See in Atomic Ranch, issue #36 (winter 2012) “modern ann arbor.” Many thanks to Grace Shackman for writing a story about modernism in ann arbor!
In Ann Arbor you can find Atomic Ranch at Nicola’s Books in the Westgate Shopping Center or see one page pdf online at http://www.atomic-ranch.com/store/pdf/36-annarbor.pdf
Modern Living Series
The mission of a2modern is to raise the awareness and appreciation of modern architecture and design. This year we have been fortunate to sponsor several “interior” views with talks in support of our mission. This year we have partnered with Bob Eckstein, Surovell Realtors to provide a discussion with the original builder, Joe O’Neal at a home designed by Arthur Browning Parker; we worked with Lawrence Tech University to visit the George Affleck home in Bloomfield Hills; and in September homeowners Bob and Judy Marans were very generous in opening the “Marshall Sahlins” home designed by Bob Metcalf to the group. a2modern is now very pleased to announce an opportunity to visit the Mr. and Mrs. Richard and Florence Crane residence.
Please join us for a tour of the “Crane house” designed by Bob Metcalf in 1954 and now owned by James and Linda Elert. This “interior view” will be to celebrate the recent work the Elerts have done in collaboration with Craig Borum, Ply Architecture. Craig Borum and Bob Metcalf will be at the event to give an overview of the work past and present!
When: November 18, 2012, 2-4:00 p.m.
Location: 830 Avon Road, Ann Arbor
Space is limited for this event, please RSVP modernists@a2modern.org
Cost: $5/donation to support future a2modern programs
Image: Richard and Florence Crane residence, rendering, Robert C. Metcalf collection, Bentley Historical Library.
Of interest to a2modern!
Art League Lecture: Furniture Design as Art: Eames Furniture History
Dates: Wed Dec 12, 12
Time: 10:00am
Location:
Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
314 S. Park St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007
Kalamazoo, MI
Contact:
(269) 349-7775
Carla Atwood Hartman, the granddaughter of Charles and Ray Eames, will discuss the history of the famous Eames furniture design and lead a tour of Good Design: Stories from Herman Miller at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum after the lecture reception.
Free for Art League Members/$10 KIA Members/$12 general admission/$3 students with valid college ID.
Early in their careers together, Charles and Ray Eames identified the need for affordable, yet high-quality furniture for the average consumer — furniture that could serve a variety of uses. For forty years the Eameses experimented with ways to meet this challenge, designing flexibility into their compact storage units and collapsible sofas for the home; seating for stadiums, airports, and schools; and chairs for virtually anywhere.
Their chairs were designed for Herman Miller in four materials — molded plywood, fiberglass-reinforced plastic, bent and welded wire mesh, and cast aluminum. The conceptual backbone of this diverse work was the search for seat and back forms that comfortably support the human body, using three dimensionally shaped surfaces or flexible materials instead of cushioned upholstery. An ethos of functionalism informed all of their furniture designs. “What works is better than what looks good,” Ray said. “The looks good can change, but what works, works.”
For more information: http://www.kiarts.org/event.php?calendar_id=13&event_id=643
Two organizations in Michigan will be participating in DOCOMOMO US Tour Day 2012–a2modern and Wayne State University. Both events are free. Please see below for further information!
a2modern, Ann Arbor
State Historic Preservation Officer Brian Conway will be at the Bentley Historical Library in Ann Arbor on October 9, 7:00 p.m., to discuss the pivotal role Michigan played in the development of Modernism. The event is being hosted by a2modern as part of Docomomo US Tour Day 2012, which raises the awareness of and appreciation for buildings, interiors, neighborhoods and landscapes designed in the United States during the mid-20th century. Docomomo US is an organization devoted to the documentation and conservation of buildings of the modern movement. The group a2modern has the same mission for architecture in Ann Arbor.
Location: Bentley Historical Library
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Date: October 9th, 2012
Registration: no required
Cost: Free
Contact: modernists@a2modern.org
Wayne State University
Minoru Yamasaki Buildings
Tours will start in the lobby of the McGregor Memorial Conference Center, and then proceed to the Education Building, the Meyer and Anna Prentis Building and Helen L. DeRoy Auditorium. Tours will last approximately 60 minutes.
Start Address:
McGregor Memorial Conference Center
495 Ferry Mall
Detroit, MI 48202
Date: 10/6
Time: 10:00am, 11:30am, 1:00pm, 2:30pm, 4:00pm
Cost: Free
Registration: No need for participants to register
Architect David W. Osler received emeritus status by the Ann Arbor Rotary Society August 22, 2012. The event was held in the Michigan Union. Architect Ed Wier provided the talk on Osler’s many achievements. Those remarks are provided below:
David W. Osler
David was born and raised in Ann Arbor, graduating from University High in 1938. There, he met Connie Lorch, the young lady who would later become his wife. David has always been an artist – as a young man he was enamored with the beautiful hand-drawn illustrations found in the magazine publications of the day, such as the Saturday Evening Post.
David attended the University of Michigan, studying design and illustration and graduating in the class of ’42. David was a golfer while here at Michigan and was part of a Big Ten championship golf team. Following his time at the U-M, David enlisted in the Navy and served on the USS Thomas Jefferson, an assault transport ship. The Jefferson, with Osler aboard, played a key role in the Normandy invasion helping to transport the first wave of troops in the assault on Omaha Beach. Often overlooked, but equally harrowing from David’s perspective was a later assault that he participated in while serving on the Jefferson that occurred in southern France.
After returning home from the war, David married his high school sweetheart, Connie. Connie’s father, Emil Lorch, established the school of architecture at the University of Michigan and served as the school’s first dean. David had already been working in the field of architecture – working with Ann Arbor architect Pete Loree. Having spent this time around architects and in architecture, David decided that a career in architecture could also fulfill his need for creative and artistic expression—and today we’re all the better for it. David W. Osler Associates was established in 1958.
Over the course of a 50-year career, David compiled a diverse portfolio of building types ranging from single family homes to condominiums, libraries and churches. Notable projects in and around Ann Arbor include the Oslund Condominiums, St. Clare of Assisi Episcopal Church, the First Unitarian Universalist Church, the former Nellie Loving Branch of the Ann Arbor District Library, the Standing House at the Leslie Park Golf Course, Geddes Lake Condominiums, the Independence Lake Pavilions, and numerous private residences. Other noteworthy projects include the Gerstacker Language Center at Albion College, the Williams Research Corporation Headquarters in Walled Lake, and a particularly thoughtful and elegant addition to the Historic Howell Carnegie Library – a project that would win numerous library and design excellence awards. David Osler Associates won 22 Michigan AIA honor awards. This is a truly remarkable accomplishment – very rare for a small firm without departments delegated to marketing and public relations. In 1981, Osler was a finalist in the design competition for the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. – one of only 15 entries to receive honorable mention for the commission that ultimately went to Maya Lin. In 2005 David W. Osler Associates was designated as Firm of the Year by the Michigan AIA, and in 1996 Osler was awarded the Michigan AIA Gold Medal Award – the highest honor the American Institute of Architects can bestow upon an architect.
When I recently asked David if he had any favorite projects, he was reluctant to name anything in particular – but felt the most important thing for all to know was that he tried to do his best on every project. Regardless of the size of the job, or the size of the budget, it was important to give each project your best effort. David’s projects all share a care for context – they are modern, appropriate and timeless. I first came to know David when I was a young architect back in 1988. I was three years out of architectural school and looking for a new opportunity. David had recently been awarded the commission to design the addition to the downtown Ann Arbor library and was looking to add to his staff. Of course I was thrilled with the opportunity, but also a bit anxious. I knew little about David personally at the time, but I knew much about his reputation. You see, back in 1988, as is still true today, in the community of architects, we all know he’s the best and most talented among us. Back at that time in 1988 – as a recently married frugal young architect – I would typically bring my lunch to work in a paper sack. To my surprise, David often did the same- except for Wednesday when he tried his best to get here. It was during those lunch times- usually still at our drafting boards – that I got a chance to know David better. One thing I learned was that we both shared a love for Michigan athletics. We’d swap stories of our favorite athletes, and compare eras. His favorite football team of all time – the 1947 team- now I didn’t get to see that team play, but David says they were exceptional – and beyond that, many went on to exemplary careers outside of athletics.
Dave joined Rotary in 1974 at the urging of his friend, Chuck Cares. Chuck, a landscape architect and former chair of the Landscape Architecture Department here at U-M, was of course Ann Arbor Rotary club president in 1989. David’s Rotary badge shows the patina of a longtime member. I’m sure most of us can look back on the early years of our professional careers and identify those people who taught us important lessons that would serve us throughout our careers. I consider myself fortunate to have had David Osler be one of those people for me. Now I know I’ll never be the artist that David is – I’ve come to terms with that – but David taught all those around him about the value of consistent effort – coming to work every day and giving your best effort. That the details matter – that every project matters, even if it may seem minor or insignificant, if you’re spending time to work on it, then give it your best effort. Don’t make excuses, treat people right.
David and Connie have three children – they, too, are all artists. Molly is an interior designer here in Ann Arbor. Robin is an architect in New York and Peter, with whom I worked when I was at the firm, established the Landscape Architecture program at the Illinois Institute of Technology and now serves as the director of that program. I am honored to present David Osler as an Emeritus member of the Ann Arbor Rotary Club. (Remarks by Ed Wier, Aug. 22, 2012)
Photograph of David W. Osler courtesy of Ann Arbor Rotary.
a2modern was asked by Concentrate Media about homeowners who have modernized their homes with the goal of making the structure more energy efficient. The architects at midcentury were also thinking about sustainability in decisions they made. a2modern recommended that the writer Denise McGeen talk to Craig Borum, principal Ply Architecture Ply Architecture about the work he did this spring on Bob Metcalf’s first commission–the Richard and Florence Crane home. See the full story at:
Modern yet Historic, Vintage yet Sustainable (August 22, 2012).
Ann Arbor to Celebrate Modernism October 9
As Part of a National Observance Honoring Modern Design
ANN ARBOR – State Historic Preservation Officer Brian Conway will be at the Bentley Historical Library in Ann Arbor on October 9, 7:00 p.m., to discuss the pivotal role Michigan played in the development of Modernism. The event is being hosted by a2modern as part of Docomomo US Tour Day Event, which raises the awareness of and appreciation for buildings, interiors, neighborhoods and landscapes designed in the United States during the mid-20th century. Docomomo is an organization devoted to the documentation and conservation of buildings of the modern movement. The group a2modern has the same mission for architecture in Ann Arbor.
Conway will discuss MichiganModern™, the State Historic Preservation Office’s (SHPO’s) effort to make people aware of the important role Michigan played internationally in the development of Modernism. “Michigan’s influence on Modernism began with the design and construction of automobile factories as early as 1907. The clean lines, materials, and construction techniques used to build factories inspired the architecture that came later and flourished during the post-World War II period,” said Conway. “After the war there was a convergence of ideas and people at places like the Cranbrook Academy, the University of Michigan, in the automobile companies, and in the furniture industry that resulted in Michigan having a huge impact on design.”
The SHPO will host a four-day symposium at Cranbrook and is partnering with the Cranbrook Academy of Art on an exhibition, Michigan Modern: Design that Shaped America, which will open during the symposium June 13-16, 2013.
“Just as with the development of modernism in Michigan, the effort to educate people about Michigan’s role in Modernism is a collaborative effort. We want communities throughout the state to recognize modern buildings that might otherwise go unnoticed,” said Conway.
“The goal of a2modern, and with this event, is to facilitate the understanding and appreciation of this rich history in Ann Arbor, which is the home of the University of Michigan where many of the forward thinking educators were teaching and researching at mid-century,” said a2modern co-founder Nancy Deromedi.
In June 2010, a group of homeowners, architects and enthusiasts joined together in Ann Arbor with the goal to raise the awareness of and appreciation for mid-century architecture and design. Through its activities, a2modern celebrates the accomplishments of the architects, designers, builders and homeowners in Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor is home to the University of Michigan and the U-M provided access to the advancements in engineering and building materials, as well as the forward-thinking architects and educators that brought modernism to the area. These mid-century architects with domestic modern works in the area include George B. Brigham, Robert Metcalf, David W. Osler, James Livingston, Alden B. Dow, Walter Sanders, William Muschenheim, Edward Olencki, Joseph Albano, Joe T.A. Lee, Robert Pond, Herb Johe and Tivadar Balogh.
In addition to the MICHIGANMODERN endeavor, the State Historic Preservation Office leads the effort to protect Michigan’s historic built environment and archaeological sites by collaborating with government partners, developers, nonprofits, and other interested parties. Other SHPO programs include the National Register of Historic Places, the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program, and the Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program. For information about these programs and more, visit Michigan.gov/shpo.
For information about the Ann Arbor event visit www.a2modern.org. For information about the MICHIGANMODERN project, go to michiganmodern.org. For information about all docomomo events held celebrating modernism see http://www.docomomo-us.org/events/tour_day_2012.
Join a2modern for a special tour of the current exhibit of architectural photographs by Judith Turner “The Flatness of Ambiguity.”
The tour will be guided by Pam Reister of the University of Museum of Art and will be Wednesday August 15th at 12:10 p.m. at the Museum. Meet us in the exhibit which is on the second floor for a lunch time discussion!
Judith Turner is a noted American photographer whose subject matter is mostly architecture. Turner’s training as a designer allows her to visually understand an architect’s intention and to reveal it in compositions that she constructs and edits through her camera work. Her photography can be seen as a metalanguage of architectural intention and as an artistic expression that is inseparable from the representation of the built work. Turner’s signature style consists of highly abstract black-and-white compositions that play with the ambiguity of light, shadow, and tonality to heighten the aesthetic character of her subject matter and reveal visual relationships not readily apparent. This exhibition will present approximately forty photographs spanning Turner’s three-decade career. See UMMA for more information www.umma.umich.edu
This past weekend several of us carpooled to Cranbrook Art Museum for a guided tour of the George Nelson exhibit–it was fantastic. We then had a tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright designed “Gregor Affleck” home on Woodward avenue. What a beautiful home. Just so you know, the Nelson exhibit continues at Cranbrook until October 14, 2012. In addition, there is an accompanying exhibit “Vision and Interpretation: Building Cranbrook 1904-2012” in the lower level of the museum. For FLW enthusiasts, Cranbrook is sponsoring a tour of the Smith house on September 30, 2012 at 1:00 and 3:00. Tickets are $25 and you can obtain them by calling 248-645-3319.
Photographs of a2modern at the Gregor Affleck residence by Frank Lloyd Wright. The tour was lead by Brian Shell.
The University of Michigan Museum of Art currently has until September 2, 2012 two great exhibits. One is abstract art form the collection (including works by Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Motherwell and Joan Miro) curated by Professor Celeste Brusati and the other (exhibited in the gallery next to the abstract art) is a wonderful architectural photograph exhibit “The Flatness of Ambiguity.” The photographs are by Judith Turner and include photographs of architectural works by Wright, Alvar Alto and Meier. Both exhibits are outstanding and a2modern highly recommends a stop at the museum before September 2.