Search the Community

June Mod of the Month Houston Mod invites you to join us this Saturday, June 3, 2017 for a Mod of the Month open house event from 2-4 PM. Please help us find new preservation-minded owners for a vintage modern house in Baytown, located about 10 miles east of downtown Houston. Thanks to Houston MODern Market for sponsoring this FREE event. 920 Leavins Street, Baytown, Texas 77520 HAR Link | Google Map http://www.har.com/920-leavins-st/sale_13662811 The secret is out. Baytown has great MCM architecture. This historic modern house was designed by noted architect George Pierce of the nationally recognized firm Pierce - Pierce. Cutting edge for its time and place, the house was the second in Baytown to be built incorporating central air conditioning. The home was designed for the Matherne family and completed in 1951. The composition is unique and handsome. The geometrically-composed chimney wall is prominent, setting an artistic tone for the two public sides of the house. Inside, redwood detailing abounds along with sloped ceilings, impressive rolling ribbed glass room partitions, extensive built-in cabinetry, custom windows, and indirect lighting. Built to last, the house remains mostly as the architect intended. George F. Pierce was from Dallas, Texas. A graduate of Southern Methodist University and Rice (1943), he also taught architecture at Rice. Abel B. Pierce (no relation to George) was from Blessing, Texas and a descendent of Jonathan and brother Shanghai Pierce, cattle barons and founders of Rancho Grande, once over 250,000 acres, located near near Bay City. Abel Pierce was a 1930 graduate of Rice Institute. The Pierce - Pierce firm, founded in 1946, is presently known as PGAL and is considered one of the largest architecture firms in Texas. Here are a few more interesting mods to drive-by in the Baytown area: 1106 Ward Road 1501 E Texas Avenue 211 Woodside Drive 1501, 1901 & 1905 E Southwood Drive 1609 & 1801 Oak Shadows Street See all sites on this Google Map. If you know of other Baytown modern treasures, please let us know by sending us an email, posting to our Facebook Page, or joining the Houston Mod discussion forum on HAIF. The Mod Squad will be available Saturday to help renew memberships and provide Houston Mod publications. We hope to see you at the June Mod of the Month!

August Mod of the Month Houston Mod invites you to join us this Sunday, August 7, 2016 for a Mod of the Month open house event from 2-4 PM. Please join us to help find a new preservation-minded owner for this vintage contemporary home. This month's event takes place in the University Oaks subdivision of Houston, located about 3 miles southeast of downtown. Thanks to Houston MODern Market for sponsoring this FREE event. Save the date for the next MODern Market on April 21-23, 2017! 4345 North MacGregor Way, University Oaks, Houston, TX 77004 This 1950s contemporary home, recently saved from demolition and updated, is in need of a new owner to continue its preservation. The house is situated on a spacious tree shaded site viewing the picturesque Brays Bayou and is minutes away from Hermann Park, the Medical Center, the University of Houston, and the new MetroRail southeast purple line. The spacious, light filled house has a free flowing plan opening to an expansive patio and swimming pool. The daughter of the original owner reports her father, Paul Brochstein, designed and built the house. Brochstein's brothers, Harry and I.H., built and lived in the two houses to the east of 4345. All three families moved to Meyerland about 1963. HAR Link Riverside Terrace is filled with history and significant architecture. Stephen Fox wrote about the area in a 1987 Cite Magazine article, "Riverside Terrace and Environs: An Architectural Tour". Click the link to view a PDF with architectural descriptions and tour map, then explore the neighborhood this weekend to see what has changed and what remains and may be preserved. Search HoustonMod.org to learn more about the mod architecture in the area including the University of Houston and Texas Southern University campuses. The Houston Mod exhibition brochure, "Endangered Modern - The Real Story" features a description of the area and will be available at Sunday's event. Other News & Events This WAS Contemporary Art is now open at the Heritage Society Museum Gallery at Sam Houston Park. Learn about what was happening in Houston in art, architecture, and design from the 1940s-1960s! On view Tuesday-Saturday, 10 am-4pm through October 15, 2016. Houston Mod members, board members and Master Mods have contributed to this high quality exhibition. Admission is free of charge. _________________________________________ Do you shop at Amazon.com? Donate a small percentage of your purchases at no cost to you by adding Houston Mod as your charitable organization of choice at Amazon Smile. Join the Houston Mod Facebook Page and Houston Mod Discussion Forum for more mod-minded fun. Support future Houston Mod events by becoming a member. Houston Mod publications will be available at the event. Houston Mod is dedicated to promoting knowledge and appreciation of modern architecture and design in Houston and Texas and advocates the preservation of this cultural legacy, seeking support from its members and the general public in achieving this goal.

Houston Mod invites you to join us this Sunday, August 25, for Mod of the Month from 2-4 PM. Three fantastic mid-century modern houses in the new town of Lake Jackson will be open for touring. All seek new preservation-minded owners. Lake Jackson is located 48 miles south of the Astrodome on Highway 288. Special thanks to Marty Merritt, organizer of the 2012 Lake Jackson tour, for researching this event. Thanks to Houston MODern Market for sponsoring this FREE event. 518 Circle Way Lake Jackson, Texas 77566 HAR LINK Architect Ernest L. Shult designed this stylish mostly flat roofed contemporary style house for Russell and Bernice Gibbs about 1951. The expansive house, situated on almost an acre of land along Oyster Creek, features large rooms. The living room has a sloped ceiling with clerestory windows and a brick wall containing a fireplace with unique brick design and built-in cabinets. There are four bedrooms and two bathrooms. Ernest L. Shult was a 1923 graduate of Rice Institute and became a registered architect in Texas in 1938. He worked in Houston for the well known architect Alfred C. Finn and later opened his own office. 530 Circle Way Lake Jackson, Texas 77566 HAR LINK The free flow of indoor and outdoor spaces sets the theme for this unique house designed by architect Allen R. Williams, Jr. for John and Grace Keselik. It is designed to allow expansive views of the large shaded creek-front site. The details are amazing. Exquisite redwood panels the living area while the kitchen has been thoughtfully composed with extensive counter and storage space. Openness abounds with the high ceilings and abundant windows. There are three bedrooms, two bathrooms plus a game room and screened porch. Allen Williams was a 1946 graduate of the University of Texas and became an architect in Texas in 1946. He worked briefly for John F. Staub then established his own office in Houston where he practiced for the rest of his career. 530 Oak Drive Lake Jackson, Texas 77566 HAR LINK Here is yet another creek-front mid-century modern house in beautiful Lake Jackson. High sloped ceilings, skylights, and plate glass walls open and brighten this free flowing four bedroom house situated on almost an acre of land. The open concept living and kitchen areas are designed for entertaining. The original owner has been contacted and hopes to provide the history and original plans for the house including the architect's name. Upcoming Events Save the date of October 5th, 2013 for the 7th annual DoCoMoMo US Tour Day. This annual event gathers chapters, members, students, architects, historians and the general public to celebrate the modern movement in the US. Details on Houston's events will be announced soon. Support future Mod events by becoming a member of Houston Mod. Houston Mod is planning several members-only and members get-in-free events. If you need to check your membership status, please e-mail info@houstonmod.org Houston Mod publications and vintage Astrodome bumper stickers will be sold at Sunday's event. We hope to see you Sunday at Mod of the Month! 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.