Marlan Blackwell’s Arkansas House
August 8th, 2008
Thanks to my buddy at Justin at
Materialicious for bringing this one to my attention. These guys are doing some great things in our neighboring state, Arkansas.
Description from the architect’s site:
The challenge for the Arkansas House was to reassemble a fire-damaged home and introduce possibilities for re-thinking the house’s spatial character by adding new elements. The low-slung existing tartan grid structure was instilled with a new sense of hierarchy through the addition of light monitors and suspended lofts to the children’s spaces, a new kitchen, and a great room with a saddle-back roof for living, entertaining, and the display of fine art. Comfortably astride the old house, the angled shell forms exude empathy with a rusted barn nearby; the effects of weather and dripping tree sap provide their rusted surfaces with character - raw and visceral - a foil to the painted shades of beige on the walls below
Tags: architect, arkansas
Posted in New | Comments (0)
The Modernist Manifesto
July 18th, 2008
Why buildings from our recent past are in peril, and why saving them is so crucial.
By Paul Goldberger | From
Preservation | May/June 2008
There is always something a bit anxiety provoking about seeing a building that you have looked at for years but have never actually visited. Will it look as good in reality as it did in all those photographs? Will the real thing have an air of anticlimax after all those years of anticipation? Or will it simply be different from what you expected? Invariably, it looks at least a little bit different, since no photograph can truly convey the reality of space. You have to go into a space, or at least any space worth talking about, to truly appreciate and understand it. It is always better to experience architecture than to talk about it.
I had known of Richard Neutra’s Kaufmann House, in Palm Springs, Calif., for years, but only when I finally stood inside it did I realize how powerful an impact this modernist classic makes, how fully and brilliantly it blurs the distinction between inside and outside. In most of the iconic photographs, the house appears to sit alone in the vast open spaces of the desert. Today, however, the surrounding area has been built up, and the site I found was relatively small, its primary connection not with the expanse of the desert (though you are conscious of the mountains and the totality of the landscape) but with the house’s own, more conventionally sized lawns and terraces. Another thing I didn’t anticipate was how important wood and stone are to this house, to achieving the complex series of counterpoints that Neutra pulled off here—harmonic juxtapositions of mass, of light, of solid and void, of rough and smooth textures.
All of this would not have been as apparent had the Kaufmann House not been lovingly restored, an effort that was as ambitious, in its way, as the creation of the house in the first place. The house had been treated terribly for years—it had gone through a couple of owners, one of whom had tried to turn it into a conventional residence, expanding it in ways that suggested no understanding whatsoever of what Richard Neutra was trying to do when he designed it in 1946. But the challenge went beyond ripping off the mistakes and stripping the house down to its essence. Much of that essence had to be re-created; it was not as if the original house were sitting, undisturbed, underneath the alterations. Windows, doors, floors, partitions, all kinds of elements needed to be re-created. Furniture needed to be found again, or remade to original specifications. And since architects are only now beginning to look at modernist buildings with the preservationist’s eye, some of the challenge was in trying to determine what we might call a system, or even an ethos, of modernist preservation. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)
Wagon Wheel, Oxnard, CA Faces Demolition
July 16th, 2008
I received an email from the administrator or Lotta Living on this subject. Text as follows…
The Wagon Wheel Motel is a unique architectural specimen, worthy of restoration. The Wagon Wheel’s adaptive reuse should be looked at as an opportunity to have an authentic gateway feature that embraces local history and memorializes an Oxnard pioneer – Martin V. Smith – instead of yet another endless stretch of 18 foot high cinderblock wall, like every other community from Orange County to Silicone Valley.
The Wagon Wheel maintains its integrity from its period of significance (1947 through 1965), and therefore qualifies as an historic resource. It should be adaptively reused consistent with the Secretary of the Interior Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. The Environmental Impact Report and 2 peer reviews find that the Wagon Wheel Motel, the Wagon Wheel Restaurant, bowling alley and the El Ranchito restaurant are potentially eligible as a City of Oxnard Landmarks. The Oxnard Cultural Heritage Board has found the four buildings eligible for City of Oxnard Historic Landmark status. The San Buenaventura Conservancy has also found these buildings worthy of preservation and inclusion on their list of 11 Most Endangered Historic Resources.
These structures are eligible on the basis of Oxnard landmark criteria #2. (Is identified with persons or events which are significant in national, state or local history). And #8 (It is one of the few remaining examples in the County possessing distinguishing characteristics of an architectural or historical type or specimen). In this case the significant person associated with the structures is Martin V. Smith, the most influential developer in the history of Oxnard. No better monument to Smith exists, and many of his projects have already been demolished or redeveloped. The Wagon Wheel structures are an excellent example of the themed roadside motel, and development from the pre-Holiday Inn era. Mid-century roadside Americana is being demolished or redeveloped at an alarming rate leaving few intact examples. The Wagon Wheel was Martin V. Smith’s pioneering development, featuring unique architecture, a western theme, and an ever-expanding destination for weary travelers on the 101. These qualities still exist, although since the property was closed, in 2005 no maintenance or care has been given to the buildings and they have suffered recent vandalism fallen into a state of cosmetic disrepair. Their tourism value is fantastic, because like Farmer’s Market on Fairfax in Los Angeles, the Wagon Wheel is authentic, not a themed mall, but a truly American resource, that with restoration will become more and more desirable over time as other structures of this type are razed. The Environmental Impact Report, referencing the historic resource peer reviews, states that the four buildings are historic resources and therefore their demolition cannot be mitigated. The project could be modified to maintain the Wagon Wheel or one of the EIR alternatives could be accepted. The EIR lists a range of feasible alternatives, they all include preservation of the historic resources and adaptive re-use thereof, any of the alternatives are favorable to the project, which would demolish all structures on the site.
Tags: demolition
Posted in Historical | Comments (1)
Modern Tulsa at the TFA Archives
July 15th, 2008
Located in the basement of the Kennedy Building at 4th and Boston, the Tulsa Foundation for Architecture Archives houses over 30,000 architectural drawings, historic photographs, remnants of buildings, and other related architectural ephemera. Two of the five major collections are comprised of mostly modern designs, the Murray Jones Murray Collection and the Robert E. Buchner Collection.
Murray Jones Murray was an architectural firm formed in Tulsa in 1957 by David Murray, Robert Lawton Jones, and Lee Murray. David and Lee, brothers, attended Oklahoma State University. Robert Jones attended the University of Notre Dame as an undergrad, the Illinois Institute of Technology, studying under Mies Van der Rohe as a graduate student, and Technical University in Karlsruhe, Germany on a Fulbright Grant. Some of MJM’s designs include the Tulsa International Airport, the Tulsa Civic Center, the Robert Jones House, Center Park Plaza, First Place Tower, and the Tulsa Assembly Center. MJM’s work been recognized nationally and in Europe in publications as Bauen + Wohnen and Schoner Wohnen.
Robert E. Buchner practiced architecture in Tulsa from the early 1950s until the 1970s. After attending the University of Michigan, Robert Buchner worked at a number of different architectural firms in various cities; as draftsman for Donald McCormick in Tulsa, as a designer for Raymond Loewy in New York City, and as a designer at Sidmore, Owings, and Merrill (SOM) in New York City. Mr. Buchner was a founding partner of the firm Ramey, Himes and Buchner in Wichita, KS before returning to Tulsa to start his own practice. In conjunction with his architectural practice, Buchner maintained an interiors division for furniture, fabric, and accessories. This would eventually lead Mr. Buchner to open Robert Buchner Selections, a unique gift store in Utica Square. Some of Mr. Buchner’s designs include the Ponca City Savings & Loan building (7th & Boston), the Florence Park Library, Engler Photo (Springer Electric), the H.L. Singletary Residence, and the Scherbatskoy Residence.
In addition to the thousands of modern architectural drawings, the TFA Archives also houses over 300 historic photographs of modern architecture in Tulsa, including numerous photos taken by the famous modernist photographer Julius Shulman. The TFA Archives also owns an extensive collection of bound architectural periodicals such as Architecture Forum, Progressive Architecture, and Architectural Record, many featuring modern buildings in Tulsa. Because Mr. Buchner also dealt with interior design, his collection contains numerous advertising pieces, catalogs, and promotional items for vintage modern furniture.
Vist tulsaarchitecture.com or email Derek at derek@tulsaarchitecture.com for more details.
Tags: Add new tag, arhives, buchner, murray jones murray
Posted in Historical | Comments (0)
Visit the TFA Archives July 1st
June 18th, 2008
Come put on your white gloves (literally) and see original photos and blueprints of classic Tulsa modern architecture. Should be fun! Thank you TFA for hosting this event. White gloves provided.
Tags: architecture, archives, event, tulsa
Posted in New | Comments (0)
2008 National Preservation Meeting
June 16th, 2008
The final Local Advisory Committee meeting for the
2008 National Preservation Conference will be held on Thursday, June 19, 4:30 - 6:00pm, in the Manchester Room at the
Doubletree Hotel Downtown,
616 W. 7th Street.
Anyone who is interested or in any way involved in the conference should make plans to attend! Representatives from the National Trust for Historic Preservation will be discussing conference program highlights, marketing, and volunteer opportunities.
If you plan to attend, please call (202) 588-6100 or email conference@nthp.org by Friday, June 13.
Tags: conference, perservation
Posted in New | Comments (0)
Google Maps Street View Comes to Tulsa
June 16th, 2008
From batesline
Sometime this past winter (judging from how low the sun is in the sky and the presence of piles of ice storm debris in many photos), Google sent its 360-degree car mounted camera around Tulsa, taking street view photos of nearly every street. (Hat tip to Steve Roemerman, who to a Street View of his old house with his truck parked inside.
Street View images are more recent than Google’s satellite view: The satellite still shows the old Mayo Meadow Shopping Center, while Street View shows Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market. Bell’s Amusement Park is still there on the satellite image, but the replacement slab of asphalt shows up in Street View.
If you were wondering what was there along I-44 before ODOT bulldozed it, Street View can help (at least until they return for another pass). Here are the Monticello Apts. near 51st St and Birmingham Ave. And here’s the entrance to Dick Gordon’s guitar studio at 51st & Trenton.
(Too bad they didn’t have Street View when Beryl Ford started collecting photos.)
There are all sorts of oddities that turn up. So far this is my favorite: The Street View of Cain’s Ballroom shows people in sleeping bags lined up for tickets to some concert.
The folks over at TulsaNow’s public forum are having fun spotting interesting street scenes and speculating on when the photos were taken. User PonderInc wants to know, “So, can we pay them to come back to Tulsa in April and May, when everything’s blooming and green?!”
Tags: cains, google
Posted in New | Comments (0)
Woodward Park
June 12th, 2008
I’m sure many of you have visited the renowned Woodward Park near Utica Square to see the picturesque lake and lovely scenery. I was there the other day enjoying the weather and was drawn to this recreational structure, which has a great look to it. Though weather worn the design of this structure is quite modern. It has a massive cantilevered roof which I think is really cool. Does anyone know who was responsible for designing or commissioning this work of art? Please share in the comments if you do.
Tags: woodward park
Posted in Historical | Comments (1)
Dubai Goes Green
June 10th, 2008
courtesy of 2modern.com
Starting at the beginning of this year, Dubai instated green building standards and concepts without exception, following in the footsteps of Abu Dhabi which began looking at such initiatives in 2006. Here are a few buildings that are making the mark in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi…and a great POSIT studio/dubai building that gives a whole new meaning to bringing the “outdoors in.”
Abu Dhabi sees it’s first carbon-neutral car-free zero waste city called Masdar by architecture great Norman Foster and his firm, Foster + Partners. It is simply an amazing feat for anywhere in the world, and even more so for the highest hydrocarbon-producing nation on Earth! And with the assistance of MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, the UAE once again brings the world together for a great cause, claiming stake as a nation with international eyes with MIT’s help in establishing Masdar Institute, a technology driven cutting-edge research and education engine…go green!
Tags: dubai, green
Posted in New | Comments (1)
New MoveModern Listing
June 8th, 2008
Here is a cool listing that caught my eye on MoveModern. No, there isn’t an ocean in Tulsa but we can dream can’t we. Thought I’d share. This La Jolla, CA home is currently being offered at $9,975,000
Tags: property listing
Posted in New | Comments (0)