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Showing posts from January, 2010

TFA Open House

Here's your chance to see some of Tulsa's unique architectural history. This fifth annual event is open to the public and there is no charge. White gloves provided, formal dress optional. White Glove Open House Tulsa Foundation for Architecture Archives 321 S. Boston Kennedy Building, lower level Tuesday, January 19 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm The Tulsa Foundation for Architecture maintains a huge collection of original drawings of some of our most historic buildings. With over 35,000 articles in the collection, the TFA archive is an impressive resource maintaining a link to many aspects of our city's past. And all too often, this may be all that remains of an important piece of Tulsa's skyline.

First Tulsa Mod of the Moment Event

Modern Tulsa has announced an open house event this Sunday, January 17, 2009. This Mod of the Moment event is the first of what we hope will be many! I think this is a really great idea. During the 2008 National Preservation Conference we were fortunate enough to catch a presentation about Houston Mod presented by Anna Mod (and yes, that is her real name). This non-profit group has accomplished some pretty impressive feats. One that really resonated with me was their "Mod of the Month" program. The idea is not just to connect buyers and sellers- it's also about educating real estate professionals to recognize there is a market for these "unusual" houses. Homes are often needlessly "improved" to increase their mass-market appeal. This type of relationship with local realtors is a win-win for our community. It's been a huge success for Houston, hopefully we can capture a little of that magic! To learn more about Houston Mod visit www.houston

Used Modern

Certified Good Stuff Did you know you can sell your used designer or mid-century modern furniture on Lushpad? It's true. Classifieds are reasonably priced and wanted ads are free! Sign up for a free account and start listing your surplus modernica today! Shop Local Here's a handy link to all ads on Lushpad located in Oklahoma. This includes all listings, even wanted ads. But you can tweak it to your satisfaction! Oklahoma Listings on Lushpad Enjoy.

Tulsa Survey Finds Plenty of History

Last December the results of the "Downtown Tulsa Intensive-Level Historic Resources Survey" were published. In plain English that means an inventory of Tulsa's downtown architecture. The last such evaluation dates back to 1978, but this recent survey is much more exhaustive. Every building within the Inner Dispersal Loop (IDL) was reviewed. Structures were evaluated for their architectural and historic value- as well as structural integrity. Why go to all this trouble? According to the Tulsa Preservation Commission ... The purpose of the survey project was to document all properties inside the IDL in order to identify which portions of downtown are eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, which would in turn make the properties eligible for Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit incentives. The final document identifies 88 structures that merit acknowledgment for their historic status. It also lists fourteen districts that deserve recognition for

Eames at Philbrook

Mark your calendar for January 21st and plan to be at Philbrook for a special evening with Eames Demetrios, grandson of Charles and Ray Eames. It's part of their Third Thursday event. Read more on the What's Up at Philbrook blog. They have also posted an interesting video that shows the making of an Eames aluminum task chair.

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