MCM View Design

[Happy Historian]

During interviews with MCM architects, one design principle seems to be consistent; View? - Glass it, no view - wall it. In keeping with other MCM design and construction concepts of efficiency, inexpensive/new materials, and innovative structural solutions - a type of prefab component was developed. Glazing and framing were integrated into a modular unit brought to the jobsite assembled which would popularly be called a "ranch wall".

The example in the first photo was built and sold by Buie-Lunsford Company off Washington Street in Houston and delivered to this site in 1951. The original walls had two rows of screened awning windows that cranked open to allow the breeze to flow through the house. In 1951, the "air conditioner" was a large floor fan used when Mother Nature took some time off. The sills and jams were framed out in 2 x 6 clear heart redwood milled to fit glazing and in this case varnished although many at other homes were just painted. This house is timber framed

[domus48]

"Happy Historian(s)" post is first rate with respect to substance and depth -- how refreshing. Not that the "What color should I paint my front door?" posts are without merit, but posting something that's thought provoking as well is... well, refreshing too.

There are a number of items touched on but two stand-out:

• Systemic understanding of how a building works with respect to insulation/HVAC etc.
  
• Understanding a historic structures underlying architectural tenets enables one to render informed renovation decisions
  

"My realization through all this has been that what was originally termed fifties modern, has really been fifties functional. Exploring why a design element was driven can reveal how and why preservation should properly be pursued."

This is a key understanding that is often overlooked or not even glimpsed -- even with the abundance of HGTV programs ostensibly concerning renovation, the fact of the matter is that only finishes and simple space plan changes are affected. No real substance (i.e. meaning) is explored as a basis of a design decision.

Okay, what can one do in a half hour show anyway? True, but it sure would be edifying if a least some attempt was made to discuss design principles.

Keep up the good work "Happy Historian" and keep building on this site -- no pun intended.

[Happy Historian]

It's interesting you should mention front door color and if you notice in these shots the front door appears red-orange or to some "Chinese Red".

This front door is a 4 foot wide solid 2" mahogany that my father built in the wood shop at our shipyard. My late Grandfather was a principle in Parker Brothers and ran their shipyard as well as owned a few tug boats himself. Although my Father built this house as his project for his first degree in architecture, he worked his career as head of the engineering department and later operations manager of Parker Brothers marine division.

Originally just varnished on the house's completion in 1951, within a few years my late Aunt Dorothy painted it a special mixed orange. She thought the house was a family "lifesaver" the orange matched the color of kapok marine life jackets. My mother changed it to a teal in the 1980s remodel to be contrary. When the house came to me, I had a life jacket scanned and repainted the door orange the first week. The house is still a family "lifesaver".

[dbigtex56]

Excellent post, HappyHistorian.

The first sentence was especially thought-provoking: During interviews with MCM architects, one design principle seems to be consistent; View? - Glass it, no view - wall it.

I'm reminded of Philip Johnson's Glass House; from the website:

The mission of the Philip Johnson Glass House is for the 47-acre campus to become a center-point and catalyst for the preservation of modern architecture, ...

Obviously, the Glass House had (and has) the views to justify the use of glass on every side, and there seems to be a concerted effort to keep it that way. But how does one adapt a MCM house to a world in which views aren't always consistant? I wouldn't mind a picture window overlooking another MCM house; if it had been replaced by a McMansion or a freeway or a Taco Bell, I'd prefer to draw the curtains.