Phyllis Montana-LeBlanc and Wendell Pierce on WVUE

Watch Liz Reyes of WVUE Fox 8 interview Phyllis Montana-LeBlanc and Wendell Pierce about working on HBO's Treme and the significance of saving the Phillis Wheatley Elementary School.

DOCOMOMO US May 2011 E-News Brief

MAY 2011 DOCOMOMO US is the working party of Docomomo in the United States. It is a 501(c)3 registered non-profit organization, a union of regional chapters that shares its members' knowledge of and enthusiasm for the Modern Movement, promotes public interest in it through lectures and walking tours, and organizes advocacy efforts to protect endangered sites and buildings. Join the national community of architects, historians, preservationists, students and modern movement enthusiasts dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of modern architecture and landscapes in the United States. Membership is available online at www.docomomo-us.org or by downloading our membership form. Go Modern! www.docomomo-us.org Follow DOCOMOMO US on Facebook and Twitter   IN THIS EDITION: - First Texas MODern Month - Breuer's Whitney Leased to Metropolitan Museum of Art - International Views: Docomomo Japan - Chapter Spotlight: New England - DOCOMOMO US Annual Board Meeting: Touring Stahl House - Book Announcement: American Glamour - Save the Date: Tour Day 2011, Conversations In Context and more - Photo Contest FIRST TEXAS MODERN MONTH: EVENT RECAP April 2011 was the first annual Texas MODern Month, organized to raise awareness of the need to preserve locally, regionally, and nationally significant examples of modern buildings sites and neighborhoods in Texas. Texas MODern Month was organized by Preservation Texas and a number of partner organizations including the North Texas and Mid-Tex Mod chapters of DOCOMOMO US, and HoustonMod, the first Friend Organization of DOCOMOMO US. Photo: Stuart M. Johnson READ MORE >   BREUER'S WHITNEY TO BE LEASED TO METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART On Tuesday May 24th the Whitney Museum of American Art will break ground on its new location in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. In light of the Museum’s planned relocation in 2015 to the new Renzo Piano-designed flagship, there has been speculation in recent months as to the fate of the original Marcel Breuer building. Photo: Edith Bellinghausen READ MORE >   INTERNATIONAL VIEWS: JAPAN On March 11, 2011 Japan suffered an earthquake of unprecedented magnitude, followed by a devastating tsunami. Our colleagues at Docomomo Japan - Hiroyuki Suzuki, President and Kenji Watanabe, Secretary - recently shared this update. READ MORE >   CHAPTER SPOTLIGHT: NEW ENGLAND On In April 2011, with the input of DOCOMOMO US/New England, the Boston Landmarks Commission declared the Christian Science Center (CSC) a Boston Landmark. The urban complex was joined between 1965 and 1975 by a now world-renowned group of modern buildings designed by Araldo Cossutta of I.M. Pei & Partners, with landscape design by Sasaki, Dawson, DeMay. Photo: Marie Sorensen READ MORE >   DOCOMOMO US ANNUAL BOARD MEETING: STAHL HOUSE For two days in early April 2011 the DOCOMOMO US Board convened in Los Angeles to both investigate and promote the organization’s national growth. Following the open session at Richard Neutra's VDL Research House II, the group visited Case Study House #22, also known as the Stahl House. Photo: Board members and student interns at the Stahl House READ MORE >   BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT: AMERICAN GLAMOUR American Glamour and the Evolution of Modern Architecture Alice T. Friedman, Author. Published by Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 2010. This fascinating book by Alice Friedman provides new insight into the development and acceptance of what we now so often and somewhat erroneously call "mid-century" modernism. She discusses not only different building typologies and some of the "starchitects" of the time but also, more importantly, places them in the social and cultural context of the postwar era. While preservation is not specifically discussed, the "glamour" of the architecture as Friedman presents it may explain why high-style magazines and publications continue to be captivated by the period.   SAVE THE DATE! DOCOMOMO US TOUR DAY 2011 5th Annual National Event! October 8 Various locations READ MORE >   Glass House: Conversations In Context through November 17, 2011 New Canaan, CT READ MORE >   9th Annual Docomomo Brazil Conference June 7 - 10, 2011 Brasília, Brazil READ MORE >   CAH 20thC Conference NEW! June 14 - 16, 2011 Madrid, Spain READ MORE >   Campus Heritage Symposium NEW! November 3 - 4, 2011 Washington, DC READ MORE > CONTEST: MEMBER TRIVIA Congratulations to our April trivia contest winner!   Ted Cleary of Charlotte, NC correctly identified the angled façade of the Palm Springs residence designed for builder Robert Alexander in 1962 by William Krisel, and also known as the "House of Tomorrow". The winning entry was selected at random from all correct entries, which included an email from Mr. Krisel himself! He writes: The photo shows the 'ROBERT ALEXANDER RESIDENCE' on Ladera Circle in Palm Springs, CA (later known as the Elvis Presley House). The architect for the residence is: WILLIAM KRISEL, A.I.A. (at that time the firm was known as Palmer & Krisel, A.I.A. Architects). I am that architect and I am still alive at the ripe old age of 86. -- William Krisel       APRIL PHOTO Name this building and architect for a chance to win a prize from the DOCOMOMO archives. Email your responses to info@docomomo-us.org by May 31st.     TALK TO US! The ongoing strength of DOCOMOMO US lies in the action and communication of our members. Please keep us apprised of your local work, advocacy and other current issues by e-mailing us at info@docomomo-us.org.   DOCOMOMO US P.O. Box 230977 New York, NY 10023 United States

A Plea for Modernism

Hand Crafted Films, DOCOMOMO Louisiana and the Tulane School of Architecture present:

A Plea For Modernism from Evan Mather on Vimeo.

The Phillis Wheatley Elementary School has served the historic New Orleans African-American neighborhood of Tremé since it opened in 1955. Celebrated worldwide for its innovative, regionally-expressive modern design – the structure sustained moderate damage during the storms and levee breach of 2005.  DOCOMOMO Louisiana is advocating for its restoration via adaptive reuse.

A Plea For Modernism [Evan Mather, Hand Crafted Films, 2011] includes interviews with professor John Klingman of the Tulane School of Architecture, architect Wayne Troyer, John Stubbs, vice-president for field projects for the World Monuments Fund and author/actress Phyllis Montana-Leblanc, a former student of Phillis Wheatley.  It was written by Francine Stock and Evan Mather and narrated by actor Wendell Pierce (HBO's The Wire, Treme).

If no action is taken the Phillis Wheatley Elementary School will demolished in Summer 2011. Please take time to sign the petition to save Phillis Wheatley and contact our public officials.

Mayor Mitchell Landrieu, City of New Orleans (504) 658-4900

Superintendent John White, Recovery School District (504) 373-6200

Superintendent Darryl Kilbert, Orleans Parish School Board (504) 304-3520

In taking these steps, we affirm the significance and diversity of our architectural and cultural heritage and our desire to rescue the future from the past.

Francine Stock
president
DOCOMOMO US/Louisiana

New Orleans Regional Modernism is available on the App Store!

DOCOMOMO Louisiana and Tulane University are pleased to present:

 

The New Orleans Regional Modernism app is designed to highlight the significant, threatened and lost modern architecture of New Orleans. It is a project of Tulane University and DOCOMOMO US/Louisiana, a regional chapter of an international committee dedicated to the documentation and conservation of the buildings, sites and neighborhoods of the modern movement.

This location-based app allows you to browse modern buildings in New Orleans by architect, neighborhood, category or status (extant, threatened or razed). Three tour routes have been identified:  St. Charles Avenue Streetcar, Canal Streetcar, and the 2011 Modernism in New Orleans tour led by Francine Stock and Keli Rylance for the Society of Architectural Historians.

We are grateful to Tulane Libraries' Southeastern Architectural Archive, the Tulane School of Architecture's New Orleans Virtual Archive, the New Orleans Public Library's City Archives, and to many students and friends for providing photos. Descriptions of buildings were written by DOCOMOMO members, students in Francine Stock's Regional Modernism class at Tulane School of Architecture, and Karen Kingsley, author of Modernism in Louisiana.

This software was designed and is supported by the Innovative Learning Center, a division of Tulane Technology Services.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Compatible with iPhones and iPads running iOS 4.3+. Requires network connectivity. Please note our first update (coming soon!) will include functionality at iOS 4.2 level to extend the app to iPhone 3 and iPod Touch 2.


To contact the local chapter about this app or to submit a building for inclusion, email: docomomo.neworleans@gmail.com

Please join DOCOMOMO in supporting the preservation of modern architecture.

Francine Stock
Visual Resources Curator, Tulane School of Architecture
President, DOCOMOMO US/Louisiana

Follow DOCOMOMO NOLA:

       

Download the exhibit brochure: DOCOMOMO @ PRC

DOCOMOMO US/Louisiana and the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans present
SCHOOL'S OUT :: an exhibition of National Register eligible schools facing demolition in New Orleans
Docomomo EXHIBIT Brochure 2011


This exhibition includes contemporary photography by DOCOMOMO members: Emily Ardoin, Anthony Del Rosario, John Klingman and Francine Stock. We are also pleased to present reproductions of architect Charles Colbert's nine presentation boards of the Phillis Wheatley Elementary School.


Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans
923 Tchoupitoulas Street
May 11 - June 15
Monday - Friday
9am - 5pm


Exhibition curated by Francine Stock, Visual Resource Curator at the Tulane School of Architecture and President of DOCOMOMO US/Louisiana
Special thanks to City Blueprint, Florence Jumonville (UNO), Lindsay McCook, Maryann Miller (PRCNO), Keli Rylance and Kevin Williams (SEAA), and Studio Wayne Troyer.


You can download the exhibition guide here.

Download brochure for DOCOMOMO exhibit @ PRCNO

Docomomo EXHIBIT Brochure 2011

SCHOOL'S OUT :: national register eligible schools face demoltion

S C H O O L ' S O U T, originally uploaded by regional.modernism.

DOCOMOMO US/ Louisiana and the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans present:

SCHOOL'S OUT: an exhibition of photography and architectural drawings of National Register eligible schools facing demolition in New Orleans

Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans
923 Tchoupitoulas Street.
May 11 - June 15, 2011
Monday - Friday
9am - 5pm

exhibition curated by Francine Stock