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Showing posts from November, 2007

Gold Dome Bank Honored

Last month the National Trust for Historic Preservation presented their 2007 Board of Advisors Award to the Gold Dome Bank in Oklahoma City. When plans were announced to demolish this iconic structure, local preservationists launched a spirited, grassroots campaign to save this Buckminster Fuller-inspired geodesic dome. Now, it’s a thriving mixed-use center that anchors the city’s newly designated Asian District. > full press release I remember seeing this building as a child from the back seat of our Ford Galaxie 500. That entire area around 23rd and Classen always fascinated me— the Townley's Milk Bottle, The Price Tower-esque office building and the brick storefronts lining Route 66. When the word got out that Walgreens planned to demolish the Gold Dome Bank I was working for About.com as their guide for Tulsa. I immediately began typing a feature about the volunteer effort to save this 1958 aluminum-clad beauty. It's inspiring to see those efforts paid off!

Modern Homes: Concrete Turret of Sand Springs

One of the wackiest homes around Tulsa is this gem. It's located just east of Sand Springs off Edison. Now that the trees are losing their leaves you can catch a glimpse of it when traveling westbound on US-412. Look to the north as you approach the 65th Street exit. The house is situated on a hill with the garage underneath. The circular drive you see in the photo leads to the front entrance– and a rustic-style door that seems quite out of place on such an avant garde structure.

The Recent Past

OKC's Unique First Christian Church

The Church of Tomorrow Oklahoma's state capitol dome was added some 88 years after the capitol was built, finally completed in 2002. But not far away is another dome that has been turning heads since 1956. It's the First Christian Church of Oklahoma City. Call it a wigwam, igloo, earthbound spaceship or dome- no matter how you describe the shape of the sanctuary, it's definitely eye-catching. The thin-shell concrete dome is massive, with seating for 1200. Connected to the dome is a four-story administrative building and a 185-seat theater. Dedicated as "The First Christian Church of Tomorrow," the architecture caught the attention of local newspapers, as well as Life magazine (Feb. 1957). Last summer I had a unique opportunity to explore these interesting buildings. The main complex was designed by R. Duane Conner in 1953. Conner was a member of the congregation and offered three different designs for the church. Credit is also attributed to his partner, Fr

The Bruce Goff House in Vinita

We were recently surprised to learn about a Goff-designed home just an hour away from Tulsa in Vinita, Oklahoma. Vinita is probably best known to OK Mod readers as the home of the Glass House on I-44, also known as (shudder) the World's Largest Largest McDonalds . Anywho, turned out the Goff house was on the market, and the owner was more than happy to let us have a look around. We took a short drive up the turnpike one Sunday afternoon to meet the realtor, snap some pictures, ask some questions and enjoy another one of Bruce Goff's unique creations. The home is known as the Adams House and was built in 1961. The 3,700 square foot home is arranged in a circular floor plan with a large sunken "conversation pit" at the center. Rising up from this pit is a large metal fireplace, its chimney surrounded by skylights, which dominates the entire house. Rooms surround the perimeter with folding accordion doors acting as walls. To maintain some semblance of privacy an inner

Oklahoma State Capitol Bank

On the Trail of Julius Shulman: Stop 2 "This is a bank," the sign outside the futuristic building read. According to legend a prankster added a strategic question mark and echoed the sentiment of many passers-by: "This is a bank?" That was back in 1964 when it opened. Today the Arvest on Lincoln Boulevard looks a bit less Jetsonian, mostly due to replacement of structural glass below the "saucers," but it's still an unusual bank. Designed by Robert Roloff of the architectural firm Bailey, Bozalis, Dickinson & Roloff, the State Capitol Bank caused quite a stir in Oklahoma City when it opened. Heck, it's still pretty shocking today! Originally the flying saucers appeared to hover above the building (as seen in this vintage postcard). All the glass that made that effect possible also made heating and cooling an expensive proposition. Security concerns also mandated replacement of those windows with solid materials and small square portholes