x365_c.jpg]

RE: 5 perfect examples of Mid-Mod Architecture that no longer exist - Yazata - Jan 2, 2020

The big example of this here in the SF Bay Area/Silicon Valley area are Eichler Homes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Eichler#Eichler_Homes

For a long time they were out of favor since they were quintessentially a 50's "mod" style (you expect flying cars in the driveways) and the 1950's, especially the suburban 1950's, was dismissed as closed-minded and conformist by post-60's "intellectuals". Ironically, these houses kind of physically embody the early (and now disappearing) "Space Age" ethos of Silicon Valley.

But these homes have been enjoying a comeback and now attract top dollar for the better ones. Photos here. There are real estate firms that specialize in them and demand far exceeds the fixed supply. There are only a few thousand of them. One will come on the market and there will be a bidding war for it, and the house will sell for well above the asking price.

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RE: 5 perfect examples of Mid-Mod Architecture that no longer exist - C C - Jan 2, 2020

(Jan 2, 2020 07:01 PM)Yazata Wrote: . . . But these homes have been enjoying a comeback and now attract top dollar for the better ones. Photos here. There are real estate firms that specialize in them and demand far exceeds the fixed supply. There are only a few thousand of them. One will come on the market and there will be a bidding war for it, and the house will sell for well above the asking price.

Nice assortment. I always liked that style. Shame that some of them have been lost, perhaps only because they weren't deemed as precious as almost anything Frank Loyd Wright drew a blueprint for (even the whole body of his work hasn't been invulnerable in that department, though.)