Airport Modern

Airports (at least in the USA) were synonymous with mid-century modernism.  Obviously there are the true landmarkets (TWA Terminal at JFK...  the Saarinen Dulles terminal...)


I can't tell you how much marlene heck said she loves the Saarinen Dulles terminal.  It is indeed something special (Eero Saarinen, 1962)

Below, this is the immortal TWA terminal at JFK (Saarinen, 1961)

Laguardia also has its Central Terminal Building (CTB) dedicated in 1964.



The American Airlines hangar and the 1957 control tower, which resembles a nuke cooling tower.  Stylish!

This terminal still stands (for now) as the Delta terminal at JFK.  It was originally Pan Am's terminal.

Up in Alaska, Anchorage is primarily a cargo airport:

Rapid City SD

San Luis Obispo, California.  Some charming adobe stuff going on here, but more restrained than what you see at Santa Barbara (below)

Honolulu ...........      garden-filled airport (need better picture):

West Maui regional airport: flights to Kahului to avoid the volcano-rim drive.

Minneapolis St Paul (MSP) has some interesting hexagonal area lights:

Sculpture garden at Reagan:

I have no idea what is going on with this somewhat cloying, but still pretty cool, public artwork.  Who got the contract, why, etc. 

The interior there is kind of gothic?  But still with this simple metal surfacing.  This part (Terminals B and C) was designed by Cesar Pelli, completed 1997.  It does kind of remind of 1990s government buildings, but in the best possible way.

And check out the classic Terminal A of DCA (National Airport)!!  This section opened in 1955.

The 2nd image here I take from this superior blogger.  

Waiting areas:  It happens...  you need to wait...

This other part of National, Terminal A (1941) was also pretty hot:

Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX)

A paris?

Pittsburgh

San Francisco (SFO)

Munich, Germany (MUC)

Charles du Gaulle

LAX

2 above: Denver

Quepos, Costa Rice (QXP)

San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO)

New York Laguardia

These light fixtures at Houston (IAH) are certifiably funky.

Fuel up at Giddings, Texas.  (GYB)






Some photos at Amsterdam:  oval windows in effect.

Tons more out there.

JUNK: The Neglected Moderns

There are so many neglected and disrespected moderns out there.  My purpose here is not to be encyclopedic; just to make a swipe.  Every city has a lot of mid-century modern buildings being pulled down these days.  A substantial fraction of the population feels the style is more or less disposable.

One idea is to document -- or mention -- a few buildings that could be torn down at any time, should the owners choose to.  In terms of materials, these buildings may be disposable or replaceable.  But what are the chances we will bother to replace them?


So in no particular order, here are some un-noteworthy modernist buildings c. 1960-72 that don't fit into any clear theme.

Here's a Catholic Charities building in St. Paul, MN.  No architect known for it.  Obviously early 60s.

Here is a very exciting little motel in Miami (moderne, yes?)  I have no information about it.

These hooks are at Boston Logan.  Not very compelling architecture?  You should see my picture of the urinals.  

The Rohm & Hass Headquarters in Philadelphia (completed 1964).  Architect Pietro Belluschi.  Since I was there, it was (in 2007) declared a member of the National Historic Register thanks to its important place in the history of modernism.

Shown below, the Tokyo skyline has some utilitarian elements that nobody would preserve intentionally.  But they add up to something fantastic:

Here's a modest park structure at Great Falls, VA.  To be retained or replaced?

Below: the Washington DC Metro has interiors designed by Harry Weese.  The vaulted ceilings were voted #106 on America's Favorite Architecture list by AIA.

Abandoned race facility east of Phoenix, AZ.

This is right near the Trotter Park in Arizona.

Here's the amazing Buckner Building in Whittier, Alaska.  273,660 square feet of abandoned government property, circa WWII.  You can see a certain determined efficiency (brutalist elements?) here.

The Cobo Center (originally Cobo Hall) in Detroit was opened in 1960.  The architect was Gino Rossetti.  

Now, more Minneapolis pictures!!  

 Here's a Minoru Yamasaki creation called the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network (NMFN) headquarters (1964), which is now the North American HQ of ING.  This was Yamasaki's design immediately before doing New York's World Trade Center twin towers.  It makes use of at least 2 water features, not unlike the Rohm + Haas building.


Can we say there is some Miro sculpture influence?  Just a thought.  Here's a 1963 Miro sculpture in Chicago, at Brunswick Building Plaza.

Meanwhile, at Rohm & Haas:

What can we say???  I can pretend these weren't the same year, but obviously some very crazy public works projeccts were being done in 1962-64.  Urban renewal was in full effect.  This was a strange time.


Another Yamasaki view:

ING appears to be keeping the building in A-1 shape. 

Minneapolis Federal Reserve (1973) building.  Obviously the face of the building is expressing the load-bearing suspension design of the building's chassis.

Dramatic photography is the way to come to terms with these buildings.  I have stolen these photos for this blog and the rightful owners have every right to be angry and yet glad. 

From Downtown East on University Ave, you might come across this building:

The University Park Plaza building (below, 1971); pentagonal late International style office stack.  It is worth some detail shots I will add later.

Further down University Avenue to Saint Paul, you can find some unsung modernist buildings in St Paul Campus.

 Above, some lights at one of the un-rennovated parts inside St. Paul Student Center (1960).  The Northstar Ballroom is still early 1960s vintage top to bottom.

What is now Ruttan Hall (Griswold and Rauma, 1972) is a shit building basically, but a group of Design School students were trooped through this hallway, described by their interlocutor as "mental institution" style.  I guess this style sometimes is designed to break you of all humanity.  (exterior below)

Early 80s tailings of this period?  I would wager yes.  California had some.    Here's a house we rented in San Diego from about 1983.  You can pretty much peg the year by looking at it:

Kind of reminds you of the inomparable Tempe City Hall (1971) - Tempe, Arizona.  The city council wanted to express a "we are leaving this motherfuking universe" sentiment popular at that time.

A final building nobody really appreciates up front is , the Hopkins Center (opened 1962) at Dartmouth.  Not always respected as "antique," it is just good enough to warrant (and receive?) preservation. 

It was designed by Wallace K. Harrison and (according to the wiki) foreshadows his later Lincoln Center, NYC design.  I hope you enjoy my photo taken on a happy day for me (read the marquee).