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Home > Archives for Charles Phoenix

2008

by

Chairperson

Adriene Biondo, 2005-2008

Alan Lieb, 2008-2009

Milestones in the Community

  • Dwell on Design Conference is launched. this conference later adds tours of Modern Homes to its offerings

Meeting Locations

Event

The ultimate Nichols wedding at historic Agua Caliente.

Advocacy

Lou Ehlers Cadillac

1955 car showroom designed by Stiles Clements Associates. One of the most significant automobile showrooms in the country. After a brief preservation effort, it was quickly demolished before advocacy could occur.
https://www.laconservancy.org/locations/lou-ehlers-cadillac-demolished

Tangents

MAK Architecture Tour

Tour produced in partnership with the Hammer Museum groundbreaking exhibition Between Earth and Heaven: The Architecture of John Lautner on view July 13-October 12, 2008 in Westwood, focused on the work of John Lautner. Included: Harpel Residence (1956), Tyler Residence (1953) Schwimmer Residence (1982) Jacobsen Residence (1947), Harvey Residence (1950) Reiner-Burchill Residence also known as Silvertop (1963) Sheats-Goldstein Residence (1963).

Shag: A-Z: A BLAB! Storybook

by Shag  (Author), Monte Beauchamp (Editor) – March 5, 2008

Havana Before Castro: When Cuba Was a Tropical Playground Perfect

by Peter Moruzzi– August 1, 2008
https://www.amazon.com/Havana-Before-Castro-Tropical-Playground/dp/1423603672/ref=llvn-20

Frank Lloyd Wright the Buildings

by Alan Hess  (Author), Alan Weintraub (Photographer), – October 21, 2008

2006

by

Chairperson

Adriene Biondo, 2005-2008

Milestones in the Community

  • Palm Springs Modernism Show & Sale by Dolphin Promotions and an annual symposium is organized by the Palm Springs Art Museum’s Architecture and Design Council, showcase the world-renowned midcentury modern architecture of Palm Springs. This was an outgrowth of an earlier “20th Century” show that began in 2000.

Meeting Locations

Event

Spectacular Vernacular Tour

details

Advocacy

Capitol Records Building

HCM Nomination written by ____

The Foster Residence in Balboa Highlands

Successful HCM #848 nomination of Mid Century Modern home designed by A. Quincy Jones and Frederick Emmons. Nomination written by Mary-Margaret Stratton.

HCM 848 1

 

Mullen and Bluett building

1949 department store designed in great detail by Stiles O. Clements was demolished in 2006 alongside the 1936 Phelps-Terkel store by Morgan, walls and Clements.
https://www.laconservancy.org/locations/mullen-and-bluett-demolished

Tangents

MAK Architecture Tour

The 2006 fundraiser tour on October 1, 2006 featured houses by Modernist masters including Irving Gill, Frank Lloyd Wright, Rudolph Schindler, John Lautner and Pierre Koenig. It concentrated on residencies around the Hollywood Hills.

Americana the Beautiful: Mid Century Culture in Kodachrome

Coffee table book written by Charles Phoenix published in June 2006
https://www.amazon.com/Americana-Beautiful-Mid-Century-Culture-Kodachrome/dp/1883318548/ref=llvn-20

Oscar Niemeyer: Houses

by Alan Hess  (Author), Alan Weintraub  (Photographer) – May 16, 2006
https://www.amazon.com/Oscar-Niemeyer-Houses-Alan-Hess/dp/0847827984/ref=llvn-20

Organic Architecture: The Other Modernism

by Alan Hess  (Author), Alan Weintraub  (Photographer) – August 2, 2006
https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Architecture-Modernism-Alan-Hess-ebook/dp/1586858572/ref=llvn-20

Atomic Ranch: Design Ideas for Stylish Ranch Homes

by Michelle Gringeri-Brown  (Author), Jim Brown (Photographer) – August 29, 2006
https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Ranch-Design-Ideas-Stylish/dp/1423600029/ref=llvn-20

Eichler Network

The Eichler Network Newsletter changes its name to CA-Modern Magazine since 2006

2003

by

Chairperson

Alan Lieb, 2001-2004

Milestones in the Community

Hollywood Star Lanes Bowling Alley – filming site of the Big Lebowsky is torn down.

 

 

Meeting Locations

Event: “Built by Beckett Centennial Celebration”

Tour of buildings by Welton Beckett and Associates. Event also includes a presentation at Beckett designed Cinerama Dome. Members of the Beckett family are in attendance.

beckett-cinerama-GenaroMolinaLAT beckett2 beckett7 beckett10 beckett-slides2 beckett-interior-LAT

Download Tour Map as a PDF

Advocacy

Holiday Bowl

Designed by Armet and David in 1958 – part of a long preservation battle that concluded with the salvation of the coffee shop. The bowling alley is demolished.

Ambassador Hotel Presentation

Panel Discussion on preservation options

limo front-petenix coffeeshop fromaudience

Tangents:

Mondo Tiki and Mondo Vegas Tour

Mondo Tiki event at the Hard Rock Hotel and Mondo Vegas bus tour on Friday Night, April 18thconducted by MM Stratton and Eric Lynxwiler ended just in time for cocktails at 9PM at Taboo Cove (Designed by SHAG and ___at the Venetian. Highlights included: The Infamous Giant Aku Aku Moai from the Stardust Hotel, 1950s and 1960s Boulder Highway Googie motels, Neon Sign Museum at Fremont Street, 1955 National Register Moulin Rouge, Narrated History of Vegas and the Strip.

logo

Apartment Living is Great

Leslie Marlene Siegel produces an exhibit and book celebrating Los Angeles graphic dingbats at the Outre Gallery in Melbourne, Australia

Art Cars at the Petersen Museum

Event is introduced by Michael Palumbo, former ModCom chair

MAK Architectural Lovell Houses Tours

November 1, 2003 tour featured the two houses designed for Philip Lovell: Lovell Health House (Richard Neutra, 1929) and Lovell Beach House (R.M. Schindler, 1926).

Book of Tiki signing

Book signing at La Luz de Jesus Gallery and Wacko book store solidifies the important place of Tiki in preservation of Mid Century architecture and design

Southern California in the ’50s: Sun, Fun and Fantasy

Book by Charles Phoenix is published June 1, 2003
https://www.amazon.com/Southern-California-50s-Sun-Fantasy/dp/1883318491/ref=llvn-20

2002

by

Chairperson

Alan Lieb, 2001-2004

Milestones in the Community

Meeting Locations

Article on the Modern Committee – Photo at Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank – Not sure where article appeared?

bobs big boy

Advocacy

Johnnies Broiler

Coffee Shop in Downey is determined eligible for the California Register.

Ambassador College of Fine Arts and Sciences

Ambassador College campus was sold to private developers. These historic buildings in Pasadena Lost

 

Tangents

MAK Tour

October 20, 2002 self-driving tour of Richard Neutra’s Van Cleef House (1942), R.M. Schindler’s Tischler House (1949-50) and Craig Ellwood’s Broughton House (1950).

God Bless Americana Book

First coffee table produced based on the retro vacation road trip slide collections of Charles Phoenix
https://www.amazon.com/God-Bless-Americana-Charles-Phoenix/dp/1558686444/ref=llvn-20

A. Quincy Jones

Seminal review of the work of the FAIA architect by Cory Buckner  released June 5, 2002
https://www.amazon.com/Quincy-Jones-Cory-Buckner/dp/0714840742/ref=llvn-20

Eichler: Modernism Rebuilds the American Dream

Eichler Network founder Marty Arbunich along with author Paul Adamson expose the Eichler story to the masses. It is not the first book on Eichler Homes, but it is the best. November 30, 2002
https://www.amazon.com/Eichler-Modernism-Rebuilds-American-Dream/dp/1586851845/ref=llvn-20

Future Perfect: Vintage Futuristic Graphics

Another Taschen Icon Series book by Jim Heimann – September 1, 2002
https://www.amazon.com/Future-Perfect-Vintage-Futuristic-Graphics/dp/3822815667/ref=llvn-20

1999

by

Chairperson

Chris Nichols, 1998-1999

Michael Palumbo, 1999-2001

Milestones in the Community

  • LottaLiving Online Community is born. Initiated by Mary-Margaret Stratton in order to widen the net of preservation to advocates beyond the Southern California area.
    www.lottaliving.com/bb
    online_lotta2
  • Palm Springs Modern Committee – PS Modcom is founded in part by ModCom member Peter Moruzzi
    www.psmodcom.org

Meeting Locations

Advocacy

Van De Kamps Windmill

Denny’s propses to demolish the giant Dutch windmill on top of the 1967 Route 66 (Huntington Drive in Arcadia) folded plate roof coffee shop designed by Pasadena architects Harold Bissner and Harold Zoo. Mary-Margaret and Cary Stratton don handmade paper windmill hats that garner much needed publicity at a rally. The building is preserved. The windmill actually starts to operate again in 2016 – the first time since 1989.
https://www.laconservancy.org/locations/dennys

windmill 

Tangents:

Cruising the Pomona Valley 1930-1970 Tour

Ad hoc tour and booklet produced by Charles Phoenix that also included an in-depth tour of the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds. Given on June 15, 1999
https://www.amazon.com/Cruising-Pomona-Valley-1930-thru/dp/0967292107/ref=llvn-20

Leis, Luaus, and Alohas: The Lure of Hawai’i in the Fifties (Island Treasures)

Book co-written by Fred E. Basten and Charles Phoenix published in July, 1999
https://www.amazon.com/Leis-Luaus-Alohas-Fifties-Treasures/dp/0896103978/ref=llvn-20

Fabulous Las Vegas in the ’50s: Glitz, Glamour and Games

Book of pure kitsch from Elvis to Liberace, Ann Margret to Sinatra and more, co-written by Fred E. Basten and Charles Phoenix published October 1, 1999
https://www.amazon.com/Fabulous-Las-Vegas-50s-Glamour/dp/188331805X/ref=llvn-20

Sins of the City: The Real Los Angeles Noir

The author, Jim Heimann, gives a lecture on the other sinful side of L.A. at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. The book is releases May 1, 1999
https://www.amazon.com/Sins-City-Real-Angeles-Noir/dp/0811823199/ref=llvn-20

1998

by

Chairperson

Chris Nichols, 1998-1999

Milestones in the Community

  • Modern Committee Website is launched initiated by Mary-Margaret Stratton
    320_983699530
  • Charles Phoenix First “Americana” Slide Show first showed his slides to ModCom members. His first public event, entitled “God Bless Americana: The Retro Vacation Slide Show of the USA”, was held at the California Map and Travel Store in Los Angeles in 1998. What begins as a friendly get-together mushrooms into a phenomenon. His outreach ends up bring Modern kitsch images to the masses
    http://www.charlesphoenix.com/
    _DSC0281

Meeting Locations

Events

A Place in the Sun: Architecture of Wayne McAllister 1928-1961

Exhibit honors the influential work of Wayne McAllister showcasing his career from 1930s drive-in restaurants to Las Vegas hotels in the 1950s

wayne3

Terminal Island Long Beach Tour

 

Ad hoc self-driving caravan tour produced by Daniel Paul

1998 terminal island tour

Advocacy

Albert Frey Gas Station in Palm Springs – check this date

Modcom travels to speak on behalf of the Tramway Gas Station at the PS City Council

Cinerama Done

Pacific Theaters, proposed a project that would have destroyed the theater’s existing plaza, box offices, and marquee. Modcom contributed to the efforts of Doug Haines to save the iconic theater in Hollywood (along with Hollywood Heritage and Friends of Cinerama) which was made an HCM on December 18, 1998.
https://www.laconservancy.org/locations/cinerama-dome

Tangents

MAK Center Schindler Tour

Tour on November 6 – 7, 1998 presented: Sachs Apartments (1926-1928, 1934-1940), Grokowsky House (1928), Elliot House (1930), Yates Studio (1938, remodeled 1998), Falk Apartments (1939-1940), Roth House (1945), and Laurelwood Apartments (1946-1949).

May I Take Your Order: American Menu Design 1920-1960

A book which sheds light on many obscure Los Angeles eateries by Jim Heimann  June 1, 1998
https://www.amazon.com/May-Take-Your-Order-1920-1960/dp/0811817830/ref=llvn-20

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