Børge Mogensen chairs and a floor lamp
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Weekend / Stuff
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Southwestern College / Onion
Mayan Hall (1968) at Southwestern College in Chula Vista, California is on the chopping block. 
The planetarium (1967), along with almost every other original building on the campus are all slated to be demolished as part of the college's Facilities Master Plan. The plan has been nominated for an Onion in The San Diego Architecture Foundation's annual Orchids & Onions.
The project started in 1961 with local architect George Foster heading the design. Foster was born in National City and was the Sweetwater High School District architect. He also designed the High School I went to.
Source: Chula Vista Star News
Source: Chula Vista Star News
George Foster is the suit on the right.
Source: Chula Vista Star News
Foster designed the school in a "Modern Mayan" style to pay homage to California's pre-European history.
1963 Site Plan. Construction of this phase was completed in 1964.
Source: Chula Vista Star News
Source: 2018 Facilities Master Plan
The Planetarium was built in 1967.Source: Chula Vista Star News
The current timeline has the demolition of the planetarium set for 2025. Mayan Hall will be demolished sooner. The Math and Sciences buildings have already been leveled.
Yes, that is a daytime moon up there.
There have been attempts at keeping a theme going when new buildings were added. Some have been more successful than others.
Value engineered version of the original precast concrete Mayan motif.
This structure was crammed between two buildings
The new Math and Science building is on the right.
In 2017 SOHO raised concern about the demolition of the gym that was done to make way for the building. SOHO said "Southwestern College should be celebrating the legacy and design contributions of George Foster by adapting this unique Mayan Modern style gymnasium for new use".
This was true then and even more so now, with the planned demolition of almost every original building on campus. Adaptive reuse is not discussed at all as an option in the college's master plan. There is barely a mention of the original architecture and George Foster's name doesn't come up at all.
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Weekend / Stuff
Freeman Lederman owl, Dansk
Slim pickin's
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San Diego /Design Week
San Diego Design Week is an annual five-day series of events that celebrates interdisciplinary design in our region through talks, studio tours, workshops, and self-guided tours. In 2020 we’re exploring the theme of Design+.
There are a ton of free events that look super interesting. Here is my short list:
Ephemera as Evidence is an ongoing investigation into San Diego midcentury print culture. This video conversation with Dave Hampton and Bill Perrine examines two printed objects from the early 1960s: Guy Williams’ artists’ book “Poems for Painters,” and a complete deck of illustrated “Space Cards” made by the Art Department at Convair Astronautics Division of General Dynamics. These artworks come out of vibrant and distinct creative subcultures, one being a community of bookstores, independent publishing, poets and painters, and the other a world of scientific research, military-industrial contracts and space exploration, where many top illustrators, graphic designers and art directors were employed.
This feature will be released on this event page September 9th and available all week.
Join local architectural photographer, author and historian Darren Bradley for a live Zoom event where he will share a sampling of his vast image library and stories. Topics covered will range from the unknown nuances of the region to the history of specific structures and the architects and developers behind them. There will be a Q&A included, and any questions not addressed during the program will be addressed afterward.
Sep 12th, 3 – 4pm PST
Also check out the accompanying self-guided tour and explore on your own.
Join Barbara Hanson Forsyth of Mingei International Museum for the story of Ellamarie (1913-1976) and Jackson (1910-1992) Woolley, one of San Diego’s preeminent and prolific designing couples who are most remembered for their enameled metal work but worked in a variety of media. Their collective and individual artistic journeys resulted in an incredible body of work ranging from small-scale decorative items such as plates and pendants to monumental architectural commissions.
This talk will explore their artistic practice and significant contributions to the mid-century San Diego design and architecture scene, including the story behind Variations on a Gold Theme. This masterful mural from 1965 is part of Mingei’s permanent collection and is slated to be a centerpiece of their courtyard garden in the renovated museum, opening in 2021.
This feature will be released on this event page September 9th and available all week.
In this archived Creative Mornings talk from October 2019, Keith York shares his passion for San Diego's rich mid-century history and aesthetic changes in the years following World War II. This talk offers a glimpse into the joy of being completely immersed in your personal and professional pursuits and the beauty of matching your passions and skills with others.
View & listen to the design talk here.
If you were born after 1984, the year the Macintosh was introduced, chances are that you missed traditional graphic design and print production processes by a decade or so, like Briar Levit, an assistant professor of graphic design at Portland State University. Levit worked almost exclusively on a computer throughout her education and graphic design practice, but her fascination with the design and production methods that preceded the digital era led to collecting books and manuals and eventually to making Graphic Means. The documentary explores graphic design production of the 1950s through the 1990s when hands of industrious workers and various ingenious machines and tools brought type and image together on meticulously prepared paste-up boards before they were sent to the printer. Enjoy a free screening of Graphic Means during San Diego Design Week, September 9–13, 2020.
Join for a free film screening of Rams by New York based filmmaker Gary Hustwit. Rams is a 2018 documentary portrait of Dieter Rams, one of the most influential designers alive, and a rumination on consumerism, sustainability, and the future of design. The film features original music by pioneering musician and producer Brian Eno.
The 74-minute film screening will be available for viewing online (on Vimeo) and free to an audience of 200 at San Diego Design Week. Guests who register may watch the film at a time of their choosing on Friday, September 11th.
Rams includes in-depth conversations with Dieter, and deep dives into his philosophy, his process, and his inspirations. But one of the most interesting parts of Dieter's story is that he now looks back on his career with some regret. "If I had to do it over again, I would not want to be a designer," he's said. "There are too many unnecessary products in this world." Dieter has long been an advocate for the ideas of environmental consciousness and long-lasting products. He's dismayed by today's unsustainable world of over-consumption, where "design" has been reduced to a meaningless marketing buzzword.
Grab your mimosa or favorite cocktail and host a virtual brunch with your friends, as you shop some of our favorite pieces from San Diego artists and designers! The virtual event will take place in our Instagram stories @shopmingei. Featured San Diego artists and galleries will include Arline Fisch, Ashley Kim, Cara Golden, Entoten, Folk Project, Housgoods Jewelry, Jack Boyd Studio, Joanie Laib, Jyumoku, Maru Lopez, Michele Linback, Miki Iwasaki, Mr. Blueskye, Nan Coffin, and The Slipped Studio. Items begin posting for sale at 10am, so tune in early for first dibs!
Sep 13th, 10am – 2pm PST
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Weekend / Stuff
Isamu Kenmochi stool, Rosenlew kannellinen vuoka by Timo Sarpaneva and a Oiva Toikka Nuutajarvi bird.
March 1950
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Richard Neutra / Claremont Methodist Church
Claremont United Methodist Church (Originally Claremont Methodist Church) in Claremont, CA by Richard Neutra and Robert Alexander (1959) and rebuilt by Dion Neutra (1968).
I was in Claremont this past weekend and my friend Danny at Modern for All asked if I had ever been to the Neutra church in town. I hadn't, so off I went. With fires nearby and pandemic restrictions in place, I was just expecting to do a smokey drive by. However, there was a car parked in front when I arrived. With camera in hand, the lady in the car asked if I was there for the architecture. After asking me a series of health questions, she invited me in--masked up of course. She turned out to be the Lead Pastor, Rev. Karen Clark Ristine. Coincidentally she used to live in San Diego. Rev Clark gave me five minutes to take photos of their beautiful church.
The original sanctuary was completed in 1959. Trademark Neutra touches like spider legs and clerestory windows are evident in the design. The walls are asymmetrical for acoustics. The seating is asymmetrical so the pews center on the pulpit and the building centers on the altar.
The large window behind the pulpit provides views of the San Gabriel Mountains.
The original design seems to have been considerably more austere.
Source: Julius Shulman (1960) © J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute
Source: Julius Shulman (1960) © J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute
In 1967 the building suffered substantial fire damage. This bible was pulled from the ashes.
The congregation hired Dion Neutra to rebuild the church. He used his father's design but on a larger scale.
A detective with the bible. Arson was suspected.
Source: LA Times
Source: Julius Shulman (1960) © J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute
The original building under construction in 1960.
Source: Pomona Progress Bulletin
In terms of churches, Claremont United Methodist looks to be a pretty progressive and inclusive congregation.
They received some national news attention in 2019 when they unveiled a Nativity scene that depicted Jesus, Mary and Joseph as refugees in cages. It was in response to the Trump administration’s border separation policies.
There are a series of Neutra school buildings behind the church.
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Weekend / Stuff
La Gardo Tackett for Architectural Pottery, with the original stake.
Although this is the first survivor I've seen, I would love to get more. They look great in a group. As seen in the Architectural Pottery catalog.
Knoll aluminum planters and a great 1930s lamp.
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Weekend / Stuff
It was a pretty good weekend. Ellamarie Woolley, Jack Boyd, some Eames toys ,George Nelson, Timo Sarpaneva, Van Keppel-Green, and La Gardo Tackett.
Jack Boyd
Ellamarie Woolley
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Southwestern College / Bruce Nauman
While I was at Southwestern College a few weeks ago checking out the original buildings before they get demolished, I paid a visit to "Dark" by Bruce Nauman.
The sculpture is "a 4’ by 4’ by 4” thick solid steel slab with the word “DARK” written on the bottom.
It was purchased as part of the Annual Purchase Award Exhibit: Outdoor Sculpture April 19 - May 10, 1968. $1900 of student funds were used to pay Nauman for the work.
Source: SPEAKOUT, Southwestern College Art Gallery, The First Decade
It was a controversy before it was even out of concept form. Source: Chula Vista Star News, 1968
Little old ladies in tennis shoes did not start this fire.
Source: Chula Vista Star News, 1968
Bob Matheny makes a great point.
Source: Chula Vista Star News, 1968
John Baldessari was an instructor at Southwestern College at the time and wrote an essay in defense of "Dark". Here are some of his key points, which are so good and so Baldessari. Read the full essay here.
The controversy went on for quite some time. Finally, a special Student Council meeting was held and after many tie votes, the decision was made to purchase the sculpture. This was the last Purchase Award Show for the college.
Source: SPEAKOUT, Southwestern College Art Gallery, The First Decade
Fast forward to 1981. Bruce Nauman is becoming a big deal and a New York art dealer approaches the school about selling "Dark". All but one board of trustees votes in favor of selling it off for an estimated $10,000.
Source: Chula Vista Star News, 1981
Luckily, the deal ended up "falling through" because Christies found out how much the sculpture weighed and worried their floor couldn't hold it.
Source: Chula Vista Star News, 1981
Today, Bruce Nauman is considered one of the greatest living artists and will soon have a retrospective at Tate Modern. He has also been included as one of the Top 10 Most Expensive Living American Artists. Not bad for a $1900 junior college art gallery purchase prize.
This brings us back to Baldessari's essay in defense of "Dark":
18. IT’S FOOLING PEOPLE TO BUY JUNK
Life is too short to go around fooling people. Art is long, and time will prove the value or non-value of this piece.
It's no doubt that "Dark" would have never made it to Southwestern College without Bob Matheny (1929-2020).
SPEAKOUT is a new website that chronicles the first decade of the Southwestern College Art Gallery, under Bob's healm. There are essays by Bob and Dave Hampton, along with an incredible timeline of the exhibitions held at Southwestern College.
The first exhibition held at the gallery created by Bob was John Baldessari - Paintings & Collages, Nov 13 - Dec 8, 1961. The controversy began right away. Sadly we lost both John and Bob recently.
Source: SPEAKOUT, Southwestern College Art Gallery, The First Decade
Source: John Baldessari quote from Welton Jone's article "Tiny Southwestern had huge impact on 60's San Diego," San Diego Union Tribune, 1994 via Spitting in the Wind by Dave Hampton
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Weekend / Stuff
Roy McMakin for Domestic Furniture chest of drawers and nightstands. Alvar Aalto stools, La Gardo Tackett and Dansk rare woods tray.
Hans Bellmann stool
Desert pickings
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Weekend / Stuff
Jack Boyd sculpture, a bench and ceramics by Jean Balmer and
Adam Silverman
More desert picking. The Boyd isn't for sale, but the house is...
Kaufmann Desert House by Richard Neutra
Source: Wall Street Journal
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Maurice Martiné / Martines
1937 college humor magazine from USC. The cover drawing is by Maurice Martines, who later changed his name to Maurice Martiné. There has been a bit of mystery on whether or not his name was Martinez, with a "Z" or not. Some speculated he changed it to avoid discrimination of having a hispanic name. It actually turned out to be that he thought Martiné had panache and was more suitable for a designer.
During his studies at USC, Martiné studied under Glen Lukens. And last month at Bonhams a Lukens bowl from the Martiné estate came up for sale.
His Eames lounge chair and ottoman were also up for grabs.
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Weekend / Stuff
Ettore Stottsass, Bruno Gambone, Paolo Soleri and Mario Bellini
Kipp Stewart and Stewart MacDougall for Glenn of California
Richard Galef for Ravenware and Tom Tramel
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Weekend / Stuff
Eugene Weston stools for Modern Color Inc.. Ettore Sottsass phone and an Alvar Aalto chair.
This is actually from the weekend before last. I was distracted by the fate of democracy and all that.
Weed pots and a sculpture from 1983.
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Gene Loose / Laurel Canyon
I was in Laurel Canyon this weekend and happened upon this house. I was told it was designed by Gene Loose. He was also involved in the design of at least three to four other houses on the cul-de-sac.
There is not much information out there on Loose. In 1950, the 24 year old redhead was living in Laurel Canyon and teaching architectural design at Chouinard. He was there until 1960.
One of the other houses by Loose.
This one too and it is currently for lease through Crosby Doe.
This development was part of a class project that included the purchase of 1,742 acres of land in Laurel Canyon. Many of the students were ex-Gls who needed homes during the post-war housing shortage. Gene's idea was to provide practical knowledge to the students as they worked together on the construction to eliminate labor costs. Lots from the initial land purchase were sold off to help fund the construction. Twelve students participated in the project, although as of 1950 only 7 homes were built.
Photo: Los Angeles Times, 1950
He was really into floating boxes.
Source:Arts + Architecture
Source:Arts + Architecture
A pool house by Loose.
In 1950 Loose teamed up with Kipp Stewart on this house design.
Source:Arts + Architecture
Doesn't the overall footprint and arched roof section of this 1951 house by Gene looks like the design above?.
Source: Take Sunset
Source: Eames Office
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Weekend / Stuff
Gross Wood, Ettore Sottsass and Frederick Weinberg
One of my extra curricular activities in digging through stacks of yard sticks.
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Weekend / Stuff
Modernist plywood
Dora De Larios
Ring a ding ding
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Weekend / Stuff
Herman Miller fabric, Van Keppel-Green ottoman, Marg Loring owl, Paul Vokening and Howard Warner
I'm really fortunate to have some works by Bob Matheny.
And also a mask from Bob's wonderful wall of masks.
This photo is from a visit to Bob's house on New Year's day.
2020 has been rough.
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Harry Crosby / Tijuana 1964
Tijuana 1964: The Photography of Harry Crosby
The Modern San Diego newsletter alerted me to this exhibition currently taking place at the La Jolla Historical Society. It has been extended to January 10th so there's still time to check it out.
Harry Crosby moved to La Jolla in 1935 when he was just a boy. He was as a science teacher at La Jolla High School in the 1950s and then then pursued a career in photography. One of his early assignments was to photograph Tijuana. This exhibition, Curated by Melanie Showalter, includes some of those photos.
His photos were used in various publications during that era.
Most of the photos in the exhibition are shot in a sort of documentarian style. There are a lot of wonderful images of what you'd expect to see in Tijuana-- craft vendors, taco stands and various street scenes. They're great but what about the architecture?
Crosby documented that as well and this photo is one of the best examples.
The Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) in Tijuana followed the government's program of modern architecture that was started in the late 1940s. Architects like Carlos Obregón Santacilia, Felix Candela and Mario Pani were used to bring Mexico into the "modern" era. There was a similar building as this constructed in Mexicali around the same time.
Tijuana airport
School is in Colonia Chapultepec. It was the affluent area of the city and it turns out, a hotbed of modern architecture.
Luckily, it's still there.
Source: Google Maps
Here is another angle by Harry.
I knew there were a lot of modern houses built in Chapultepec but never saw much proof. Harry documented quite a few of them.
This one and most of the upcoming images are not in the exhibition. They come from his archive at UCSD.
Source: UCSD
Source: UCSD
Source: UCSD
Source: UCSD
So the question is, are any of them left?
Source: UCSD
I knew this one had good bones. I posted this photo on Instagram in 2015 when I was exploring the arera. By exploring, I mean I was down the street at "Taco Alley", which is a stretch of taco shops. Anthony Bourdain visited here and ate at Las Ahumaderas when he did his episode on Baja and Tijuana.
I've been meaning to explore this area more. Just from the little bit I've seen I can tell you you that there has been a lot of remodels.
I sure hope this one is still standing.
Source: UCSD
Source: UCSD
It wasn't just Chapultepec with all the modern. Crosby was there to see the construction of the Puerta Mexico or "La Concha" at the US-Mexico border crossing.
Source: UCSD
Mario Pani managed the project for the government but delegated the Puerta Mexico building to a former employee of his, architect Manuel Larrosa. Larrosa, a graduate of the National School of Architecture, had also worked with concrete hyperbolic paraboloid concrete shell master Felix Candela. That influence is evident in the design. Read more
Source: UCSD
I have vivid memories of crossing this bridge. It had lost a lot of its shine by the time I made it.
Source: San Diego Union Tribune
It was demolished in 2015.
Source: AFN
I don't want to end this on a sad note, so here is a survivor. This bank lobby that was on Revolucion.
Source: UCSD
The building is still there and it's still a bank. Also, I guess that guy hates Google.
The building was constructed in 1929 by the Compañía Comercial de Baja California . It housed "The Big Curios Store." Starting in the 1940s it was the headquarters of different banks. In 1964 when Crosby photographed it, Banco de Baja California was there. Today it's an HSBC. I'm guessing the furniture is not as good.
Source: Google Maps
This won't be the last post on this. I'll be heading down to Tijuana to do some more exploring. If you have any leads, let me know.
I highly recommend seeing the exhibition at the La Jolla Historical Society. There is also a book available.
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Weekend / Stuff
Alvar Aalto, Lisa Johansson Pape "Apila" Stool and some Scandinavian smalls.
Tony Paul in the front and a mystery in the back.
Robert Maxwell
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