D.C. Preservation League to Hold Trio of Modern Events

The D.C. Preservation League is holding a trio of modern-related events in the coming months. The League's DC Modern Fall 2008 programming kicks off this Saturday (Oct. 4) with a walking tour, "Southwest DC: Renewal at Risk," which will focus on the area's urban renewal projects from the 1950s and '60s and is being cosponsored by the preservation organization DOCOMOMO. A reception before the tour will held at the Thomas Law House and is sponsored by the Keyes, Lethbridge and Condon-designed Tiber Island Cooperative Homes, one of the developments built as part of the urban renewal. Tickets are $20 for non-members, $10 for members.

The second event ($20 for non-members; $10 for members) will focus on the designation and future preservation of modern buildings and sites within Washington. The panel discussion, "Evaluating the Significance of Modern Structures," will be held on Nov. 20 in one of my favorite MCM buildings in D.C., the 1965 Pan American Health Organization building (see below) by Uruguayan architect Roman Fresnedo Siri. The building is located at 525 23rd St., NW. I'll have a more on this building in an upcoming post.

The third event, originally scheduled for Oct. 15 at the Mies van der Rohe-designed MLK Library has been postponed until February 2009. The event will focus on a recent study cataloguing mid-century modern buildings in Washington and the importance of modernism to the development of the city.

Make sure to click here for all the details and registration form.

1968 Expanded Hollin Hills Goodman - $729K

This new listing if for an expanded two-level Charles Goodman in Hollin Hills. The 4/2 home on .36 acres features a screened in porch to take in the natural surroundings.

Southwest Parade of Homes; 9/28

If you are thinking about buying a home in the MCM enclave of Southwest D.C., head to the Southwest Parade of Homes this Sunday. More than 20 homes will be open from 1 to 4 p.m. You will find listings for properties designed by Charles Goodman (River Park), Chloethiel Woodard Smith (Capitol Park, Harbour Square, Potomac Place) and Keyes, Lethbridge and Condon (Tiber Island, Carrollsburg condos).

Price Drop: Edmund Bennett's Bethesda Contemporary Drops $300K; Open 9/28

The early 1970s custom home designed by developer Edmund Bennett for him and his wife has dropped $300K to $2.195 million. It's open on Sunday if you want to see the work of one of the leading developers of mid-century modern homes in the D.C. area.

1971 Cedar-Clad California Contemporary in Annandale - $625K

This early 1970s 5/4.5 contemporary is more than 3,800 sq. ft. on more than a half acre here in Annandale. It has a lot of glass, cathedral ceilings and nice deck surrounded by trees.

Sponsor Spotlight: Millennium Decorative Arts

Talk about being ahead of the curve. Millennium Decorative Arts, the U Street basement mecca of mid-century modern and Danish designs, has been been selling, buying and consigning MCM furniture and home accessories since 1992, way before all things MCM exploded in the national consciousness. Started as a place for multiple dealers to sell their pieces, the shop is now run by Glynn Romero, Jeff McGroder and Richard Chartier, who designed the cool logo featuring the the silhouettes of iconic MCM designs. So when you're schmoozing along U St. during a nice weekend afternoon, make sure to head to Millennium to find the right piece at the right price. From sublime Danish Modern and designer pieces to the occasional eyebrow raising design oddity and a small but healthy bit of kitsch for collectors and enthusiasts alike, there is plenty for all to like.

The World of Windows

Alexa Yablonski has an interesting piece in the Post's Fall Home & Design Issue about how windows were incorporated into various architectural styles over the years, culminating with the liberal use of glass in modern architecture as the price of the material declined. "[I]t wasn't until the 20th century that the ribbon window (a series of horizontal windows separated only by mullions) and the glass curtain wall (essentially, one large window that envelopes an entire house or skyscraper) became possible -- and went on to become hallmarks of modern architecture," Yablonski writes.

Yablonski highlights Charles Goodman's aluminum-and-glass barrel-vault townhomes in River Park as an example of how glass was used in local mid-century architecture. Although she quotes one resident as saying the unique vault design has some drawbacks. "It's hot as hell. And bright. You have to get up early -- there's no choice," says Max Robitaille. Although shades fall on the wrong side of the modernist manifesto, how about installing blackout shades to fit the space if you want to sleep in later? What do River Park residents have to say about that?

1967 Renovated Flat-Roof Goodman in Hollin Hills - $675K

This renovated flat-roof home by Charles Goodman in Hollin Hills was just listed. The listing for this 3/2 home on .41 acres has only one exterior image. I'd like to see what what was done inside. Has anyone seen this one?

Hollin Hills, Holmes Run Acres Via Flickr

Here are two nice Flikr groups showcasing Hollin Hills and Holmes Run Acres to join--or just to view.

1965 Split-Level Contemporary in Manor Woods - $479K

Looks like a well maintained Miller & Smith contemporary in Manor Woods in Rockville. The 4/3 home, with nice glass panels by the front door and carport, is located here.

Share Modern Capital

I added the ShareThis plugin to help spread the word about Modern Capital. Here are some stats (from August) to give you a sense of the community that reads the blog:

6,600 total visits
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Top five states by number of visits:

Virginia
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Thanks for reading and for all of your continued support.

Michael

1959 Charles Goodman in Rock Creek Woods - $599K

4012 Ingersol in Charles Goodman's Rock Creek Woods is back on the market at a lower price and what looks to be an improved condition. I first posted this 3/3 back in January when it was listed for $622K. The two-level house is located here in the National Register of Historic Places-designated neighborhood in Silver Spring.

Exhibit: Oscar Niemeyer at 100

Niemeyer's Brasilia

The Art Museum of the America's is marking legendary modernist Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer's 1ooth birthday with a retrospective of his career, which is still going strong.

The exhibit features original plans and sketches, video and photography footage and scale models of his major projects, including the U.N., which he designed with Le Corbusier, and the new capital city of Brasilia (pictured above), which was conceived and built in four years. It was completed and inaugurated in 1960.

Here's a nice New York Times slideshow of some of Niemeyer's major works.

The exhibit runs until Oct. 26.

Visiting Bauhaus in Boston

The Long Weekend column in the Post gives the inside scoop on visiting Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius' 1938 house in Lincoln, Mass., near Boston. The home, designated a National Historic Landmark in 2002, is owned and maintained by Historic New England.

Price Drop: 1966 MCM Townhome with Cork Flooring - $366K

Here's a quick follow up to my recent post on MCM townhomes in Reston. This large (nearly 2,500 sq. ft.) 5/3.5 townhome has a nice mix of wood, brick and glass, including a wall of windows in the living room. The listing says the updated kitchen has cork flooring--very MCM. I wonder if it is original. This home was originally listed at $383K.

Roger Lewis on the Third Church of Christ Debate

Washington Post columnist Roger K. Lewis, a practicing architect and a professor emeritus of architecture at the University of Maryland, writes about the continuing battle over the church that is detested by its owners and being protected by preservationists. "In real estate, few laws provoke as much controversy and litigation as those concerned with historic preservation of architectural landmarks," he says.

Sponsor Spotlight: Home Anthology

During the week, husband and wife team Rob Degenhard and Nini Sarmiento of Home Anthology scour estate sales and other venues to find a broad array of vintage mid-century modern furniture and objects. On weekends, they open their 5,000 square-foot showroom in Catonsville for customers to check out their finds: lots of Danish modern pieces and classic designs by the likes of Eames, Nelson, Saarinen, Noguchi, Bertoia and Jacobsen among others.

My wife and I just bought a vintage Eames table and chairs with funky yellow vinyl (see below) to replace the IKEA dining table and chairs we have been using for the past 12 years. So take a ride this weekend and roam through the store to find the right MCM pieces for your modern home.

Arlington Lustron Sprouts in NYC

The Krowne Lustron

One of the 11 pre-fab, porcelain steel enameled Lustrons built in Arlington County after World War II that had been disassembled has been rebuilt in the middle of New York City. Inside the the Museum of Modern Art. The Lustron, which was donated to Arlington County in April 2006 by Dr. Clifford M. Krowne, is part of the MoMa's “Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling,” which runs through October 20. The Arlington Heritage Alliance Educational Tours is sponsoring a day trip on Oct. 18 to view the Krowne Lustron and see the rest of the pre-fab exhibit. See details here about the "Steel" Away to NYC trip.

Also, check out this great resource published by the county, which includes information about the Krowne Lustron, other Lustrons in the area and how to take apart and put together a Lustron if you ever find yourself faced with such a task. The guide was written by Cynthia Liccese-Torres, a historic preservation planner with the county, and Kim A. O'Connell, a member of the Board of Directors of the Arlington Heritage Alliance. O'Connell, who specializes in writing about historic preservation and conservation, also wrote this piece last year in Preservation magazine.

1969 MCM 'Tree House' in Forest Hills - $1.2 Million

This late 1960s modern 'tree house' is tucked into the Forest Hills neighborhood of D.C., which is surrounded to the east by Rock Creek Park. The neighborhood has a wide variety of architectural styles, including a number of mid-century modern and modern homes by Richard Neutra and Travis Price. Good pictures of the 4/2 house here.

Price Drop: Slayton House Drops $425K; Now $3.825 Million

Big price drop on the I.M. Pei/Hugh Newell Jacobsen Slayton House.

1976 3 Pavilion/Dreier-Barton House by Hugh Newell Jacobsen - $1.695 Million

Would you look good in this house? D.C. Architect Hugh Newell Jacobsen, one of America's leading architects who opened his practice in 1958, says his "detailing is deliberately sparse and linear in order to enhance the spaces within and without. People look good in my buildings." The award-winning 3/2 home in the Kent neighborhood is the only residence by Jacobsen in D.C. to feature his simple, gabled pavilion-style design. In addition to selling the property, owner Peter F. Hapstak, an architect and principal with CORE Architecture and Design, is opening his house for an AIA-DC-sponsored tour that will be held Sept 28. Click here for details.

Once interesting note: The item for the tour says that Hapstak "saved the house from a developer's wrecking ball in 2001." The current listing says the sale of the property is a "stunning opportunity for builder who wants big lot or modernist who wants update this dream home." Hopefully, someone like Hapstak will come along and prevent the house from meeting the wrecking ball once again.

David Jameson Ultra-Modern 'Jigsaw' House in Bethesda - $1.395 Million

This listing is for the AIA award-winning “Jigsaw” house in Bethesda by Alexandria-based architect David Jameson. On his web site, Jameson says the project “recycled a single story suburban house located on a busy corner” into an ultra-modern home with uniquely shaped windows and an with open-air courtyard.

“Fundamental to the conception of the house is the notion of reflectivity, rendering unclear the boundaries between inside and outside,” Jameson continues. “Light and space are modulated by meshing ribbons of wall and glass that form a tessellation of solid and void. The conditioning of these internal and external walls is identical. Planes of stucco exterior walls transform into plaster interior walls while passing through glass. Clerestory glazing and window constructs are carefully sited to afford privacy to the occupants while framing and extending views through the site.”

On more mundane matters, check out the open kitchen with its large wood island with stove and oven and wall of yellow cabinets hiding the refrigerator.

MCM Townhomes in Reston by Goodman, Sauer

Townhomes by Charles Goodman in Hickory Cluster in Reston, Virginia

I came across an interesting article (scroll down a bit after you hit the link) from 1966 on the new phenomenon of suburban townhomes by then-Washington Post architecture critic Wolf Von Eckardt. In his article, Von Eckardt writes how developers repackaged the old row house concept of the cities into the modern townhomes of the suburbs. He hailed this move not only for the modern architecture, which he thought was more compelling than most suburban homes, but for their "green" attributes (he did not describe these as green, but that is essentially what he was saying 40 years before it was hip): townhouses minimize suburban sprawl by using less land, they take less resources to build, etc.

"When the row house became a town house, a number of creative, modern architects came to the rescue," Von Eckhardt wrote. "They have contributed little to our suburban housing, partly because it doesn't pay them and partly because the builders feel they can along without them. But for the town house the builders have sought professional help." Von Eckardt highlighted the work of prominent architects in the new modern suburban town of Reston, including Charles Goodman, Chloethiel Woodard Smith and Louis Sauer, who was schooled at the Institute of Design at Illinois Institute of Technology founded by Bauhaus master Lazlo Moholy-Nagy.

Below are a few homes for sale, one by Goodman and two by Sauer.

1965 2/1.5 Hickory Cluster Townhome by Charles Goodman - $239,999

1968 4/3 Golf Course Island Townhome by Louis Sauer - $499,500

1968 4/3.5 Golf Course Island Townhome by Louis Sauer - $374, 900

Price Drop: Clifton 'Treehouse' on 5 Acres - $725K

This Clifton contemporary "treehouse" on more than 5 acres I first posted here has dropped $75,000 to $725K.

1959 Flat-Roof MCM in McLean - $875K

The listing has limited pictures of this flat-roof MCM so it it is hard to get a true sense of the home, which sits on .65 acres just inside the Beltway in the River Oaks neighborhood of McLean. The living room has wood-beamed ceilings and the kitchen has been updated, including granite countertops.

1975 Cedar-Clad Contemporary on Lake in Great Falls - $1.49 Million

This cedar-clad contemporary in Timberlake Run in Great Falls has plenty of glass, wood ceilings and sits on more than an acre overlooking a lake. Click the virtual tour for good images.

Short Sale: 1972 'Meadowview' in Truro - $499K

Here's another listing for a short sale in Virginia. This one is for a 5/3 Meadowview model on more than a quarter acre in Truro in Annandale. The house, a two-level contemporary rambler, sold for $580,000 in March 2005.

Short Sale: 1972 Contemporary with Atrium in Oak Hill - $650K

Check out the open-air atrium in this early 1970s contemporary with wood ceilings on nearly an acre. The house is located in Fox Mill Acres in Oak Hill, Va., near Dulles airport. The 4/3.5 home is a short sale and has been on the market for more than a year, dropping from $899K to $650K. The listing says it has had “8 offers at this price w/o 3rd party sign-off. Bank now ready to work w/ offers.”

1966 'Clubview' in Carderock - $875K

For those who can't bankroll the purchase of the home Edmund Bennett built for himself in the early 1970s, here's a Clubview model in Carderock Springs in Bethesda built by the developer and designed by Keyes, Lethbridge and Condon. From the listing, it looks like the kitchen and baths have been updated and the fourth bedroom was opened up to create a large media room.