Viewpoints

Inside the Fight to Save Two Saarinen Churches in Columbus, Indiana

The small city has a wealth of modernist architecture, but preserving it isn’t always straightforward. The contrasting fates of two churches by Eero and Eliel Saarinen show why.

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Revealing How Iconic L.A. Architect Paul R. Williams Thrived in Nevada

An exhibition of photographs by Janna Ireland captures his Nevada work's artistry, innovative spirit, and accessibility to a broader clientele.

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Spirits in the Material World: A Trip to the Eames Institute

Kenneth Caldwell visits the Eames Ranch in Petaluma, California to unpack the goals and secrets of the Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity.

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Exhibit Columbus 2021 Explores the Future of the Middle City

Co-curated by Mimi Zeiger and Iker Gil, the third annual show examines the social lessons gleaned from the city's Modernist architecture.

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From Victorian Gardens to Corporate Biophilia, Nature Inside Unearths a History of Interior Plantings

Despite differences in motivation, context, and aims, Penny Sparke shows that bringing flora inside stands as a token of unspoiled nature, a reminder of what’s gone.

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An Exhibition in Helsinki Places Iittala at the Center of Nordic Modernism

Helsinki's Design Museum celebrates the glassworks' 140-year history through a multifaceted exhibition that reflects the evolution of Finnish culture.

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A Slew of Contemporary Work Reinvigorates Eliot Noyes’s “Frightening Architecture”

A triumph of the Harvard Five, Eliot Noyes’s home now serves as an exhibition space.

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A New Exhibition Highlights Modernism’s Debt to Japanese Architecture

Shofuso and Modernism: Mid-Century Collaboration Between Japan and Philadelphia explores the artistic interconnections between Antonin and Noémi Raymond, George Nakashima, and Junzo Yoshimura.

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Design Before Air Conditioning Surveys Early Experiments in Climate Control

In a new book, Daniel A. Barber details a climate-focused account of Modernism, one defined by increasingly blunt measures used to combat heat and humidity.

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A Case for a More Literal Architecture

By moving away from processes of abstraction, writes Kiel Moe, we might arrive at a clearer picture of the terrestrial web of life that supports architecture.

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From the Metropolis Archives: The ABC’s of Mies van der Rohe and IIT

Originally published in 2004 this article takes a look at Rem Koolhaas's student center at the Illinois Institute of Technology.

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A Space of Perceptual Stillness: How Ezra Stoller Photographed Modernity

Pierluigi Serraino, author of the new volume Ezra Stoller, shares insight into the legendary photographer’s work.

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Paris Exhibition Gives Charlotte Perriand Her Due

Inventing the Modern World foregrounds the French architect-designer's inimitable talent, while also playing up her spirit of collaboration.

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Henry van de Velde: Designing Modernism Offers a Snapshot of Modern Architecture’s Beginnings

Though still largely unknown, the Belgian-born architect and artist forged ideas and places—including the Bauhaus’s predecessor—that defined 20th-century design.

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In X-Ray Architecture, the Metaphor Escapes Control

Beatriz Colomina's new book overlooks the concrete cruelties of the designed environment.

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“Southern Exposure” Uncovers the Proud Architectural Legacy of Chicago’s South Side

In his new book, the journalist and photographer Lee Bey directs readers to some of Chicago's greatest architectural treasures, nearly all of them hiding in plain sight.

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For a Time, Josep Lluís Sert’s Brawny Buildings Defined Modern Boston

Through his campus work, Sert left an incredible built legacy on the Boston area. But his building have taken some getting used to.