The ultimate modern architecture roadtrip?
Those that follow me on Twitter most likely have already heard that I was selected as one of 100 “Agents” for the Ford Fiesta Movement. If you haven’t heard about it, let me sum it up. Basically Ford is bringing over 100 2011 Ford Fiesta’s and giving them to socially networked people to drive and blog about for 6 months. The car is free, the gas is free, the insurance is free. So I was thinking last night, now that I have a free car, and free gas, what would the ultimate road trip be? With that segue here is the real question.
What are the 10 most architecturally significant modernist buildings in the United States? I will be planning an epic road trip across America later this year to visit them all, so I want to see some lists in the comments.
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Mixed in with the trip you should also find some of the best places to find good bargains. That would actually be cool to have something in your home “large or small” from every place you visit. OK sorry for the rant I live in BFE.
Oh, take us with you! That is such a fantastic idea. Well, let’s see, off the top of my head there’s the Seagram Building by Mies. The AT&T (now Sony) Building by Phillip Johnson. The Guggenheim by Frank Lloyd Wright, The Robie House in Chicago, also by Wright. Richard Meier’s Douglas House on the shores of Lake Michigan…I’m personally dying to see. Not to neglect the North West there’s Frank Gehry’s Experience Music Project. If you feel like hitting up D.C. you’d probably like the East Building of the National Gallery. It’s designed by I.M.Pei of Louvre fame and houses a mobile by Alexander Calder…again, dying to see. Those are all pretty predictable. Having said that, they’re also essential. Oh, I am so jealous! Can’t wait to hear about the plans.
Speaking of the northwest –
The Experience Music Project by Ghery is a little odd, but worthwhile I guess for Frank Gehry fans. I would recommend the Seattle Downtown Library (2004)– designed by Rem Koolhaas, as well as the Seattle University St. Ignatius Chapel (1997) designed by Steven Holl. Both these two structures have incredible interiors and exteriors.
In Phoenix the Burton Barr Central Library and Scottsdale Modern Art Museum, both by Bruder. There’s some great hidden modern houses in northern Phoenix.
In Dallas/Ft Worth area: that sculpture garden by Piano, The Modern and The Kimbell.
If you go to the Seattle area I would make it over to Tacoma as well and see the glass museum. Beautiful building, although already in a car commercial.
In LA I would drive past the Disney Concert Hall and make it to Moneo’s cathedral. There’s a beautiful mid-century theater across the street I can’t remember the name of.
If you happen to make it to Michigan there is a fantastic building for Yazaki in Canton, in the metro Detroit area. It was in Architectural Record around 2003 or so.
Arapahoe Hills and Arapahoe Acres are Denver subdivisions FULL of modern and mid-century modern homes that have been, for the most part, pristinely preserved.
Don’t forget Falling Water in Pennsylvania–THE modern home.
Johnson’s Glass House (get your tickets now!)
Farnsworth House
Fallingwater
Roden Crater
Thorncrown Chapel
If you’re in the midwest you must swing through Columbus, IN. Small, sleepy town with a propensity for great architecture.
Here’s a sampling of building/architects who have played there (some big names):
* First Baptist Church by Harry Weese
* First Christian Church by Eliel Saarinen, 1942; the first of the series
* Irwin Union Bank by Eero Saarinen, with landscape by Dan Kiley; and its addition by Kevin Roche
* Mabel McDowell School by John Carl Warnecke
* Miller House, 1957, the residence of J. Irwin Miller by Eero Saarinen, with landscape by Dan Kiley.
* North Christian Church (congregation founded in 1955), designed by Eero Saarinen in 1964.
Other notable buildings include:
* Cleo Rogers Memorial Library, designed by I. M. Pei
* Columbus East High School, by Romaldo Giurgola
* St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, by Gunnar Birkerts
* Also Lincoln Elementary. Once visited by Lady Bird Johnson
Henry Moore’s “Large Arch”
Notable sculptures include:
* Large Arch[5], sculpture by Henry Moore
* Chaos I sculpture by Jean Tinguely
I second Fallingwater and Johnson’s Glass House.
Baz – nice list!
A list that I would like to visit:
NeutraVDL -
http://www.neutra-vdl.org
Phillip Johnson’s Glass House – http://philipjohnsonglasshouse.org/
Case Study House #22 (a.k.a. Stahl house) now open for tours-
http://www.stahlhouse.com/
Baz mentioned some good spots in Columbus, IN, but by no means all.
If I were hitting 10 modern building spots:
1. Farnsworth House – Mies
2. Crown Hall – Mies
3. Johnson’s Glass House
4. TWA Terminal – Eero
5. North Christian Church – Eero
6. Guggenheim – Wright
7. Eames House – Eames
8. Salk Institute – Louis Kahn
9. Kimbell Art Museum – Louis Kahn
10. Something from Neutra
While you are at the Salk Institute you run down the street to the neuroscience research institute by Todd Williams & billie tsein. It is newer but beautifully crafted.
How about that Frank Lloyd Wright hotel in Bartlesville, Oklahoma?
If we are talking “the most architecturally significant modernist buildings” I think there definitely needs to be a Louis Sullivan stop along the way. He is considered “the father of modernism” by some and we are paraphrasing his famous sentiments when saying “form follows function.” If you’re in Chicago check out his Carson Pirie Scott Building and the John Hancock Building. The latter is not by Sullivan, however. I totally agree that Johnson’s The Glass House is a must.
If you’re going for “significant,” you’ve probably hit most of them already in these comments.
I might consider some newer stuff, though. Maybe the first LivingHomes by Ray Kappe or some of the newly constructed homes in the Make It Right project in New Orleans. Maybe the the Loblolly House by KieranTimberlake.
GREAT suggestions everyone! I’ll combine all the comments here along with some online research and start planning. Anyone want shotgun?
You have to make Fallingwater a stop for sure.
I second Thorncrown Chapel
The Getty in LA hills. Go for recent. I’ve got nothing against MCM, but there’s a lot of cool stuff out there happening NOW!
Frank Lloyd Wright’s only skyscraper! The Price Tower in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. It’s amazing and you can stay the night in the Price Tower Inn!
*Schindler House, Los Angeles
*American Folk Art Museum, NYC
*ICA Waterfront Museum, Boston
*MCA Museum, Denver
*Deyoung, San Francisco
*Grandma’s House, Wherever she lives(d)
Congrats on winning. Come to the triangle area (Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill) of North Carolina! According to http://www.trianglemodernisthouses.com/, we have the 4th largest concentration of modernist houses in America. Lots and lots of great houses to see.
Never had the fortune to see this wonderous sight in person, but I would definitely make a big detour on any road trip to include Milwaukee Art Museum by Santiago Calatrava.