us modernist preserving modern architecture

The Pod: Preserving modernism, nature and human joy

Modernist architecture may be among the more divisive, debated and controversial architectural styles throughout history. But love it or hate it, few can contest its contributions to fundamentally shifting the way humans engage with the built environment. Modernist architects believed in designing spaces that blurred the lines between indoors and outdoors, tapped into primal instincts and desires and eased the stresses of modern life––in a sense, providing architectural therapy.

And George Smart, the founder and CEO of US Modernist, a nonprofit organization, is on a mission to promote and preserve modernist architecture and the stories behind it.

Share this story

Materials Mentioned

Strategies Mentioned

People Mentioned

  • Obie Bowman
  • Sim Van der Ryn
  • Verdant Structures
  • Celestial Designs
  • Summit Architecture Co.

Projects & Resources Mentioned

  • The Sea Ranch Lodge
  • Real Goods Trading Company at the Solar Living Center
  • Hester/McNally Residence

Related content

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.

AIA headquarter renovation with EHDD
The path to decarbonizing the AIA’s headquarter building

The path to decarbonizing the AIA’s headquarter building

In this episode, Rebecca Sharkey of EHDD shares the approaches the team took to decarbonize the AIA's 50-year-old, Brutalist-style headquarters in Washington, D.C.
taking circularity 180 degrees with James Trahan
Taking Circularity 180 Degrees

Taking Circularity 180 Degrees

Making reuse and circularity repeatable, scalable and efficient is not without its challenges, especially in the built environment. But one design-build firm may have cracked the code.
california straw building association
Raising bale: Building a straw think tank

Raising bale: Building a straw think tank

Thirty years ago, in a remote region of central California, a group of natural builders met to form what would soon become a straw think tank and spark a statewide movement.