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Showing posts from January, 2009

Pops: Oklahoma's Modern Landmark

All modern isn't Mid Century. It's just that most new construction is numbingly bland. Ironic. Most landmarks along Route 66 are vintage. One notable exception is Pop's Soda Shop. Since opening in 2007 the futuristic cantilever roof in Arcadia, Oklahoma has become an instant landmark for travelers on Route 66. But instead of a predictable Faux Fifties theme, this landmark carved a distinctively modern silhouette in the Oklahoma sky the evening we visited. Pop's is primarily a gas station and burger joint conceived by natural gas magnate, Aubrey McClendon. The gimmick is pop. Lots of pop (or soda to you out-of-towners), all housed in that futuristic landmark with a 66-foot tall Coke bottle out front. It all combines to make this gas station a destination for locals and Route 66 tourists alike. The building is the product of OKC firm Elliott + Associates, a prolific source of modernist residential and commercial structures. The restaurant building is native red rock stone

Patrick Henry Apartments Come Down

Whenever you widen an interstate highway originally built in 1957, you're going to have to mow down some mid-century architecture. The latest victim of the I-44 widening in Tulsa is the Patrick Henry Apartments complex, until recently located on the west side of Harvard just south of Skelly Drive. In their heyday the Patrick Henry was quite fashionable. More recently these units had become Section 8 housing and suffered badly at the hands of uncaring tenants. I snapped these photos while the demolition was ongoing. Considering this, the relatively good condition of the structure and interiors was actually quite amazing. The two-story complex was comprised of two semi-circular sections that formed a football shape. A circular clubroom building in the center connected the two halves and served as laundry room, post office, etc. Even the stairways going up to the second story landings were circular. The rotund theme was also carried into the living space. Kitchen areas featured round

35,000 and Counting

The Tulsa Foundation for Architecture is celebrating. And you're invited! TFA was recently honored for their role as Tulsa's only architectural archive. The collection of more than 35,000 architectural drawings, bound periodicals, books and artifacts documenting Tulsa's built environment attracted the attention of Save America's Treasures , a program offering grants to protect nationally significant intellectual and cultural artifacts. In fact, they were so impressed they presented the local non-profit a five-figure grant to keep up the good work! To celebrate this very noble honor the Tulsa Foundation for Architecture invites you to join them for their White Glove Revue and open house on January 15th. 4 th Annual White Glove Open House January 15th 4:00 to 7:00 pm Tulsa Foundation for Architecture Archives 321 South Boston Lower Level 01 That's in the basement of the Kennedy Building, conveniently located across the street from the dirigible mooring mast atop th

The Recent Past

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

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

Home of ORU Architect on the Auction Block

Frank Wallace is best known as the man behind the futuristic look of the Oral Roberts University campus. On October 14, 2010 his unique home overlooking ORU will be sold in a public auction conducted by Mister Ed's Auctions . Jackie and I recently had a chance to visit with Mr. Wallace and learn more about the house, his career and his thoughts on architecture. When we visited we expected to snap a few photos of an empty house and speak with a representative from the auction company. To our surprise the door opened, and we were greeted by Mr. Wallace himself! After assuring him we were not architects, he let us look around. Unfortunately we were not prepared to interview the man whose buildings incite such extremely diverse reactions- but that didn't stop me from asking him several questions anyway.  The home, completed in 1980, was designed and built by Wallace who is now 87. The expansive home is so large that Wallace spends most of his time in a room that was his la