Desperately Seeking Modern

Georgia Tech - Fabulous Screen Wall

2011-05-30T09:15:00.000-04:00

I attended a DOCOMOMO lecture last summer and took this shot while walking across Georgia Tech towards the lecture hall. I'm not sure what building it is but I believe it's one of the science buildings. Check out the lobby and fantastic screen wall. By the trees to the left I'm thinking this on has been there a while....

Loving it!

-- John

Modernist Albuquerque 2011.02.28 - KiMo Theater

2011-05-17T10:29:00.000-04:00

As promised, here are the images I took of the KiMo Theater. It has a really interesting history which can be found on Wikipedia. As one of the only surviving examples of "Pueblo Deco," the building is well worth visiting.

Full Building Exterior from across Central Avenue and 5th Street

Marquee showing current production of "Alice in Wonderland"

Exterior Building profile from across 5th Street

Entry Ceiling - Note the faux beams and indigenous motifs

Entryway with terrazzo floor and decorated ceilings/walls

Love the Door Handles!

Another shot of the reception, mezzanine and mural by Taos artist Carl von Hassler

Those Red Eyes in the Skully sconces are really spectacular...

"Sand Painting" Mural - one of two that I saw

Above the Curtain

Stage Border - note the Native American swastikas

Love the seating detail

Stair Rail detail and mural by Taos artist Carl von Hassler

Love the lines of the furnishings

Seating near the bathroom

Shot along the mezzanine

Fantastic pendant and medallion detail

More skulls on the mezzanine columns

Assuming this is one of the original carbon arc projectors preserved in a mezzanine alcove

Stairs leading to the balcony with a peek at the ceiling (roped off)

I hope you enjoyed the photos (they're also posted in my flickr account if they look familiar).

-- John

Modernist Albuquerque 2011.02.28 - Along Route 66

2011-05-05T11:02:00.000-04:00

So these are the various photos I took earlier this year in Albuquerque - most of these are along Route 66. I'm saving the images of the wonderful Pueblo-Deco KiMo Theater for another post - it's well deserving of being spot-lighted on its own.

First shot is a sunset - just to give you an idea of the general setting - the city sits nestled along one side of the Sandia mountains and is mostly flat or shallow rolling hills; desert with cedars, sage and other scrub. There are other hills and ranges that can be seen in the distance.

I took this shot of a long, tall decorative screen-wall near downtown. You just don't see this type of construction any more.

I'm still downtown with this series of images - mostly old theaters, public buildings and the like. The KiMo is also located on that end. The opposite end of Route 66 has Nob Hill and is close to the college.

Crossroads Motel

Here are some shots of the El Rel Theater - looks to be used for live performances now.

And here's a taste of the KiMo Theater up the street

This is an old Kress building - I like that the original building sign was retained.

As you start traveling towards Nob Hill you first see this old car dealership that has been converted to a restaurant - there are Phillips 66 pumps evident (not sure if those were original or brought in).

I spotted this Deco condo which was probably originally a hotel.

Most of the architecture that's worth seeing along the Route is Deco.

And then there's this really wonderful Hiway House Motel - the building itself is rather boring but the neon sign is really fantastic.

And here are some random details I spotted that look interesting enough to photograph.

There's also a small theater with some interesting Asian Cinema - the Guild.

And finally one of my favorites - an original barrel-roofed Arby's that's been converted into a Starbucks - I like that a new Arby's has been built right-alongside - it provides some continuity.

My apologies for the quality of many of these photos - they were taking from the sidewalk and the sun was rather intense (it was also getting towards the evening so so the lighting is both stark and angled with deep shadows). I hope you enjoyed my little tour.

-- John

Modernism in Albuquerque 2011

2011-04-16T07:07:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since I've posted to this blog and I need to get back into the habit. I recently took a trip out to Albuquerque and will be posting images of the various buildings I encountered along Route 66 - wait til you see the KiMo theater! Next post soon!

-- John

Small Cluster Near Tucker

2009-12-04T11:07:00.008-05:00

Here's a smattering of modernist-influenced split-levels I found off of Chamblee-Tucker road as it approaches Lavista Road from the west, Southwest of Tucker. I entered the neighborhood, lured in by a couple of yard sale signs.

3994 Menlo Dr

3954 Menlo Dr

2894 Thornbriar Rd

523 Emily Dr

-- Best, John

Lakeland Screen Wall Modern

2009-08-13T12:42:00.001-04:00

Lakeland Screen Wall Modern
Originally uploaded by johnnyapollo

More images from my recent trip to Lakeland, Ft Mead and WInter Haven Florida. Love the screening applied tot he front of this flat-roofed modern.

Across for Walmart on Chamblee Tucker and Peachtree Industrial

2009-08-07T22:20:00.002-04:00

From the Street
Originally uploaded by johnnyapollo

Unusual manufacturer or distributor building for Besser Vibrapac - interesting use of concrete - upclose it feels more like an Aztec ruin than anything - the building has been abandoned for a while - click on the image to see the full set of photos including detail shots.

Photos taken 2009.08.06

-- John

Southgate Shopping Center - Right Side

2009-08-04T20:07:00.002-04:00

Southgate Shopping Center - Right Side
Originally uploaded by johnnyapollo

Visited some friends down in Florida. We did a flyby to the Lakeland Southgate Shopping Center - if this looks familiar it was restored as part of the location shoot for Edward Sissorhands - I got quite lucky with the lighting as it was right after dusk and the sky had some incredible colors going on. This image is of the right side - there are two additional photos as part of the flickr set.

Roxy Theater - Clarksville, Tennessee 2008

2009-06-24T07:26:00.005-04:00

It's been a while so I thought I would publish some images I took last year to get caught up. First off are some images I took of the Roxy Theater in downtown Clarksville, Tennessee. I remember going to this theater as a child - the balcony was a prime spot from which to hurl popcorn. Growing up the theater was run-down but I've heard some restoration has been started (and done?), especially since the tornado that hit downtown shook things up a bit. I hope this theater never goes away - as is evident it's still in use and ranks right up there with the best in Americana and Deco with its classic styling. I have a special love affair with the cinema and this theater brings back much of the magic missing from most mega-complexes.

-- John

Frank Lloyd Wright's Auldbrass

2007-11-14T09:40:00.000-05:00

I posted about my visit to Auldbrass in my ModusModern blog:
http://modusmodern.blogspot.com/2007/11/visit-to-frank-lloyd-wrights-auldbrass.html

-- John

Ellijay Elementary School

2007-11-14T06:20:00.001-05:00

Since I'm on the subject of cantilevered rooflines/covers, I thought I'd share these photos. I took them up at Ellijay during their annual Apple Festival. The school was probably build in the 60's - the front was in shadow so I couldn't get a good photo but there's one on the official school site here: http://www.gilmerschools.com/education/school/school.php?sectionid=16 The front leans towards the post-modern with a semi-circular front with vertical pilasters between windows. I was "wowed" by the back - many of the schools built in Georgia during the 50s-70s were basic box affairs, frequently from red brick with some window detailing - the designers would go nuts on the entryways and in this case, the bus loading/unloading area. I love the streamline effect of the cantilevered supports - very aeronautic, not to mention efficient.

-- John

Highway Rest Area I16 taken 2007.11.02

2007-11-09T06:41:00.000-05:00

I used to work for a record label which involved a lot of travel - so I'm more than familiar with Highway rest stops - one thing that often gets overlooked is the architecture - often these rest areas were built post war and fit right into the mid-century modern period. Alas many of the classic stops have been bulldozed and replaced with post-modern ugliness or pasted over with yucco, but there are still a few gems around. I've always liked these cantilevered, butterfly concrete picnic areas shade-providers (can't really call them umbrellas - there's probably a good term for them but at least mine describes their function pretty well).

I spotted these on the way to Beaufort SC for the Auldbrass tour (more on that in another post). These were at about the half-way point between Macon and Savannah. At one time these were very ubiquitous, now only about a third of the rest stops in the south still have them - they're probably too expensive to upkeep once the weather starts tearing down the concrete. The building itself was probably built late-70's-ish and has a mansard roof, with ceilings in the bathrooms that go to the high-roofline (windows up there but blocked off with blinds, probably due to the intense heat of the summer son). The building was rather unspectacular so I passed at taking some snaps.

There are still some rather wonderful structures on I24 from Chattanooga to Nashville (right at Nickajack Lake) that I hope to shoot during my next visit northward - besides the interesting structures, the setting on the lake is simply gorgeous.

-- John

Images taken 2007.10.07 Octagons Galore!

2007-10-29T21:35:00.000-04:00

I've always liked these two structures - the first is a house on the corner of Old Lilburn Road and Lilburn-Stone Mountain Road near Hugh Howell Road/78 near Stone Mountain. I'm not sure of the architect but it's certainly inspired, with the raised roof, octagonal shape and portachere:

The second structure is also somewhat octagon in shape and reminds me of some of FLW's designs (it's certainly inspired by his work) - this church is on Killian Hill Road in Lilburn:

The last images is what you actually see from the street (along with the sign as you drive past). It's on the right side travelling East from I85. I like the building profile shaped sign.

-- John

Briarlake Elementary 2007.09.29

2007-10-28T19:23:00.000-04:00

While taking images of the DOCOMOMO Home Tour I also took some snaps of the local elementary school: Briarlake Elementary (these were taken on 9/29 so the decorations are all "fall" and "Halloween" influenced - great fun!).

I've long had a facination of public buildings such as schools, churches, post offices and retail spaces, that were build post-war and show elements of mid-century modern styling. I'm putting together a catalog of local structures - enjoy!

-- John

More Old Clarksville Pics taken 2005.04.17

2007-10-05T23:15:00.000-04:00

I came across some pics that I had taken several years ago while visiting Clarksville Tennessee. These range from some interesting public buildings to a couple of homes - one is the best example of Mid-Century Modern construction I've so far seen in the area.

State Farm Office on Memorial Drive:

One of a gob of ubiquitous Shell Stations - this one on Memorial Drive:

Anyone know who designed these Shell Stations - this one is called "Lees" but I see examples all over the south-east. I believe they were all Shells at one time, but have been sold or converted. Some examples are still very original - this one has been altered some but the typical lines are still there.

Montgomery County Highway Department:

I just love public works buildings from the period - Schools, Libraries, Post Offices - they seem to employ elements of MCM architecture from subtle points all the way to extremes (usually more the former than the latter) - it's great that so many are still standing and I really like it when they are still used by the original agencies. This building is just remarkable.

MCM-Influenced Ranch:

Great Example of an MCM for Clarksville:

The house above is the best example of an MCM design I've come across so far in my Clarksville visits. It exemplifies what I personally would enjoy both living in and maintaining. Even the landscaping is above par.

Another MCM Home:

I need to get more images of the local schools - I'll make a point to do so during the next of my frequent visits.

-- John

Modern Homes from around Atlanta

2007-09-28T06:52:00.001-04:00

Here are some misc images from around Atlanta.

2904 Umberland Drive in Tucker (2006.10.09):

Some homes in a Buckhead neighborhood (2007.04.22):

-- John

Cherokee North Carolina Photos 2006.07.01

2007-07-30T21:52:00.000-04:00

I took these photos over a year ago - went to Cherokee North Carolina for a Native American Powwow. Cherokee is a beautiful place - a mix of 50's nostalgia and 90's casino. At one time the town was on a commonly traveled state road, since replaced by Interstate Highways. Because of this, the town is in a state of suspended animation - basically many small motels were built in the 50's and 60's to house travellers coming across the Appalachian Mountains. Once the Interstates were built the travel slowed to the point where the town was still self-sustaining, but did not prosper to the point where new buildings replaced old. Thus many of the themed motels are still standing virtually untouched.

The windy roads through the mountains attract many travellers on motor bikes and classic car clubs. There aren't many places like this left in the US - I hope Cherokee remains pristine (even with the influence of the nearby Indian Casino). A great blend of mid-century modern and classic googie, I look forward to the next visit.

-- John

A Drive through Amberwood 2006.10.09

2007-07-29T11:21:00.000-04:00

Arrowhead Exterior

Very often during DOCOMOMO meetings the Amberwood neighborhood becomes a hot topic of conversation. Amberwood is an unusual neighborhood for many reasons - besides being in a very desirable school district (off of Lavista Road and Briarcliff/Briarlake), the neighborhood features many modern-influenced ranch homes, and also lays "claim to fame" of hosting several Robert Green properties - for those of you who haven't heard of him, Robert Green was a Wright Fellow (who lived and practiced architecture in Atlanta) and actually took part in one of the last classes actually taught by FLW himself. As such, Robert Green uses the same "organic architecture" sported by other Wright Fellowship members and these details are evident in his architectural designs. Amberwood has the distinction of hosting one of Green's most famous structures, Arrowhead. I refrained from taking images of Arrowhead, but do have some from my files, which is where the opening photo is from (at the time Arrowhead was covered by a huge smurf-blue tarp). Note that I took these images 2006.10.09.

The entrance was also designed by Robert Green, but I'm not sure how close the current state is to the original design - I'm sure that the sign at least is different - I also imagine different plantings:

Continuing through the neighborhood, the main street is Castleway Lane. There are several homes of interest on this street:

2081 Castleway Ln: 2068 Castleway Ln:
2060 Castleway Ln:
2001 Castleway Ln - (Attributed to Robert Green): 1991 Castleway Ln:

There were many others but the lighting at the time wasn't the best so I left them out of this initial post.

On Amberwood Lane:

2058 Amberwood Ln:

The back of the neighborhood links to several streets and neighborhoods - many of the streets are named after auto manufacturers - driving through them I found the following:

2585 Gran Prix Ct

2517 Mercedes Rd
2161 Starfire Rd
2135 Starfire Rd
2002 Starfire Rd
1944 Starfire Rd

I'll continue with more images soon.

-- John

Montgomery Central High School

2007-07-13T06:14:00.000-04:00

Continuing my exploration of Modernism in Tennessee, I present Montgomery Central High School!

First a little background - I did not know about this wonderful modernist construction before stumbling upon it while returning to Clarksville from Memphis - my brothers step-daughter married in Memphis last fall (2006) and it was while driving back to Clarksville to visit with my mother that this amazing set of buildings appeared - it was one of those near-mystical experiences. For some reason we decided to go a back road instead of driving all interstate (the state roads would swing us west of Nashville and almost due north to Clarksville). The drive was rather uneventful - overcast with little traffic and most public buildings were closed due to it being a weekend. It was rather amazing to suddenly see the school below - we basically turned a corner and there it was!

Like giant manta rays leaping from the water, or even better, Martian tripods ala "War of the Worlds" - the construction is quite breathtaking. Swinging around the back are some wonderful mushroom posts reminiscent of "Earth vs. the Flying Saucers." The entire original structure is truly spectacular.

This was built around the same time as the public schools in Clarksville - Clarksville High School has round structures with dome tops, New Providence Jr. High School has hexagonal pods interconnected, also Springfield High School is supposed to look similar to Montgomery Central only it's not constructed above water - I'll try to get images the next time I'm in the area.

-- John

Clarksville Tennessee MCM and Googie

2007-07-10T06:03:00.000-04:00

Clarksville Tennessee MCM and Googie

I split this part of my narrative out because it is a bit more personal - I grew up in Clarksville from the time I was in grade school though 2 years of college (I attended Austin Peay as a Computer Science major). I was able to experience a lot of change in the city through the 60's, 70's and 80's. We first moved to Clarksville in 1968 (I was 5) - Clarksville is primarily a military support town, being the closest city to Fort Campbell Kentucky - many of the businesses and the primary economy centers around supporting the army troops stationed at Fort Campbell. We ended up there while my father completed his military service and retired (he was a 21 year man). Because of the town's dependence on the military, the economy has fluctuated with our governments war (aka "peacekeeping") efforts. Through the Vietnam era, Clarksville prospered - thus quite a bit of construction occurred during the 60's - prime time for MCM and Googie. Another aspect more related to architecture in general for Clarksville, is the cheap and abundant access to brick and concrete - much of it being processed locally (Clarksville is riddled with limestone - not good for an unprocessed building material, but great for the creating of brick and the like). Between Clarksville proper and the northern end (where most of the military ended up - closer to the base), there is a strip that catered to the military - mostly cheap motels and the like - there were many Googie and MCM buildings here - many of the buildings of my childhood are still standing. Here are a few I thought might be of interest:

First American Bank of Tennessee:
This building originally held a bank (First American Bank of Tennessee if my memory hasn't failed me) - it was one of the first banks in Clarksville that featured drive-through service. The roofline forms a 4-sided diamond pattern to the rectangular building, with points jutting to the front, back and sides. The side "wings" formed the drive-through section to the left and a covered entry to the right. In now houses a motorcycle retail business.

The Mart:
Slightly further North of the bank, is "The Mart" - one of my favorite shopping strip malls (it housed a "Houchen's" store that had a great model and toy selection) - the sign is still standing (even though much of the neon is gone):

Vacation Motor Hotel and Cumberland Motel:
South of the bank are two "Motor Inns" - The Vacation Motor Hotel and the Cumberland

[Update 2007.10.28]: Since I took this image the Cumberland Motel has fallen victim to a bulldozer - seems there's some perceived "need" for additional retail space in New Providence (what the area is called). From the general disrepair, I'd say there was little hope for any restoration, but it's still a shame to see another 50's roadside remnant bite the dust).

Morgan Building Supply:
Traveling further South, you'll come across the Morgan Building Supply offices (they made concrete and concrete formed blocks, etc):

APSU Student Housing:
Finally, there are a group of APSU (Austin Peay State University) Student Housing buildings that I thought were interesting:

I hope to take more pics, including some interesting MCM homes in the future.

-- Best, John

John Eaton (Originally published 2005.03.27 in the thread: "Clarksville Tennessee MCM and Googie" on the Lotta Living forums) .

Nashville Modern

2007-06-29T09:10:00.000-04:00

I put together the following and posted the information on the Lotta Living Forums - the thread was about some interesting buildings I encountered while traveling in Nashville, Tennessee:

Nashville Tennessee MCM and Googie

I recently went to Nashvile Tennessee to visit my 82 year-old mother (she was being hospitalized for a mild stroke, so the circumstances weren't the best - however bringing my camera and "focusing" some of my attention on the localized scenery provided some much needed distraction). Here are some snaps I took that I thought you all might find of some interest:

Nashville:
The area I visited was on Nashville's West End in the Belle Meade neighborhood - this was a rather upper-crust area that borders Vanderbuilt University and many private prep schools. The architecture is very diverse, with Craftsman bungalows siding next to MCM synogogues and wildly angular churches. My mother was admitted to St Johns Hospital - one of the best heart facilities in the state (some might argue in the Southeast). There were two nearby buildings that captured my interest. One was the old Belle Meade theater (now housing some retail business) and the Imperial House (I'm not sure of the original intent of this building - I believe it held condos or appartments).

Belle Meade Theater:
This theater is a rather interesing survivor of the art deco period with all the usual bits: stone and glass tile, stainless steel, and an amazing tower (remarkably still standing).

Imperial House:
I'm not sure why I love the design of this building so much. It could be the wing-shaped motif, reiterated throughout the degisn, or the gigantic decorative block - you be the judge.

John Eaton(Originally published 2005.03.27 in the thread: "Nashville Tennessee MCM and Googie" on the Lotta Living forums)

Hello and Welcome

2007-06-26T10:45:00.000-04:00

I started this blog so I could more accurately catalog the various modern homes and buildings I come across in my travels (mostly in and across Georgia). I've found it cumbersome to design dedicated pages highlighting the many areas and states where I've found wonderful (and sometimes not-so) architecture on my Modern sites, ModusModern.com and NorthcrestModern.com. Showing my images in blog form also allows readers to publish comments directly, instead of sending me emails which I may or may not get or respond to - this format is frankly just better. Initially I'll convert some pages into blog format that I've already published, adding additional images as I go along to spice things up. The title is a play on the film "Desperately Seeking Susan" starring Madonna.

I'll start with some images taken a few years ago in Clarksville and Nashville Tennessee, then put some stuff up from last year, finally catching up to this year.

-- John