April is MODern Month in Houston

[SpaceAge]

Join Houston Mod in Celebrating Our Modern Legacy

Hello friends,

Tonight begins our Modern Month festivities. Please join us at the University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture, Auditorium and Gallery as Houston Mod Board Member Jason Smith presents a pictoral retrospective of the early work of the mid-century modernist and University of Houston alum, architect, Willaim R. Jenkins. Smith will share with us many of the photos featured in his Houston Mod publication, The Early Modern Houses of William R. Jenkins, 1951-1958, and tell the story of how the book came to fruition.

Below are all of the events planned for April:

Thursday, April 8, 7pm

Lecture: The Early Modern Houses of William R. Jenkins, Jason Smith

Exhibit: Archiving Places: Documentary Photography, Lewis Hodnett, Jr.

University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture, Auditorium and Gallery

Free admission

Friday, April 9, 1pm and 7pm, Saturday, April 10, 7pm, Sunday, April 11, 5pm

Film Screening: Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman

Visual Acoustics celebrates the life and career of Julius Shulman, whose images brought modern architecture to the American mainstream. www.juliusshulmanfilm.com, co-sponsored by Houston Mod

Museum of Fine Arts Houston, 1001 Bissonnet at Main, 77005

$7 ($6 MFAH members and seniors 65+)

Sunday, April 11, 2pm - 4pm

Mod of the Month Open House: 59 Tiel Way by MacKie and Kamrath

Free admission

Sunday, April 18, 1pm - 3pm

Tour, Refreshments and Book Signing

A special opportunity to tour several units in the Parc IV & V towers, and obtain a copy of the recently published book on William Jenkins.

3614 Montrose Boulevard, Houston 77006

$7 suggested donation RSVP for tickets: info@houstonmod.org

Wednesday, April 21, 7pm

Lecture Conversations on the Future of Design, Lauren Rottet, FAIA, IIDA

Location: Decorative Center

www.lawndaleartcenter.org

Free admission

Saturday, April 24, 10am - 5pm Sunday, April 25, 10am - 5pm

Design Fair 2010

Lawndale Art Center

$5 admission

Thursday, April 29, 6:30pm

Film Screening:

INFINITE SPACE: THE ARCHITECTURE OF JOHN LAUTNER

www.infinitespacethemovie.com

"The purpose of architecture is to create timeless, free, joyous spaces for all activities in life." That was visionary genius John Lautner's credo, and the guiding principle of this stunning tribute. After breaking with his mentor Frank Lloyd Wright, Lautner went on to build an amazing legacy of his own, substantially influencing Frank Gehry and others.

Tour: 2009 Houston Mod Preservation Award Winner: The Center. A complex of buildings originally designed in 1966 by noted architects Howard Barnstone and Eugene Aubry. The campus facility has provided essential social services for over 40 years.

The Center, 3550 West Dallas, Houston 77019

$5 suggested donation

Dates and times for these events are subject to change. Please consult houstonmod.org for updates and parking information.

Link to Event Poster

[SpaceAge]

Thanks everyone for attending the Jenkins lecture. The college recorded the presentation on their new system so it will be available for future use.

The next MODern Month event is the Julius Shulman documentary. There are two remaining screenings. The Saturday showing is at 7 PM and the Sunday showing is at 5 PM, both at the MFA. Shulman is considered to have been the worlds finest architectural photographer. He was responsible for introducing modern architecture to the American mainstream. This event is cosponsored by the RDA, AIA, and Houston Mod.

Case Study house #22 by Pierre Koenig, photographed by Julius Shulman

Julius Shulman photographing case study house #22, California 1960

On Sunday, April 11, plan to attend Mod of the Month at 59 Tiel Way. This is an event to find a new owner for a spectacular mod by MacKie and Kamrath. The house will be open from 2 - 4 PM. Tiel Way is a beautiful street where many of Houston's most wonderful modern houses are located. Julius Shulman photographed the house across the street from 59 Tiel Way.

Check the MODern Month poster (link above) for more details.

[twisty1965]

Looking forward to the Park IV and V Tour this Sunday! So excited that Houston Mod has organized so many amazing events celebrating all things Mod!!! http://houstonmod.org

Next week Lawndale rolls out the lastest version of their now 15 year old Mid-Century Modern Market - Design Fair 2010: Learn. Shop. Connect.

This year they are joining the 21st Century and adding cutting-edge contemporary design dealers along side some of the best Mid-Century dealers in the city. Don't miss it. Starts with a lecture by Houston design rock star Lauren Rottet, Wednesday, the 21st, 7 pm at the Decorative Center. Then big sneak peek Preview Party on Friday, the 23rd, 6 pm. Tickets on sale now.

Come on out and see some great stuff!

More about it all here - http://www.lawndaleartcenter.org

[SpaceAge]

The attendance for MODern Month has been great. Houston Mod appreciates all your support. We have sold 32 books in the past week! The second half of MODern Month will begin with an event at the Parc IV and Parc V towers on Sunday. These buildings were intended to be a part of the Jenkins bus tour but there was just too much to see that day.

Parc IV & Parc V

Join Houston Mod for a tour of the impressive Parc IV and Parc V towers in Montrose.

Designed by William R. Jenkins and Roy Gee with the firm Jenkins Hoff Oberg Saxe.

Tour will visit units in both towers: Parc IV, Level 12 and Parc V, Level 9, providing visitors with a chance to view different interiors, floor plans and styles.

Houston Mod publications, including the recent book about William Jenkins will be available.

Refreshments and snacks will be served.

Sunday, April 18th 1 PM to 3 PM.

3614 Montrose Boulevard, Houston 77006

$7 suggested donation

Jason Smith, author of the Jenkins book, will be available to discuss and sign the book. We hope to see you there. There should be plenty of parking available in the streets around the buildings. The elevators in these buildings are small so allow plenty of time for the tour.

Next week, prepare for several events related to the Lawndale market. First up is the lecture, The Future of Design, at the Decorative Center on Wednesday.

For those of you attending the Texas Historic Commission annual meeting here in Houston next week, Houston Mod has some big plans for you.

[SpaceAge]

It's still April so it's still MODern Month in Houston!

Last week was full of wonderful events like the Texas Historic Commission conference at the Westin Oaks, where Houston Mod had a booth and met so many interesting people. We were also able to attend some of their sessions, such as the one on documenting buildings on-line, which were very informative. Houston Mod also conducted an in-depth bus tour of mod Houston which was much complimented by conference attendees. One special stop was at the Astrodome where everyone got to walk down the big ramp right into the center of the dome. Houston Mod board member David Bucek and advisory board member William Stern received several awards at the conference for their preservation/restoration work.

The three days of events at Lawndale's Design Fair were also great. It was nice to see all our favorite mod dealers joined by the new mod designs.

Tonight's event is a film about John Lautner being shown at The Center. A brief tour of The Center will follow. Please take this opportunity to see a wonderful film about modern architecture and learn more about The Center. For those that saw the Julius Shulman film earlier this month, the Lautner film will be especially interesting as it details several of the buildings Shulman photographed.

INFINITE SPACE: THE ARCHITECTURE OF JOHN LAUTNERwww.infinitespacethemovie.com

"The purpose of architecture is to create timeless, free, joyous spaces for all activities in life." That was visionary genius John Lautner's credo, and the guiding principle of this stunning tribute. After breaking with his mentor Frank Lloyd Wright, Lautner went on to build an amazing legacy of his own, substantially influencing Frank Gehry and others.

Tour: 2009 Houston Mod Preservation Award Winner: The Center. A complex of buildings originally designed in 1966 by noted architects Howard Barnstone and Eugene Aubry. The campus facility has provided essential social services for over 40 years.

The Center, 3550 West Dallas, Houston 77019

$5 suggested donation

Houston Mod is a non-profit, 501©(3), membership organization dedicated to promoting knowledge and appreciation of modern architecture and design in Houston and Texas. Houston Mod advocates the preservation of this cultural legacy and seeks support from its members and the general public in achieving this goal.

Park in any non-reserved parking space. There are many spaces available close-by, behind the building South-East of the auditorium.

We hope to see you tonight!

[dbigtex56]

The attendance for MODern Month has been great. Houston Mod appreciates all your support. We have sold 32 books in the past week! The second half of MODern Month will begin with an event at the Parc IV and Parc V towers on Sunday. These buildings were intended to be a part of the Jenkins bus tour but there was just too much to see that day.

Parc IV & Parc V

Join Houston Mod for a tour of the impressive Parc IV and Parc V towers in Montrose.

Designed by William R. Jenkins and Roy Gee with the firm Jenkins Hoff Oberg Saxe.

Tour will visit units in both towers: Parc IV, Level 12 and Parc V, Level 9, providing visitors with a chance to view different interiors, floor plans and styles.

Houston Mod publications, including the recent book about William Jenkins will be available.

Refreshments and snacks will be served.

Sunday, April 18th 1 PM to 3 PM.

3614 Montrose Boulevard, Houston 77006

$7 suggested donation

Jason Smith, author of the Jenkins book, will be available to discuss and sign the book. We hope to see you there. There should be plenty of parking available in the streets around the buildings. The elevators in these buildings are small so allow plenty of time for the tour.

Next week, prepare for several events related to the Lawndale market. First up is the lecture, The Future of Design, at the Decorative Center on Wednesday.

For those of you attending the Texas Historic Commission annual meeting here in Houston next week, Houston Mod has some big plans for you.

One of the towers (not sure if it's iV or V) is set back further from the street. A long-time Houston resident told me that the woman who owned the house which previously stood there refused to sell unless the graves of her poodles (which were buried in her front yard) were preserved.

Any mention of the reason for the uneven setbacks? or is this a colorful urban myth?

[Willowisp]

I want to publicly thank Russell and the other Board Members of Houston Mod who put in so much time on organizing our Mod Month events. The film was great last night and put a capper on an amazing month. The best feeling is that when I watched the Shulman and the Lautner films I identified with so many of the people in the films who have restored and preserved historical houses. We are doing something special here in Houston. I'm happy to be doing my part.