USModernist Radio - Architecture You Love

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#317/More Than Architecture: Object Modernism Sep 11, 2023

Show notes

Modernism isn't just architecture; it also highlights the artists and artisans whose textiles, ceramics, furniture, and other objects bring modern spaces to life. Recorded at Modernism Week 2023, we'll hear from a gaggle of interesting guests: Susan Brown, Alexa Griffith Winton, Leigh Wishner and Charlotte Von Hardenburgh on textile artist Dorothy Liebes; Annalisa Capurro and Paul Ortega on the Swedish Modern design of Svenskt Tenn; ceramics historian Margaret Carney on midcentury dinnerware; and Jim Rawitch on the arts and crafts of Sam Maloof.

#316/Lustrons: Virginia Faust + Mark Siebel + Musical Guest Monika Ryan Sep 04, 2023

Show notes

In 1946, Carl Strandland asked for $15 million worth of emergency loans to build small houses for GIs returning from WWII. Strandland was not an architect, but his idea that metal neighborhoods could be prefabricated and swiftly built was persuasive, and Lustron prefab house was born. To manufacture the ten tons of steel that went into each two-bedroom Lustron, Strandland bought a 25-acre factory in Columbus OH which was used during WWII to build fighter planes. A few years and only about 3,000 Lustrons later, the company declared bankruptcy but thousands of these unique houses survive. Joining us is USModernist's resident Lustron expert, Virginia Faust, and new Lustron owner Mark Seibel. Later on, returning jazz vocalist Monika Ryan.

#315/Photography and Color: Ethan Wayne + Laurie Kratochvil + Amy Shepherd + Sara McClean + Musical Guest Ariel Pocock Aug 28, 2023

Show notes

As more and more midcentury buildings get destroyed, we have to rely on midcentury photography collections as a window into the past and as inspiration for the future. Today we'll talk to Ethan Wayne, son of actor John Wayne, Laurie Kratochvil, and Amy Shepherd about the John Hamilton Collection, a priceless trove of photographs from Hollywood's golden age. After that, paint company Dunn-Edwards's head colorist Sara McClean talks about keeping the midcentury color vibe alive. And later, jazz with North Carolina's own Ariel Pocock.

#314/Et Tu, Brutalism? Concrete Love with Owen Hopkins + Musical Guests Poinsettia Aug 21, 2023

Show notes

Architectural historian Owen Hopkins has written or edited 16 books on architecture and his stories have appeared in Architectural Design, Dezeen, the Independent, and Blueprint, among many others. A graduate of the Courtauld Institute in London, Owen has served as architectural program curator at the Royal Academy of Arts, senior curator at Sir John Soane's Museum, and now the director of Newcastle University's new Farrell Centre. His latest book is about brutalism, those large concrete buildings many people love and King Charles and critics Roger Scruton and Dr. J. S. Curl and Justin Shubow hate hate hate hate hate. Did we mention hate?

As the book points out, Brutalist architecture inspires a passionate response, be it adulation or contempt. There's lots of both to go around. Later on, music from some great architects, and their IT buddy, in a group called Poinsettia.

#313/Vishaan Chakrabarti + Missy Wood + Sharon Prince + A Few Minutes with Jody Brown Aug 14, 2023

Show notes

Vishaan Chakrabarti is the Founder and Creative Director of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism where he leads the firm's growing global portfolio of cultural, institutional, and public projects. His latest book is A Country of Cities: A Manifesto for an Urban America; his major argument is that well-designed cities have the capacity to address some of our gravest social ills, including environmental degradation and decreased social mobility. Missy Wood is the founder and CEO of FORMUS, a virtual reality platform for the design and building community. She's leading FORMUS to cut costs in the construction process through the power of extended virtual reality. Returning podcast guest Sharon Prince is the CEO and founder of Grace Farms Foundation, whose interdisciplinary humanitarian mission is to pursue peace through nature, the arts, justice, community, and faith. Sharon has shepherded Grace Farms through ten-plus years of growth--including their world class building designed by SANAA in New Canaan CT that serves as the heart of the foundation. In 2020, Grace Farms launched the Design for Freedom program--devoted to eliminating forced labor in supply chains. Wrapping up, architect Jody Brown recalls his internship.

#312/The WG Show: WG Clark + Wendy Goodman Aug 07, 2023

Show notes

What would happen if you threw the letters of the alphabet in a hat, drew out two at random, then asked people with those initials on a podcast? Today we find out, and just like Sesame Street, today's show is brought to you by the letters W and G. We could have chosen from musician Woody Guthrie, grandpa on the Waltons Will Geer (George: loved that guy), one of the brothers Grimm, Wilhelm, and of course architect Walter Gropius. They were, ahem, not available, so today we've got two wonderful living and breathing WG guests: first, architect, professor, and modernist master W. G. Clark and legendary design editor Wendy Goodman.

#311/Leo Marmol + Stuart Graff + Jennifer Gray + Musical Guest Elaine Lucia Jul 31, 2023

Show notes

Architects Albert Frey and Lawrence Kocher designed the Aluminaire House in 1931 for New York's Allied Arts and Industries Exhibition. Tens of thousands of people went through this experimental house design. Now, over 90 years later, Aluminaire has been sitting in a tractor trailer, boxed up, at the Palm Springs Museum of Art. Joining George is Leo Marmol of the legendary LA firm Marmol Radziner. He's a Board member for the Palm Springs Art Museum and is coordinating the design team responsible for Aluminaire's restoration. Next, Frank Lloyd Wright founded the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation in the mid-twentieth century. We talk with Wright Foundation CEO Stuart Graff and Jennifer Gray, director of the new Taliesin Institute established by the Wright Foundation. Later on, jazz with musical guest Elaine Lucia.

#310/Modernist Renovator Jeff Fink + Brick and Wonder's Drew Lang Jul 24, 2023

Show notes

If you're considering buying a midcentury Modern house, you're surely going to need some repairs, maybe as much as a full renovation. Mostly likely you're not in construction or architecture, so you're gonna need help and you really don't want to screw it up. The good news is that there are expert builders around the country who specialize in Modernist houses, old and new, and today we've got the Sultan of Schindler, Jeff Fink of LA and Santa Barbara. Later on, Drew Lang, principal of Lang Architecture, talks about Brick and Wonder, a premier networking group of design, construction, and real estate professionals based in New York.

#309/Landscape Architecture: Roderick Wyllie + James Lord + Musical Guest Al Strong Jul 17, 2023

Show notes

You know when you go to an impressive Modernist building, part of what's impressive is more than just the structure. The landscape all around the building, from the sidewalks to the signage to the plants to how the sun hits everything just right – this is the stuff that the general public often takes for granted. But it doesn't happen by accident, and it's not typically part done by the building's main architect. What often takes a building from good to great is an important profession called landscape architecture. Poolside in Palm Springs, George talks with Roderick Wyllie and James Lord, partners with the award-winning San Francisco-based landscape design firm SurfaceDesign. Later on, some high-quality time with Durham jazz recording artist Al Strong.

#308/Designer/Builder Alicia Hylton Daniel + Of Houses: Daniel Munteanu Jul 10, 2023

Show notes

Joining us here in the studio is designer and builder Alicia Hylton-Daniel, owner of the Durham North Carolina firm Hylton Daniel. Later on, from Romania, it's the creator of the wildly popular "of houses" blog, architect Daniel Munteanu.

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