As we take in the cultural epicenter of New Haven, CT, for the 2023 National Symposium, we will consider the triumphs and complexities surrounding the design and building of the Modern American city and the impacts on our collective communities. Researchers, practitioners, and enthusiasts involved in the process of preservation, conservation, renovation or transformation of buildings, sites and neighborhoods of the Modern Movement are invited to submit abstracts of papers or full sessions that align with the stated thematic goals.

This October, Docomomo US founding president Dr. Theodore Prudon, FAIA, FAPT was recognized by the country of the Netherlands and the Connecticut Architecture Foundation for his lifelong work and accomplishments.

With local finds from New Haven, and our favorite tributes to the classic American mall, the 2022 Modern Holiday Gift Guide is packed with diverse recommendations for gifts both big and small.  

When Docomomo US was created over 25 years ago, we set out to build a network of like-minded individuals to offer leadership, knowledge, and enthusiasm for the Modern Movement, which was little understood and little appreciated. We could not have envisioned the remarkable change in public attitude toward modernism we see today. That enthusiasm is due in large part to the dedication, interest, and support of our longstanding members in advancing the understanding of modern architecture and design.

How did Milwaukee, in the middle of the country, in the middle of the 20th-century, come to have some of the nation’s most inspiring and monumental mosaic murals? How is it that many churches, libraries, schools, government buildings and public spaces across Wisconsin have mural-sized mosaics fully integrated into the architectural surroundings? A close look at four mosaics commissioned in Milwaukee, at a time when modern art and architecture were capturing a new spirit of innovation and civic pride, reveals different approaches to using mosaic as an architectural art form and presents a unique perspective on the history of arts in Wisconsin.

Last April, the Docomomo US Board of Directors and staff assembled in Milwaukee for our first long-range planning retreat in five years, to consider the future of Docomomo US — our goals, aspirations, challenges, opportunities, and role in the future of preservation. This was sorely needed, especially since the context we work in has dramatically changed in the past five years, as we have dealt with COVID, a leadership transition, a dynamic political landscape, our own growth and expansion, and more.

On behalf of Docomomo US we would like to offer our sincere condolences for the loss of our friend and collaborator Pauline Saliga. During the many productive years of her distinguished tenure as executive director of the Society of Architectural Historians, Pauline was a passionate advocate for the preservation of the built environment.

Docomomo US is pleased to announce the twelve recipients of the 2022 Modernism in America Awards. These projects highlight the best in preservation practice by today’s architects, designers, preservation professionals and advocates. This year’s awards recognize preservation efforts ranging from the transformation of large-scale projects into beacons of sustainability to modest home revitalizations, many of which have been years, or even decades, in the making. The results are a testament to the dedication and foresight of those who recognize the value of preserving our modern heritage for everyone.

Some Docomomo US membership rates will increase beginning September 1, 2022. 

After a four year process by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the state announced its plans to partner with Leggat McCall Properties (LMP) to redevelop the Charles F. Hurley Building. This announcement came after years of discussions over the future of the Boston Government Services Center and how to improve circulation, engagement with the community while being respectful to the building as a historic resource.

 Jessica Anshutz, aka the "Rust Belt Mallwalker" shares a visual essay of malls she has documented since 2016.

With high design and high art, NorthPark Center made shopping glamorous for everyone.

In this excerpt from The American Department Store Transformed, 1920-1960, Richard Longstreth explores the influential role of department stores in the rise of the regional shopping mall.

This excerpt from Alexandra Lange's new book, Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall (Bloomsbury USA), tracks architect Victor Gruen and designer Elsie Krummeck's early attempts at improving on the traditional shopping center, resulting in the Northland Mall in Southfield, Michigan. 

Docomomo US Board President Robert Meckfessel, FAIA, will be sharing his thoughts on current issues in the field of modern preservation as well as the latest updates on the organization in a new monthly President's Column. In this first installment, he reflects on the National Symposium in Philadelphia and the ongoing modern/postmodern divide.

Motivated by the proposed demolition of the Docking State Office Building, in Topeka, Kansas, preservation advocates have organized to preserve the state’s rich modern architectural resources. A modernist gem neighboring the Kansas State Capitol, the 1957 Docking Building has been threatened with partial or complete demolition for over a decade.

This Docomomo US Regional Spotlight article offers some historic background and insight on a key contribution by Hawaiian modern architect Vladimir Ossipoff (1907-1998). In general, Ossipoff’s architecture consistently fused the climate, topography and culture of Hawai‘i like no other over his over 6 decades of practice solely in the islands. His design sensibility was timeless, elegant and usually understated.

In the 1960s, the partnership of the Hawaii architecture firm Lemmon, Freeth, Haines and Jones, their joint venture of Belt, Lemmon and Lo, and San Francisco’s John Carl Warnecke and Associates were selected to design the new Hawaii State Capitol Building.  The resulting building in the Hawaiian International Architecture style was devoid of the classic rotunda featured in most capitol buildings, instead utilizing an open-air rotunda that invites the sun, trade winds, and the occasional rainbow into the lofty, emblematic space.  The design symbolized natural beauty while breaking many boundaries of architectural design both in Hawaiʻi and across the United States.

Parking at Ala Moana Center can be a nightmare. Even for those of us that have been going there for decades, finding a store can be almost as challenging. As kids, we all knew where all the important things were: the sculptures to play on, the deli with the tasty sandwiches, the koi ponds, the hippie store with the imports from India, and the book/record store. It was a adventure to go into “town” to shop at the mall. Even after changes to Ala Moana in the early 80s, finding the cute shop with the funky international jewelry, or familiar “local” drug store or any of the three department stores was not tricky. Navigation was easy. On the lower level, almost all the shops (HOPACO and its glorious pens!) were located on the outer perimeter of the mall building. On the upper level, shops were all along the main open passageway, with a few accessible from the parking side, easy! The mall’s appearance now - muddled and confusing from all the years of updates, is an unfortunate result of its more than sixty years of success.

Shopping centers built between the 1950s through the 1970s on the island of Oahu are unique examples of Modernist architecture in Hawaii. They comprise the majority of large-scale commercial buildings on Oahu and amongst the other islands, which experienced a different level of commercial impact from tourism during the post-war era.