USModernist Radio - Architecture You Love

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#169/Black Architects Matter: Danita Brown + Janna Ireland Nov 09, 2020

Show notes

Architecture in America has been a white-dominated profession and that has been changing slowly. Very slowly. Guess what year the first Black woman got an architecture license in our fine state of North Carolina. 1950? 1970? It was 1990. Today we welcome author and photographer Janna Ireland with a new book out on the most famous Black architect of the 20th century, Paul Williams, plus that pioneering architect from 1990, Danita Brown.

#168/Calling Dr. Downtown: Classicist David Brussat + Musical Guests Peter Lamb and the Wolves Nov 02, 2020

Show notes

Like the Dos Equis commercials, we don't always feature Classicists, but when we do, we go for the best. Today we welcome one of America's foremost classical architecture advocates, the Dr. Downtown of Providence Rhode Island, journalist David Brussat. Such a cool nickname. David runs the blog Architecture Here and There and wrote for 30 years for the Providence Journal. He has received the Oscar of Classicism, the Arthur Ross Award from the Institute for Classical Architecture. That's a big deal. Prince Charles won that award. David is a tireless advocate for the return of classical design to public architecture and apparently loves taking Mrs. Downtown to something called Waterfire, which we'll find out about. Later on, a return visit from musical guests Peter Lamb and the Wolves.

#167/Modernism Week Wrapup: Architect Takashi Yanai + Car Culture Expert Gabrielle Esperdy Oct 26, 2020

Show notes

Sniff, sniff! Where's the Kleenex? It is such a day of mourning, because from our wonderful trip to 2020's Modernism Week, today we share the last two interviews. What an amazing run: 18 shows, over 50 brilliant, interesting guests, all the frittatas and bacon we could eat every morning, and all the martinis we could responsibly drink in the evenings. We've saved some of the best for last: our special closing guests are architect Takashi Yanai and car culture expert, author Gabrielle Esperdy.

#166/Architecture Podcast Hosts Della Hansmann + Catherine Meng Oct 19, 2020

Show notes

In our ongoing quest to seek out and visit other architecture podcasts, we've had wonderful conversations with hosts Frances Anderton, Donna Sink, Steve Chung, Josh Cooperman, David Lee and Marina Bourderonnet, Bob Borson, and Debbie Millman. And hey, Roman Mars, you're next - so how about getting 99% visible with us? Today on the show, two talented architect podcasters from different ends of the country: Della Hansmann of the Mid Mod Remodel Podcast in Wisconsin and Catherine Meng of the Design Voice Podcast in California. Later on, a few minutes with Frank Harmon, reading from his book Native Places.

#165/Making it Happen at Modernism Week: Board Members Maureen Erbe + Anne Rowe + Alan Hess, plus Sunnyland's Janice Lyle Oct 12, 2020

Show notes

Modernism Week in Palm Springs is no weekend tabletop show at the Elks lodge. It takes a huge village, a rather attractive Modernist village with perfect weather, to create an event that sells over 120,000 tickets across 11 days in February. There are hundreds of volunteers, and the week after it closes down, they start planning for the next year. George Smart talks some of the people who make it happen – Modernism Week board members Maureen Erbe, Anne Rowe, and Alan Hess, plus Janice Lyle, the director of the Sunnylands complex, one of Modernism week's partners and most popular tours.

#164/Birth of the Cool: Elizabeth Armstrong + Michael Boyd + Brad Dunning + Trevor O'Donnell + Hilary Lewis Oct 05, 2020

Show notes

One of the most popular lectures at Modernism Week 2020 was Birth of the Cool: California Art, Design, and Culture at Midcentury, looking at what influenced architecture, design, art, film, and West Coast jazz in the 1950s. These forms became shorthand for beauty, sophistication, and confident urban living. Today host George Smart interviews three of the five panelists from Birth of the Cool: Elizabeth Armstrong, former Director of the Palm Springs Art Museum and co-author of the book Birth of the Cool; Michael Boyd, her co-author and furniture, landscape, and architectural designer; and past podcast guest Brad Dunning, interior designer and writer. Later on, two great friends of the show: ace Palm Springs tour guide Trevor O'Donnell, who knows the story behind nearly every significant house in the valley, and frequent Modernism Week visitor, the Chief Curator of Philip Johnson's Glass House in New Canaan CT, Hilary Lewis.

#163/The Architect's Daughter: Elizabeth Garber, Author of Implosion Sep 28, 2020

Show notes

Woodward "Woodie" Garber was a Modernist architect whose name you would know if you lived in Cincinnati. Garber was called "a controversial visionary whose advocacy of an uncluttered openness in design grows more influential every year." He was a brilliant independent Modernist who wanted things his own way, daring even to refer to Frank Lloyd Wright as Frank Lloyd Wrong. Architecture was not the only controversy in his life. Being married to him, or being his child, was to experience the fury of bipolar disorder coupled with a desire to control everything – and everyone – in his path. There was a lot to process, on so many levels. He died in 1994, and it took 24 years for our guest, daughter Elizabeth Garber, to write Implosion: A Memoir of an Architect's Daughter. Later on, a few minutes with Frank Harmon, author of Native Places.

#162/Modernist Fun: Charles Phoenix + Martin Knowles Sep 21, 2020

Show notes

Charles Phoenix is the ambassador of mid-century Americana. From his wildly popular slideshows and lectures on life in the 1950's to his sold-out double decker bus tours of Palm Springs, he's a crowd fave in Palm Springs. Charles sits down with host George Smart poolside at Modernism Week 2020 and later, George visits with the king of the Viewmaster, that iconic plastic toy we love with the circular reels. Martin Knowles spoke at Modernism Week on View-Master: Keeping It Reel in 3-D for 80 Years and launched exciting new reels featuring houses by Midcentury Modern architects like Hugh Kaptur, Bill Krisel, Donald Wexler, and E. Stewart Williams.

#161/Modernism Media: Melissa Daniels + Elizabeth Daniels + Pauline O'Connor Sep 14, 2020

Show notes

Modernism Week attracts reporters and photographers from all over the world. They make the flight or the drive into Palm Springs to cover the architecture, the art, the lectures, the occasional celebrity, and most of all, the lifestyle that we immerse ourselves into all 11 days. Plus, there's the huge economic impact of Modernism Week on the economy, making it *rain* on those Palm Springs butterfly roofs. From Modernism Week 2020, host George Smart talks with Desert Sun business reporter Melissa Daniels, and later he visits with architecture photographer Elizabeth Daniels and CURBED reporter Pauline O'Connor, just after a delicious breakfast of Frittatas, waffles, granola, and bacon at the USModernist compound.

#160/Richard Neutra: Raymond Neutra + Catherine Meyler + Ken Topper Sep 07, 2020

Show notes

One of the most revered names in Modernist architecture is Richard Neutra. From coast to coast, but mostly in California, Neutra's many Modernist houses set the standard for open, comfortable living – bringing the outside in, reducing clutter, and maximizing every square foot of a house and its usually beautiful site. Host George Smart talks with Richard Neutra's son, Raymond Neutra, about architecture, the passing of his brother Dion, and the future of Neutra Institute. Next, Catherine Meyler bought a rundown Palm Springs Neutra house 20 years ago and brought it back to life after almost losing it to the elements. Wrapping up, George talks with owner Ken Topper of the famous Lovell Health House in LA, the place that brought Neutra to huge public fame back in 1929.

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