Denver Modern Homes

This year’s tour includes two modernist homes…

Recently renovated and locally landmarked –

Labrot House by Hobart Wagener.

Charles Haertling’s Willard House

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5th

11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6

No children under 10

For more information and where to purchase tickets: Historic Boulder

Posted by Shannon @ 5280mod

Posted by 5280mod

Beginning October 30th, the Denver Film Society will be screening this outstanding  documentary about photographer Julius Shulman.

Design Within Reach Boulder will also be screening this film in their studio on Thursday, October 29th. Please contact boulder@dwr.com for time and to RSVP.

5280mod highly recommends you see this film!

2009 is turning out to be the year of Modernism.

5280mod and Historic Denver, Inc. have already co-lead two Modernism Tours in 2009…one for Colorado Preservation, Inc.’s annual conference and another for the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Partners Retreat.

We are very encouraged to see mid-century modern architecture achieving historically significant status. There a handful of one-owner, architect designed, mid-century modern homes coming available in the next few weeks and months. Please contact us if you are interested in purchasing and preserving an historic modern home.

We hope to see you on the Home Tour or at the Kirkland Museum!

Posted by Shannon Stanbro of 5280mod

Hilltop - June 6th & 7th

Historic Denver, Inc. has been a long time advocate for preserving the City’s mid-century modern architecture. Here’s your chance to explore the work of some of Colorado’s outstanding modernist architects while supporting much needed preservation efforts.

Click on the flyer for additional information.

Remodels to older homes are a complex proposition to begin with…they get more so when the owner has a modern design sensibility, wants the home to reflect it, but the house is older and was built according to a different time and idea of living. This is the case with many homes in the older neighborhoods of Denver. The key to successfully integrating an older home with a modern addition is to focus on the ideas behind each part, old and new. Older homes might have certain visual rhythms and proportions to massing and windows, and your modern addition can be designed to respect and work with those. Modern plans focus on open spaces that blur into one another, both indoors and out, and strategically “opening up” walls and views within an older, more divided home can achieve a good balance between different time periods in the same home.

With the economy in such turmoil, people are looking for ways to save some money anywhere they can. Green technology is appealing for its lifetime energy savings, but it might be hard to think of things like solar panels when you want to economize wherever you can. If you’re planning a new, modern home anyway, passive green design elements can be easily incorporated into the plans. Think of deep overhangs to shade windows in the summer, operable windows at the high end of a sloping roof to let out hot air, and placing windows for maximum shade, views, and ventilation, which will cut your cooling costs. Elements like these are true to the principles of modernist architecture and will add to a project that’s both energy-efficient and aesthetically pleasing.

The controversial architect will be discussing recent museum projects, including Denver’s Clyfford Still Museum, this evening at the Denver Art Museum. 

5:30 in the Sharp Auditorium.  Free to the public.

http://www.clyffordstillmuseum.org/events.html