Buildings in the Modern Movement are of historical and cultural significance, but they are in danger. On Feb. 29 and March 1, the Center for Heritage Conservation at Texas A&M University and a host of experts will focus on the significance and preservation of modern architecture at its ninth annual Historic Preservation Symposium, “Conserving Modernism.” The event will be held in Bryan and in College Station.
The two-day event will begin that Friday at the A&M United Methodist Church annex in College Station, then move Saturday to the Preston Geren Auditorium in the Langford Architecture Center on the Texas A&M Campus.
"Modern architecture presents many conservation challenges because of the innovative approaches used by architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn,” said Robert B. Warden, CHC director and professor of architecture at Texas A&M. “The buildings Modern architects designed are a precious but vulnerable legacy."
The conference begins with a public lecture by Robert Silman, structural engineer for the newly renovated Guggenheim Museum in New York City. Silman will talk about the interplay between historic preservation and technology.
Silman’s talk will be followed by a formal dinner at Astin Mansion in Bryan, a Georgian Revival-style structure built in 1924 that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
On Saturday, Robert Johnson, director of the College of Architecture’s CRS Center for Leadership and Management in the Design and Construction Industry and professor of architecture at Texas A&M, will begin a day full of presentations with a lecture titled “The Architecture of Caudill Rowlett Scott: Lean and Clean.”
“CRS often used the term ‘lean and clean’ to describe the design of their buildings,” said Johnson. “This presentation will examine the lean and clean philosophy design of CRS and compare and contrast it with a Modernist philosophy.”
Johnson will also talk about the current state of CRS-designed buildings. “Many have been lost due to demolition, neglect or insensitive alterations,” said Johnson. On the other hand, “many have also been sensitively renovated and remain fully functional as originally intended.”
The CRS Center was established at Texas A&M in 1990 through a generous endowment by Caudill Rowlett Scott. In less than a decade after its founding in 1946, CRS gained national prominence for its pioneering work in educational facility design and innovative approaches to architectural programming. CRS was honored as the “Firm of the Century” by the College of Architecture at its 2005 centennial anniversary gala.
Other presentations on the CHC symposium’s Saturday agenda include:
A lecture by Gunny Harboe of Harboe Architects, PC Chicago, titled “When ‘Less’ Was Not Always Enough: The Challenges of Restoring Mies.” One of the most influential architects of the 20th century, Mies van der Rohe designed buildings stunning in their simplicity that, unfortunately, have not always weathered very well. Harboe has worked on a number of van der Rohe’s buildings in Chicago including S.R. Crown Hall, the Commons, Bailey Hall, as well as his iconic 860-880 Lake Shore Drive Apartments. His lecture will examine the challenges faced when trying to restore the work of a master who played by his own set of rules.
Donna Carter, of Austin’s Carter Design Associates, will present “Modernism, Marginalism and The Mundane.” She is interested in the definition and meaning of icons within the context of diverse communities. “How,” she asks, “does the relationship of a diverse, changing community’s historical timeline alter the perception of modernism, icons, and preservation?”
William Dupont, holder of the San Antonio Conservation Society Endowed Professorship at the University of Texas at San Antonio, will present “The Wallpaper Keeps Changing: Defining Conservation Objectives for Glass Box Homes.”
Nancy McCoy, of Quimby-McCoy Architects in Dallas, will present “A Texanic Task: Preserving a Fantasy World.”
Registration forms and additional information about the 2008 Historic Preservation Symposium is avalilable on the CHC website: http://archone.tamu.edu/chc/. The deadline to register is Feb. 15, 2008. For details, contact the CHC at 979-845-0384. AIA/CEU credits are available for qualified event participants.
