Kelvin / Albuquerque

The Kelvin Home (also known as the Raabe House or Kelvinator), 1938 by William Burk, Jr. in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

The house was built for local hardware store owner, Walter Raabe. Influenced by Le Corbusier and architecture seen at the 1933-34 Chicago World's Fair, he commissioned Burk, an instructor at the University of New Mexico, to design an International Style modern machine for living. The house also incorporated Kelvin appliances, which Raabe sold in his shop. Hence, the nickname. 

Sharon Karpinski put together a wonderful case study on the house, which can be seen at Albuquerque Modernism. It's what led me to the house. 

I was able to dig up some newspaper articles on the house and The Raabe & Mauger Hardware ad explains it all. There were several articles and ads promoting all aspects of the "ultra modern home."

Source: Albuquerque Journal, 1938 

Source: Albuquerque Journal, 1938 

Advertised as the "Home of Tomorrow," it claimed to be the first entirely air conditioned home in Albuquerque.  It was engineered to "conserve health and energy," "cut the cost of better living," and  eliminate "drudgery." 

A 1938 Nash was also advertised to be in the garage at the Kelvin. Nash had just merged with the Kelvinator Co. 

Source: Albuquerque Journal, 1938 

Phillip Shamberger was listed as the interior designer .

That upper lever was pretty great. 

Source: Albuquerque Journal, 1938 

In the 1970s, an addition was built above the garage. It was designed by the homeowner at the time, Edna Heatherington, who was studying architecture at the University of New Mexico. She described it as a “Theoretical Revival of an International Style House.” It was a very thoughtful addition and if I had never seen the original photo, I wouldn't have even known. However, I have and covering up the upper balcony is a shame. 

It looks like the right people live there, minus the satellite dish.