Ultra Swank - Retro Adventures

modernism

Modernism Week – Coast to Coast Cool

A mecca for all things mid-century modern, Palm Springs once again showcases its world-famous modern design, architecture, and culture with the 11-day festival know as Modernism Week. Modernism was a popular design aesthetic originating in the 1950s and ’60s, which typified clean, simple lines with elegant informality. It came to define desert modernism as a sought-after architectural genre. Modernism Week has become one of the...

1950s Vintage Accessories for your Home

In the 1950s many countries were recovering from WWII. Across Britain, towns and cities were being rebuilt and redeveloped, more women were working in office and industries than ever before, and a sense of post-war optimism was beginning to flourish. What did this mean for interior décor? Homes had to be practical, with kitchen and cleaning to help the modern man and woman get housework...

Playboy Inspired DIY Home Lounge

Taking its inspiration from the original Playboy Club, located in downtown Chicago, this DIY built music wall is not only a homage to the electronic entertainment wall that was installed at the Chicago club in 1964 but also takes it one step further by enhancing it with modern technology. The designer was determined to have a room to call his own and used his carpentry...

1960s Whitney Smith Designed Modernism Home

This lovely modernism designed home was built in the 1960s by architect Whitney Smith who was made famous through the Case Study Homes program in post WWII California. The house is located in Alhambra in the US and like many other Mid Century homes it was built in the typical ‘glass box’ theme with high ceilings and positioned conveniently on a hilltop, creating a spectacular...

Video

Interesting trailer from the upcoming documentary entitled Coast Modern which takes you on a trip back in time to look for the origins of Modernism architecture and how its style and look became associated with the west coast of the US. The release date for the documentary is set for autumn this year, meanwhile you can read their blog. Filmmakers Michael Bernard and Gavin Froome...

At the top of the World
Written by Christopher in Architecture

At the top of the World

This house, located in Santiago, Chile was designed by native architect Mathias Klotz Germain and was built for a family with eleven (yes eleven!) daughters. The first floor houses entertainment and social areas, the second floor all of the bedrooms and the top floor includes the kitchen, viewing area and the master bedroom. The base of the construction is made up with concrete and steel...

Swedish Modernism and Functionalism

I’ve always had a keen interest in architecture, nowadays it seams bigger than ever. Probably because I have been lucky enough to find some interesting books at my college library about the modernism and functionalism in Sweden. The modernism architecture was introduced in Sweden during the Stockholm International Fair in 1930 and really set a standard for the design and lifestyle during the following decades....

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