Judging Becket with Stone Noting what seems like a missing t, this cover editorial piece is not going to be about Samuel Beckett, author of Waiting for Godot. It is, rather, about the very pressing question of what to preserve of the work of large commercial firms. Nowadays, two maligned past practitioners, Welton Becket and Edward Durell Stone, serve as illuminating exem- plars–along with other examples too numerous to list–of the sorts of dilemmas facing modernist preservation. These figures and their proj- ects shaped our domestic skyline and set standards for professional values and aspirations. They even projected, in what seems today like far more optimistic and potentially peaceable times, an image of America abroad, as seen in the Istanbul Hilton by Gordon Bunshaft, the US Embassy in Havana by Harrison and Abramowitz, or the US Embassy in New Delhi by Edward Durell Stone. While the phenomenon of the com- mercial firm is not new, given the significance of McKim, Mead and White or D. H. Burnham and Co., the sheer volume of work by such firms as Becket’s or Stone’s (or of Eero Saarinen’s, SOM and John F. Kennedy Center for the HOK) presents us with serious challenges and a looming responsibility. Performing Arts, Washington DC, Edward Durell Stone: begun in (For comments regarding how this relates specifically to the work of early 1960s, completed in 1971 Saarinen, see page 7 for a review of two new books on that modernist (photo: Theo Prudon) master.) The preservation dialogue, frequently seen as being about per- sonal preference–thought, therefore, to be largely subjective–needs to be redirected not only to the larger subject of architectural design; it also has to include a broader discussion of the historical, cultural and contex- tual significance of the full spectrum of international, national, regional and local buildings and their architects, elite geniuses and innovative professionals alike. cont’d on p. 8 NATIONAL NEWS |winter 2004 ARTICLES DOCOMOMO NEWS EXHIBITS 1 Judging Becket with Stone, 2 Welcome Mori on Wright: Designs for F. L. by Theodore Prudon Wright’s Martin House Visitor Center 3 Chapter News Albright Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY 2 Modernism in Argentina: “The Through March 14 Paris (and Berlin and New York 3 Regional Updates and London) of the South,” The Undiscovered Richard Meier: by Serianne Worden The Architect as Designer and Artist UPCOMING CONFERENCES High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA 5 Building Obituaries: Introduction, Through April 4 by Jeanne Lambin; Geddes Brecher Society of Architectural Historians Cunningham’s Harold Pender 56th Annual Meeting Design-Recline: Modern Architecture Laboratory; Mies’s Farnsworth Providence, RI April 14 - 28 and the Mid-Century Chaise Lounge House; Smith and Williams’s Busch-Reisinger Museum, Design Office; Goldberg’s Harriet 29th Annual California Preservation Cambridge, MA March 20 - July 11 Higgenson House Foundation Conference San Francisco, CA April 28 - May 1 6 2004 International DOCOMOMO Conference Update, “Learn/Celebrate/Dream”: AIA 2004 by Hélène Lipstadt National Convention and Exposition Chicago, IL June 10 - 12 7 Book Review: Two New Books on Eero Saarinen Pose Important Questions for Modernist Preservation, by Brendan D. Moran DOCOMOMO-US 9 DOCOMOMO Workshop on Modern Architecture Surveys, Email: [email protected] by Nina Rappaport Mail: PO Box 230977 New York, NY 10023 9 DOCOMOMO-US Board Holds Annual Meeting, www.docomomo-us.org by Laura Culberson Welcome Modernism in Over the past eight years, DOCO- Argentina: “The Paris MOMO has become the national advocate for the preservation of (and Berlin and New modern architecture, evidenced by our testimony in support of many York and London) of preservation causes. Over the same the South” period, several new chapters have been established, with others still forming across the country. Argentina evokes tango, soccer and financial crisis Through our newsletters, organizing –not to mention the architectural epithet ”Paris of meetings, tours and lectures, we the South.” Francophile tendencies in Argentina provide information and support on during the 19th and early 20th centuries, though, advocacy issues; our expanding were just one of many imported and reworked archi- website, www.docomomo- tectural styles at play. Modern Movement architec- us.org, continues to provide easy ture in Argentina has a similar hybrid history, but the access to this information and earliest inklings of Modernism in Argentina coincid- more. ed with an illustrious visit. In 1929, the Sociedad In 2004 DOCOMOMO-US has Amigos del Arte (Friends of the Arts Society) invited committed to two new coordinated Le Corbusier to Buenos Aires to give nine lectures. initiatives. First, in September of this Via these lectures–and, of course, imported year, New York City will be the site European magazines–Modernism began to be of the VIIIth International DOCOMO- explored locally. Kavanagh Apartment Building, Buenos Aires, 1935 MO Conference, following in the In anticipation of Le Corbusier’s arrival, writer footsteps of seven earlier confer- and socialite Victoria Ocampo, founder of the cul- remained mostly a style for the elite. A noteworthy ences (held in Paris, Brasilia, tural journal SUR, sought to commission a house in example is the Kavanagh Apartment Building, Stockholm, Barcelona, Sliac, Dessau Buenos Aires employing Modernism’s aesthetics; completed in 1935 by Sanchez, Lagos & de la and Eindhoven). Hosted by DOCO- well-known academic architect Alejandro Bustillo Torre in Buenos Aires. At 33 stories, it was the MOMO-US, an added component received the commission. The house shows a great largest reinforced concrete structure in South of the conference will be the initia- tension between the modern ideals the client America, remaining the tallest for many years. Initial tion of a series of technological sought to express and the hesitancy of the archi- cost regulations were set up in order to assure quali- seminars dealing specifically with tect, with the resulting design more an application ty of result, and apartments were aimed at middle nuts and bolts issues affecting post- of Modernism as a style than an embodiment of its class individual owners. It was also the first apart- war modern architecture in the US principles. However, the Ocampo house is consid- ment building in the world to have a central air con- and throughout the world. Infor- ered the first building in Argentina built in the spirit ditioning system. Mixing the forms of an Art Deco mation about these sessions can be of Modernism, typical of much hybrid Argentine American skyscraper with that of expressionism found at the conference website architectural production. In 1997, a destructive reno- while employing German construction standards www.docomomo2004.org. vation project was proposed for the house by the (DIN regulations), the building remains today a major Our second initiative is to play Argentine government and accepted by UNESCO. city landmark. a more active role in establishing Outcry from citizens and preservationists halted the Classicism fully emerged as the primary mode liaisons with other organizations, so project and the site is now the home of El Fondo and style in which to build by the 1940s. However, as to play a leading role in provid- Nacional de las Artes (National Endowment for significant Modern works were still realized despite ing technical information to our the Arts). the historicist trend. This was in part due to a lack members. One such venture is the Despite Le Corbusier’s visit and Ocampo’s of strong influence, either at the universities or in establishment of an interactive data- pioneering house, accepted modes of taste during architecture journals, on the early generation of base for the register of modern the 1930s remained classically inspired, with a move Modernists. Exemplary projects were realized, buildings. Following in the footsteps towards nationalistic colonial architecture. However, though, such as Casa del Puente. An elegant sin- of DOCOMOMO International, we an early wave of Modernism did manage to emerge; gle-story exposed concrete house in the seaside have begun to survey and record its practitioners generally remained outsiders, and it town of Mar del Plata, it was built in 1942 by many modern buildings across the Amancio Williams for his country in order to provide more father. Supported by a documentation for our members sweeping arch over a and other interested parties. Since stream, the house was inno- the success of advocacy is based on vative for its free plan, knowing what exists and what has fenestration and daring use been done regionally, nationally and of materials. Now a national even internationally, our efforts are landmark, it is currently in not intended to duplicate existing very poor condition; the city surveys but rather to supplement of Mar del Plata is hoping to them, thus serving preservation raise funds and purchase the efforts more effectively. property for restoration as a This is a very ambitious agen- museum and cultural center. da for what is still very much an Probably the most well all-volunteer organization, but with known piece of Modern your help we know we can do it. architecture from this period We hope you will continue to in all of South America, the support DOCOMOMO. Casa Curutchet in La Plata —Theodore Prudon was designed by President, Le Corbusier in the late DOCOMOMO-US Casa del Puente, Mar del Plata, 1942 cont’d on p. 11 DOCOMOMO-US/WINTER 2004 2 Regional Updates DOCOMOMO-US | Chapter News Georgia New York/Tri-State Kahn (son of Louis Kahn) was also co-sponsored by the AIA. In mid-November, the chapter DOCOMOMO Georgia has a DOCOMOMO New York/ Tri-State holds regular launched its official list serve to bring local news threefold mission: to educate monthly meetings and continues ongoing work in via e-mail to members and friends of modern ourselves about extant and lost outreach, education, and advocacy for modern architecture in the Tri-State area.