Exhibit Reception: Austin's Deco and Moderne Legacy

Join AIA Austin, the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art Texas, and Mid Tex Mod for this special event!

Don't miss this evening reception for the current exhibit, Deco and Moderne: Austin Architecture in the 1930s, on loan from the Austin History Center. Jim Parsons and David Bush, authors of several books including Hill Country Deco: Modernistic Architecture of Central Texas, will join us for this special event.

Thursday, September 6th
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Austin Center for Architecture, 801 W. 12th Street
RSVP to Lauren or call 452.4332

Jim Parsons is the director of special projects and walking tours chair for Preservation Houston. He also works as a freelance writer, editor, and photographer.

David Bush developed his lifelong interest in historic architecture while growing up in New Orleans. He has worked professionally in preservation since 1990, primarily at Galveston Historical Foundation and Preservation Houston.

David Bush and Jim Parsons have co-authored three books together, most recently Hill Country Deco: Modernistic Architecture of Central Texas, published by TCU Press in 2010. Their newest book, Fair Park Deco: Art and Architecture of the Texas Centennial Exposition, is due from TCU Press in October 2012.

Mid-century Modern: It’s About Time

Seminar by the San Antonio Conservation Society

Friday, May 4, 2012

AIA- San Antonio Center for Architecture

200 East Grayson Street

Located in the Pearl Full Goods Building

Mid-century modern (1930’s to 1970) architecture and design is coming of age in San Antonio. As part of National Preservation Month, the San Antonio Conservation Society is convening a half-day seminar, with optional bus/walking tour, to heighten awareness of this dynamic period in San Antonio’s architectural history. By engaging organizations and institutions with a common interest in this period and with an audience of design professionals, students, and laypersons alike, the goal is to weave the history of mid-twentieth century design into the

tapestry of San Antonio’s past as well as its future.

All events begin at the AIA-San Antonio Center for Architecture. Free parking is available in the Koehler Garage on Level 3 and above. Enter the Pearl complex off East Grayson Street and follow signs to the garage.

More information

East Austin History Walk and Talk

Thanks to all who joined us on the East Austin History Walk and Talk tour (aka Jane's Walk Tour). There was an excellent turn out, even with the mid-day thunderstorm. The tour was an epic 6 hours with a delicious stop at Casa Colombia.

Our tour guides were Dr. Eliot Tretter and Dr. Fred McGhee. We benefited from their deep knowledge, including Dr. McGhee's expertise as an anthropologist and historian of public housing and Dr. Tretter's research on the history and geography of segregation and neighborhood change. They shared important insights into the history of East Austin, from its early development to the public housing, urban renewal, and planning initiatives that shaped it at the mid-twentieth century and into the recent past. Here is a link to the hefty and in-depth tour packet [pdf] provided by Dr. Tretter. This is the tour map [jpg], which shows stops along our walking route.

The tour was in conjunction with the national network of tours that honor the memory of Jane Jacobs and her fight to preserve the vital neighborhoods of New York City from the ravages of planning efforts that failed to take into account the real lives of the people they claimed to help. On our tour we learned about the complex history of planning in Austin, from progressive efforts to genuinely help low income communities to blatant acts of racism and segregation.

Thank you to Dr. Eliot Tretter, Dr. Fred McGhee, Andrea Roberts (lead tour organizer), Josh Conrad (tour cartographer), and everyone who came on the tour for making this tour a success.

One of the attendees beat us to posting a blog entry. See more on Ryan Pollack's blog entry and Andrea Robert's blog.

Hear Edward Durell Stone's Accomplishments, Personal Struggles, Relationships (April 17)

Images courtesy of Hicks Stone

On Tuesday, April 17, there will be two exceptional opportunities to learn about Edward Durell Stone and experience his architectural legacy. Author and architect Hicks Stone is visiting Austin to talk about his book, Edward Durell Stone: A Son's Untold Story of a Legendary Architect.

The book represents a candid story of Edward Durell Stone's accomplishments, personal struggles, and relationships from the perspective of the person best equipped to share them, Stone's own son.

Special Book-signing EventTuesday, April 17, 2:30-3:30
The Westgate Tower
1122 Colorado Street
map

Hicks Stone will be available for a special book-signing at the lobby of the historic Westgate Tower. This is an opportunity to meet Hicks Stone in the only building in Austin designed by Edward Durell Stone. Mr. Stone will say a few words about his first visit to this landmark.

The Westgate Tower was listed on the National Register for Historic Places in 2010. The plaque will be available for viewing at this special event. More information is available on the National Trust's for Historic Preservation blog.

The book will be available for purchase ($85+tax). Cash or check are preferred. Credit cards will be accepted. The book can also be purchased in advance at the Austin Center for Architecture at 801 W 12th. Check the AIA-Austin website for hours or call 512.452.4332.

Lecture at the University of Texas at Austin
Tuesday, April 17, 5:00-6:00 pm
Goldsmith Hall, University of Texas at Austin
map

Hicks Stone will give a lecture on his father's life and work at 5:00 pm at Goldsmith Lecture Hall at the University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Parking is available on the street and at the nearby UT Coop Bookstore parking garage at 2214 San Antonio Street.

The lecture and book signing was organized by Mid Tex Mod in collaboration with Preservation Texas, AIA-Austin, and the UT-Austin Student Historic Preservation Association. The events are supported by the Goldsmith Society of the University of Texas School of Architecture, the North Texas chapter of Docomomo US, Gay and Lee Gaddis, JP Gumbles, Charles Peveto and the Westgate Condo Association.

Hicks Stone is also speaking in Houston and Dallas organized by Houston Mod and the North Texas Chapter Docomomo US.

More About the book
From the publisher: "Among the iconic projects for which Stone is responsible are The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the U.S.Embassy in New Delhi, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. But a negative reception among the architectural community often accompanied his popular and commercial successes, a double edge that continues to inform his legacy. Hicks Stone addresses a body of work that has been largely neglected, if not outright misunderstood. In answer to the chorus of criticism about the master architect’s works, Hicks Stone writes: 'I believe that my perspective as a son and architect offers me a unique and privileged position to address many of these bromidic and reflexive perceptions.'"

Edward Durell Stone's Architecture in Texas

• Kempner House (1952), Houston
• Bruno and Josephine Graf Residence (1956), Dallas
• Westgate Tower (completed 1965), Austin. (Note: this is listed as the Lumbermen's Company Office and Apartment Tower - 1963 on the website below.)
• Amarillo Fine Arts Museum (1969), Amarillo
• The Woodlands Conference Center (1973), Conroe
• Fort Worth Municipal Building (1975), Fort Worth

More information about Edward Durell Stone

East Austin History Walk and Talk (April 15)

Join us for a tour inspired by Jane Jacobs and East Austin's history.

Sunday, April 15, 2012
10 am-2pm

Learn about the history of community, public housing, urban renewal, and neighborhood change. The tour includes mid-century and modern landmarks such as the Victory Grill, Chalmer Courts, and Hutson-Tillotson.

We’ll be going on a walking conversation with Dr. Eliot Tretter of the UT-Geography Department and Dr. Fred McGhee, a historical anthropologist and archaeologist.

Tour begins at Metz Elementary, 84 Robert T. Martinez, Jr. at 10:00 am.

• Set aside 4 hours for the entire tour.
• We’ll provide information about some of the sites we’ll see along the way.
• Wear loose clothing and comfortable shoes and bring water.
• We’ll stop for a no-host lunch along the way (most likely Casa Colombia)

Tour ends at Zavala Elementary, 310 Robert Martinez, Jr., Austin TX at approximately 2 pm.

Please RSVP to Andrea Roberts, e-mail aroberts318@netzero.net

Tour created by faculty and students at UT-Austin. More about the national Jane Jacobs 2012 tour

Photo credits: Paul Lowry. Douglass, Neal. Aerial View of Town Lake, Photograph, May 20, 1968; digital image, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth19265/ : accessed March 29, 2012), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Austin History Center, Austin Public Library, Austin, Texas.

Join us for a special documentary screening

AMOA/Arthouse and Mid Tex Mod present

The Pruitt-Igoe Myth: An Urban History
Wed., March 21 7:30pm
At the Jones Center, 700 Congress Avenue, Austin

"It began as a housing marvel. Two decades later, it ended in rubble. But what happened to those caught in between? The Pruitt-Igoe Myth tells the story of the transformation of the American city in the decades after World War II, through the lens of the infamous Pruitt-Igoe housing development and the St. Louis residents who called it home." Read more about this important documentary.

An interactive discussion to follow with Dr. Fred McGhee and Dr. Elizabeth Mueller.

$10 general admission; $5 Mid Tex Mod members (present card at door);
free for AMOA-Arthouse members.

Tickets must be purchased at the door
Seating is limited; plan to arrive 30-40 minutes early



Part of the AMOA-Arthouse 2012 Spring Rooftop Architecture Film Series
(The rooftop opens at 5:30, for those who want to come early)

Presented with the Mid Tex Mod chapter of Docomomo US in collaboration with Light / The Holocaust & Humanity Project, put on by Ballet Austin. Special thanks to the UT-Austin Student Preservation Association!

Toast Mod at the Olmos Perk

photo by rachel r. on yelp.com

Thursday, December 15, 2011

6-8 pm
Join us for coffee, tea, wine, or beer and conversation.
Learn about the Mid Tex Mod chapter of Docomomo US, network with other mod enthusiasts, and share ideas for events and initiatives in Central Texas.

The Olmos Perk is located at 5223 McCullough Ave in San Antonio.
read about Olmos Perk on yelp

Winterfest at the Yarborough Branch Library

Celebrate Winterfest at the Yarborough
Saturday, December 3, 2011

The Yarborough Public Library on 2200 Hancock Drive, Austin TX is throwing a holiday event to celebrate the folks who love our library and who make it such a special place.

12:30pm the Capitol City Highlanders will perform in the parking lot then will be marching inside to break all the rules we have about noise in the library. J Later the Allandale String Quartet will wind things down with lovely chamber music.

At 1pm the Winterfest Bazaar begins with different non-profit groups that use our meeting room sharing what they do at the library.

Mid Tex Mod just featured the history of the Yarborough/Americana on our blog: Read all about it.

Deco and Moderne: Austin Architecture of the 1930s Exhibit at the Austin History Center

The Austin History Center presents a new exhibit, Deco and Moderne: Austin Architecture of the 1930s on display in the David Earl Holt Photo Gallery of the Austin History Center, 810 Guadalupe Street, from November 1, 2011 to April 29, 2012.

Free walking tour on November 6. Spaces limited and RSVP required. More info.

Free Lecture by Nancy Kwallek: Herman Miller, Inc. and Knoll's color palettes from the 1950s

In conjunction with Mika Tajima's exhibition The Architect’s Garden at the University of Texas at Austin Visual Arts Center, Dr. Nancy Kwallek uses Herman Miller and Knoll as examples to discuss the impact of color on our senses. Through the designs of Alexander Girard and Florence Knoll, the two most significant early modern furniture manufacturers—Herman Miller, Inc. and Knoll International—set the stage for a significant change in color palettes to come for U.S. interiors.

This lecture offers the public a look into discussions between Dr. Kwallek and Mika Tajima on interior design, architecture, and modernism.

The Architect's Garden is curated by Aimee Chang, Manager of Public Programs at The Blanton Museum of Art.

More information

HemisFair '68 Tour: Modern Design, Cultural History

Thanks to all who helped and attended!

Walking Tour - Saturday, October 8, 2011. 2-5 pm.
If you want a typical mid-century modern tour... this isn't it.

The story of HemisFair '68 includes controversy, engineering feats, and represents a complex history of preservation and urban renewal. Meander through the landmarks, artwork, and cultural landscapes of the first official world's fair in the Southwestern U.S. Hear about the theme of HemisFair '68, confluence of the civilizations of the Americas, and how it is reflected in the artwork of Carlos Merida and Juan O'Gorman. Learn about the significance of the Women's Pavilion. Will plans breathe life into this long neglected building designed by architect Cyrus Wagner? Hear about the origins of the Federal Courthouse and Institute of Texan Cultures. See significant cultural landscapes, such as the Acequia Madre De Valero, unearthed in preparation for HemisFair '68.

Admission includes walking tour of modern architecture and artwork in downtown San Antonio and a trip to the top of the Tower of the Americas.

$5 Mid Tex Mod members/students/children
$10 All others

RSVP to Jenni Minner (midtexasmod@gmail.com) by Monday, October 3, 2011. Let us know the number in your party. Payment by cash or check by day of tour.

Special thanks to: Martin Smith Construction Co., Women's Pavilion at HemisFair Park, Inc., Public Art San Antonio, National Trust for Historic Preservation Partners in the Field, San Antonio Conservation Society, and many others who have helped!

(Note: Image above from HemisFair 1968 Official Souvenir Guidebook.)

Docomomo US Tour Day

Modern from a Young Photographer's Perspective

These gorgeous architectural images were taken by young photographer, Catherine Braden (age 10) on a tour of mod in San Antonio.

Read more about the tour.

Houston Mod + Mid Tex Mod Tour San Antonio

The day was searingly hot. Even so, a substantial and dedicated group of Mod enthusiasts from Houston Mod and Mid Tex Mod enjoyed an ambitious tour of some of mid-century artwork and architecture in San Antonio. It was a whirlwind tour that lasted all day.

The tour began at the McNay Art Museum and featured an exhibit of George Nelson (1908-1986), his architecture, furniture design, writings and films. The breadth of his work and his impact on modern commercial design seemed reminiscent of Charles and Ray Eames. This exhibit and permanent collections at the McNay ArtMuseum are inspiring; the building itself and beautiful landscaped grounds are well worth a visit.

After a delicious lunch at La Gloria at the Pearl Brewery, architectural historian Stephen Fox provided an in-depth walking tour of Trinity University.

The Trinity University campus was designed by O'Neil Ford, Bartlett Cocke, and Harvey P. Smith in the early 1950s, with consulting architect William W. Wurster. This is where the innovative Youtz-Slick Lift Slab technique was developed and employed to create both an economical and innovative campus environment.

Dr. Fox described a progression of modern architectural designs on campus. Buildings constructed in the 1960s included arches, gabled roofs and other expressive elements that represented a shift from earlier designs emphasizing horizontality and economy.

The Murchison Tower is probably the most recognized landmark on campus. It is 166 feet tall and also designed by O'Neil Ford.

Not on the official tour, but exciting for me, was a glimpse out of the car window of the Inter-continental Motors building designed by O'Neil Ford.

The tour continued at the Women's Pavilion at HemisFair. A nonprofit association is working diligently toward restoration of this fascinating remnant of the HemisFair '68 World's Fair and an example of architect Cyrus Wagner's work. An interior shot of the building shows the beauty of interior light against waffle slab ceiling forms.

The dramatic interplay of concrete and light; A room appears as transparent, suspended volume.

Original light fixtures remain in the interior.

Read more about the efforts of the Women's Pavilion at HemisFair Park, Inc.

Mid Tex Mod is planning to return to HemisFair Park for an in-depth tour of its modern architectural gems in October.

The tour ended with a driving tour of residential neighborhoods.

A special thanks to Houston Mod's Russell Howard and Stephen Fox and Bonnie Ayer and Ginger Purdy from the Women's Pavilion at HemisFair Park, Inc.

Members Invited to Day of Mod Events in San Antonio!

Houston Mod and DOCOMOMOmidtexmod are organizing an exciting full day schedule of events and tours in San Antonio for members of DOCOMOMO-US on Saturday, August 6.

Members will visit the George Nelson exhibit currently on view at the McNay Art Museum. Following will be walking tours of the mid-century modern structures at the Trinity University campus and Hemisfair 68 grounds with noted architectural historian Stephen Fox as our guide.

Modsters from across the state will meet for this event. Drive yourself (or carpool with a fellow mod-enthusiast), pay your own admission fee at McNay and lunch at the Culinary Institute.

Please RSVP to Jenni Minner to check your membership status and to let us know the number in your party.