USModernist Radio - Architecture You Love

Latest Episodes:

#278/MASS Design's Katie Swenson + Kira Gould + Musical Guest Michael Sinatra Dec 12, 2022

Show notes

The American Institute of Architects, or AIA, is the leading professional association in the US, and USModernist Radio was there for their national conference last June in Chicago, where George talked with Katie Swenson of MASS Design Group, known for emotionally powerful buildings like the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama. After that, George visits with Kira Gould, a communications strategist, author, and cohost of the podcast Design the Future who was awarded honorary AIA status. Later on, musical guest Michael Sinatra singing from the songbook many Modernists know and love.

#277/2022 AIA Conference Chicago #2: Jen Masengarb + Marty Hylton + Shannon Battisson Dec 05, 2022

Show notes

The American Institute of Architects or AIA, is the leading professional association in the US, and USModernist Radio was there for their national conference last June in Chicago. Joining us from that conference are Jen Masengarb, architectural historian and Executive Director of AIA Chicago; Marty Hylton, legendary historic preservationist and the Historic Architect for Climate Change at the National Park Service Climate, Science, and Disaster Response Program; and later on, the President of another AIA, the Australian Institute of Architects, Shannon Battisson.

#276/AIA 2022 National Conference: Robert Ivy + Special Musical Guest Diane Schuur Nov 28, 2022

Show notes

The American Institute of Architects or AIA, is the leading professional association in the US, and USModernist Radio was there for their national conference last June in Chicago. Joining us is the most relaxed person at the conference, just-retired CEO of the AIA, Robert Ivy. And later, music with American jazz legend Diane Schuur, aka Deedles.

#275/Down The Shore At Wildwood NJ: Daniel Vieyra + Stephanie Hoagland + Ian Smith Nov 21, 2022

Show notes

Wildwood used to be the Palm Springs of the Jersey Shore. No, not where Snooki and The Situation spent their misspent youth, that's Seaside Heights, way to the north. Wildwood is three towns along a six-mile barrier island near the southern tip of New Jersey: Wildwood Crest, Wildwood, and Wildwood North, famous for a colorful array of over 300 wildly themed mid-century motels providing families wonderful vacation memories for decades. Staying in Wildwood was the first exposure to Modernism for millions of Americans. Over drinks at the Philadelphia Marriott, where they spoke at the DOCOMOMO Conference, you'll hear George talk with Daniel Vieyra, Professor Emeritus in the Kent State University School of Architecture; Stephanie Hoagland, Principal and Architectural Conservator of Jablonski Building Conservation; and Ian Smith, Principal of IS-DG Architects.

#274/Modernist Builders: Jake Goldberg + Kevin Murphy + Musical Guest James Torme Nov 14, 2022

Show notes

You can have the best architect design your new Modernist house, but if your builder doesn't know how to handle Modernist construction, materials, and details, you are in deep bleep. Joining us are two masters of the Modernist domain: Jake Goldberg, founder and president of Goldberg General Contracting in Chicago; and Kevin Murphy, founder and president of Newphire Building in Chapel Hill NC. Later on, jazz with James Torme, son of Mel.

#273/Shoring Up Paul Williams: Architect Scott Kelsey + Musical Guest John Armato Nov 07, 2022

Show notes

Sometimes even the best design needs a little help, particularly when Mother Nature is having a bad day. Her earthquakes, for example, do not care whether your building is Modernist. Her monsoons are not impressed with how famous the architect was, even if he was Paul R. Williams. One of California's most well-known architects, Williams' buildings get more famous year by year. There are two in Los Angeles at UCLA that have been recently restored and shored up for such ominous natural events, and joining us is the architect for those University projects, Scott Kelsey of CO Architects. After that, jazz with musical guest John Armato, the drummer who loves ballads.

#272/Appraising Modernist Houses: James Ebert + Musical Guest Elijah Rock Oct 31, 2022

Show notes

Ever since Modernism started, most banks have been, let's say this delicately, a huge PITA. Getting reasonable appraisals for mortgages, insurance claims, property taxes, and determining sales price is difficult, especially post-2008 when all the appraisal rules tightened up. That's where you need an expert, someone who knows Modernist architecture and can assign fair value. Today's guest is one of the foremost Modernist appraisers in California, James Ebert. Later on, musical guest, the classy Elijah Rock.

#271/Schindler's Kings Road House at 100: Mona Kuhn + Michela O'Connor-Abrams + Musical Guest Helen Gillet Oct 24, 2022

Show notes

Schindler is a name most everyone knows, for different reasons – and for different Schindlers. There's Schindler the elevator and escalator company, founded in 1874. There's German industrialist Oscar Schindler, hero of the 1993 movie Schindler's List, who saved more than a thousand refugees from the Nazis. Then there's Austrian Rudolf Schindler, the architect, who initially worked for Frank Lloyd Wright. In 1920 Wright sent Schindler west to Los Angeles. Schindler started moonlighting in 1922, which Wright hated, and eventually Schindler quit to became a huge success on his own. He and wife Pauline hosted many events at their Kings Road house, a model of architectural brilliance that's now 100 years old.

LA photographer Mona Kuhn got her first camera at 12 and she studied at Ohio State and the San Francisco Art Institute. Exhibited internationally, she has published several books of photography, her most recent entitled Kings Road, featuring Rudolf Schindler's Kings Road House. Later, we found out that USModernist's own Michela O'Connor-Abrams lived there as a child - and witnessed a secret late night burglary.

Later, profound cello with musical guest Helen Gillet.

USModernist in Los Angeles - November 12 + 13! Oct 19, 2022

Show notes

Join USModernist and USModernist Radio at the Sheats-Goldstein house for a cocktail party November 12, and the next day at the the Stahl House for a Champagne tour. It's a rare chance to see inside these iconic Modernist houses!

Details at www.usmodernist.org/la.

#270/Modernism Week 2022 Wrapup: Aaron Betsky + Andrew Pielage + Alan Hess + Trina Turk Oct 17, 2022

Show notes

In this our last show from Modernism Week 2022, we close out with fascinating poolside conversations with speakers from the week!

Aaron Betsky is a household name, if your house is full of architects. He's a critic, curator, educator, and lecturer who is Director of the Virginia Tech School of Architecture and Design. Betsky is joined today with returning podcast guest Andrew Pielage, an internationally published architecture and travel photographer who, like Star Trek, is on a multi-year mission to photograph every single Frank Lloyd Wright building. Aaron and Andrew brought us the new book 50 Lessons to Learn from Frank Lloyd Wright.

Returning guest, architect and author Alan Hess has been on this show more times than anyone. If you're old enough to remember Johnny Carson, Alan is the Charles Nelson Reilly of USModernist Radio. A longtime advocate for Modernist preservation, he is a prolific author with some 20 books. He's the top presenter every year at Modernism Week.

Returning guest, fashion designer, and CEO Trina Turk has one of the most exciting brands of brightly colorful, wildly fun clothing for both men and women. Trina is also a devoted serial Modernist, having owned many houses, and an active philanthropist, contributing to preservation causes, including the USModernist Advisory Board and the fight to Move Marilyn in Palm Springs. Last February, she spoke at Modernism Week to discuss the influence of another important lifestyle entrepreneur and tastemaker, Vera Neumann.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

USModernist Radio – Architecture You Love

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected