Post #190403 by Satan's Sin on Mon, Oct 3, 2005 8:56 AM

One might say that the "International Sytle" combined with a little American futurism gave birth to the midcentury style. And then it fairly quickly went to shit when it fell into the hands of hack architects and only-in-it-for-a-buck developers.

The clean lines and simplicity that are the hallmark of modernism translated all too readily into un-onamented boxes made of cheap materials, both in housing developments and commercial structures. These, I think, were the structures Tom Wolfe was talking about in that book of his, I know which one you mean, I read it ages ago, it was just a general slam against modernism in politics, writing and art. And I agreed with pretty much everything he said. For in the towns and cities in which I grew up, "modern" buildings were shabby and soulless, and "modern" homes -- of which there were a lot in Florida -- were choked to the gills with knicknacks and heavy furniture and looked horrible.

I guess what changed it all for me was visiting the desert out here in California, and especially noticing how the beautiful midcentry homes in the desert went as natrually together with a stark vista as does ice cream with cake. And seeing the interiors decorated in an appropriately simple style. That, and visiting some of the great midcentury structures in New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia -- buildings that did not stint on the materials, were quite sumptuous in fact, designed by talented men and built by craftsmen, and about as different from their hack knockoffs as are the living from the dead.

It's truly wonderful that these buildings have come back into style. And I think you could even argue that these buildings are more popular and respected than when they were first built. I wish Neutra and Eames and all those guys had lived to see this day.