Brutalist
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The Beauty of BrutalismDo you love Brutalism or hate it? Local journalist Amanda Kolson Hurley makes the case for preserving Washington’s bevy of Brutalist beauties. “It could certainly be that on this side of the Atlantic, the sun-drenched optimism of California in the 1950s holds a broader appeal than the harried mood of Read More >
May 29, 2017
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Empire State Plaza: Wallace Harrison’s Mid-Century Modern Masterpiece
Our country’s own mini version of the the grand Brasilia can be found in a city–Albany–with a very different climate than the capital of Brazil, which was designed by Lucio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer. Empire State Plaza in the capital city of New York was designed by Read More >
September 19, 2010
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Modern Snapshot: Charles Goodman’s Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington
Charles Goodman designed three mid-century modern churches in the area — one each in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. The Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington was the last of the three area churches, completed in 1964. An addition (see image below) to the church Read More >
January 14, 2010
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Summer Reading: Larry Van Dyne’s ‘Tear It Down! Save It!’
If you are looking for something to read on the beach this summer, take a look at this fascinating 10,000-word Washingtonian article by Larry Van Dyne on the history of Washington preservation efforts, including the growing debate over what to do with modern structures built during the past 50 years.
“The Read More >
June 22, 2009
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Third Church Makes DCPL’s Most Endangered List
The D.C. Preservation League unveiled its 2009 Most Endangered Places list yesterday. The one modern building on the list was no surprise: the Third Church of Christ, Scientist at 900 16th St. NW. The Brutalist-style church, built in 1971, made the list last year as well. The city recently said Read More >
June 3, 2009
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Roger Lewis: ‘The Triumph and Decline of a Truly Brutal Style’
Post columnist Roger K. Lewis, a practicing architect and a professor emeritus of architecture at the University of Maryland, gives some of the history of brutalist architecture and tells preservationists not to worry too much over the Third Church of Christ decision.
“[P]reservationists should not panic,” he writes in today’s Read More >
May 30, 2009
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Can an ‘Eyesore’ Be Significant?
Marcel Breuer’s HUD Building
(GSA photo)
Some local modern buildings from the mid-century period were trashed in the Washington Post today. The piece, “An Eyeful of Washington Eyesores,” was based on submissions by readers who nominated what they thought are the “ugliest buildings or landmarks in the D.C. area.” Read More >
December 21, 2008
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D.C.’s Third Church of Christ Protected As Landmark
The D.C. Historic Preservation Review Board voted unanimously to award landmark status to the Third Church of Christ, Scientist and barred congregants from redeveloping the 1971 building by Araldo Cossutta of I.M. Pei‘s architectural firm. Members of the church are not happy with the decision to protect the Read More >
December 7, 2007
