Modernism Reborn: Mid-Century American Houses (Paperback)

by Michael Webb (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
In the late '90s, publishers began to race to get a book out that would cater to the explosive interest in all things midcentury modern. There was Classic Modern, Naturally Modern, and Modernism Rediscovered, to name just a few of the better ones. With the publication of this volume by regular Architectural Digest contributor Michael Webb, we finally have a book that not only provides a plethora of design ideas we can steal for use in our very own living rooms, but also tells the often-captivating behind-the-scenes stories of each great home it showcases.

The focus here is on the saving of these houses, and Webb's text is wonderfully insightful. One of the 35 spectacular homes featured is celebrated architect John Lautner's Harvey House in Los Angeles, the very same once-dilapidated house (the book captures it in its newly restored state) over which actor Leonardo DiCaprio went head to head in a bidding war (and lost) with actress Kelly Lynch and her husband, screenwriter Mitch Glazer.

The house is a work in progress, full of difficult judgment calls. The expanded kitchen may be cut back and the original St. Charles cabinets reinstalled. The rotunda will be refined and there is a possibility of recreating the aluminum-framed glass breakfast nook--a kind of high-tech gazebo--originally located under the pergola. Meanwhile the owners and their small daughter adore living here. "At night, we can look all the way through and out at the lights of the city," says Lynch. "I find myself caught up in the spirit of the place, wander about, and forget I'm in the middle of watching a movie!"

Newly commissioned photography by Roger Straus, known for his panoramic shots of Frank Lloyd Wright structures, is another highlight. Designed and built in the 1940s, '50s, and '60s by architects such as Richard Neutra, Pierre Koenig, Philip Johnson, Eero Saarinen, John Lautner, H.H. Harris, Gregory Ain, Paul Rudolph, John Black Lee, Allyn E. Morris, and Ulrich Franzen, the 35 homes presented here are some of the most sought after in America. If you're into modern or want to know what all the fuss is about, this is the book you'll want to own. --Richard Olsen --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal
Thankfully, there is a great resurgence of interest in modern architecture, leading to restorations and hence life being lived anew in modern houses. This book gathers mid-century designs that are austere and simple, use natural materials, and address space as a positive and layers of furniture and trimmings as a negative. Modern houses are comfortable in their juncture of light and open floor plans; they yield timeless designs that remain "modern" 50 to 60 years after the fact when other designs are headed toward being "antique." This well-designed volume is as comfortable and straightforward as the modern houses it celebrates. Quality photographs of each house in its setting, as an interior, and as a tribute to a philosophy join with an informed and useful text that supports but never upstages the designs. As a result, readers get a very nice pairing of the Modern Movement and the houses it built. A good feature: if a house is managed by an historic trust and is open to visitors, its availability and its web site are included. Recommended. David Bryant, New Canaan Lib., CT
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Universe (July 20, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789305356
• ISBN-13: 978-0789305350
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #101,742 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars cotton candy, January 21, 2002

By	Rev. Dr. Dave (Emeryville, CA USA) - See all my reviews

I'm surprised at the raves for this book. It is well produced. The photos are terrific. But: The building descriptions do little more than cheer-lead. He raves about features which are not illustrated. Most of the buildings only get 4 photos. The plans provided are far too small, usually only one plan is provided, though most of the buildings have more than one level. In at least one case the plans are mislabled. I'd only recommend this book to somebody who only wants a catalog of names. Still waiting for a really good book about mid-century modern architecture. This isn't it.

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Homes of the Brave, August 26, 2005

By	David C. Rive Jr. (New Orleans, Louisiana) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

We are in danger of losing our mid-century domestic architectural heritage.

Yesterday's flat-roof, ultra-modern "home of tomorrow" is often perceived as the cramped and impractical "teardown" of today. Most real estate agents will confide that "Modern doesn't sell," and those modernist homes that are sold are usually fodder for the bulldozer; razed and discarded to make way for another McMansion.

Sometimes it seems that the only folks who have any fondness for "Home, Sleek Home" are advertising directors (who love to feature hip mid-century homes in TV commercials and print ads), and subscribers to Dwell Magazine (and subscribers to the Dwell Magazine lifestyle).

In his book MODERNISM REBORN: Mid-Century American Houses, architectural critic Michael Webb demonstrates that there is a growing appreciation for cutting-edge American residential architecture of the 1930s through the 1960s, and in it he highlights the intrepid homeowners who've assumed stewardship of 35 of these "Contemporary" domiciles of long, long ago. Tersely written, illustrated with floor plans, and enlivened by nearly 200 color photos by noted architectural photographer Roger Strauss III, MODERNISM REBORN explores the unique histories of these homes, and chronicles the research, labor, and expense that the adventurous owners have lavished on their preservation, restoration and sometimes, expansion.

Nearly all of the 20th Century architectural greats are represented here--Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, Philip Johnson and R.M. Schindler--as well as iconic modernist structures such as Pierre Koenig's Case Study House #21, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House, and Charles and Ray Eames' own home-studio. Webb presents homes that embody various modernist impulses in thematic chapters that prove that there was no one right way (or Wright way) to be "modern."

Webb's survey argues a case for Modernism as a mode (or ideal) of living, rather than a mere style (or styles). Indeed, these light-filled, open plan, spartanly furnished "homes of the brave" imply an enlightened lifestyle of Zen-like purity somewhat at odds with the ever more acquisitive and materialistic American way of life.

Don't read too much into the Modernist rejection of consumerism, however, because these designer homes were status symbols in their day, and to furnish a home with "Modern classics" like Le Corbusier's Petit Confort sofa, the Eames lounge chair and ottoman, and a pair of Mies Barcelona chairs will set you back several grand. Modern don't come cheap.

Ultimately, the stories that Webb weaves about the people that commissioned, designed, built, restored and live in these homes are every bit as enlightening and memorable as the homes themselves. In fact, the author makes their histories seem inseparable, as if house and owner are joined in partnership against philistine taste, obnoxious neighbors, natural (and unnatural) disasters, and metal fatigue.

This is not a scholarly study, but Webb assumes a certain level of cultural awareness and familiarity with architectural terms in his reader. It is a fine book with a fresh look at a perhaps overly familiar subject, and is well worth owning for the photos alone.

Reading MODERNISM REBORN makes one wonder how the home of 1950 will inform and inspire the home of 2050, the mid-century home of tomorrow.

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fun Tour of Rarely-Seen Gems, June 30, 2001

By	Magdalena Olsen (New York, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I loved the stories behind each of these houses. I own several books on midcentury mod and this is the first that truly captures the modern aesthetic, from the book's design to the photography to the writing. Excellent!