Esoteric Survey

After a seven year break, Mod Swap is back! 
On Saturday, December 9th, a crew of a dozen or so Midcentury collectors will be gathering in San Diego to unload some great vintage goods.
Mod Swap was last held in 2010, which can be seen here. The first was held at Keith York's Craig Ellwood house. Six swaps later,  it will now be hosted by One Bunk at their Barrio Logan headquarters. It's a great space and includes some indoor and outdoor areas. See more images at Hatch.

CLAREMONT MODERN: THE CONVERGENCE OF ART + ARCHITECTURE AT MIDCENTURY In conjunction with the exhibition Irving J. Gill: New Architecture for a Great Country, the San Diego History Center hosts the San Diego premiere of a 90-minute documentary examining the vital relationship between art, design and architecture in Claremont, California in the years following War II.Come explore the development of a major center of Midcentury Modern design and learn about the San Diego connections afterwards. The event begins with a light reception in SDHC’s Atrium, then moves next door to the Museum of Photographic Art theater, and concludes with discussion and a Q&A session with the film producer Paul Bockhorst and Keith York from Modern San Diego.San Diego History Center (SDHC) Atrium + Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) AuditoriumThursday, January 19, 2017 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.More info, here.
Dave Hampton is giving a talk the next day.
More info, here. 
In more Hampton related news, there will be a di…

Frank Lloyd Wright design for a Cinema in San Diego (1905)
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Legacy in San Diego: The Taliesin Architects In the decades following World War II, those who had studied under architect Frank Lloyd Wright in both Spring Green, Wisconsin and Scottsdale, Arizona through his Taliesin apprentice program, designed and built a fabulous array of structures throughout San Diego. Five of them – Sim Bruce Richards, Loch Crane, Frederick Liebhardt, Vincent Bonini and William Slatton lived and/or established their architecture practices in San Diego. In addition to these focal studies, the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and his two sons Lloyd Wright and John Lloyd Wright (the latter lived in Del Mar), as well as others heartily influenced by the Wright legacy will be presented.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Legacy in San Diego: the Taliesin Architects will frame the remarkably rich portfolio of work with architectural drawings and models; period and contemporary photographs; as well as objects an…

The Linton House (1955) by Lloyd Ruocco and the client, electrical engineer Russ Linton. 
Photo: Darren Bradley
Photo: Darren Bradley
Photo: Darren Bradley
Here is a cell phone shot I took when I toured it last week. This post and beam structure with tongue in groove ceilings is in incredible original condition. Douglas Fir plywood panels and cork flooring are used throughout the house. So are the custom corrugated fiberglass lighting fixtures. The use of modest materials is what modern for the masses was all about and this application is amazing.House flippers and anyone with thoughts of "updating" need not apply. The owners of the house are looking for the right caretakers to preserve this one owner gem. Modern San Diego will be hosting an open house Thursday, June 25 between 5-7 p.m. at 2524 44th Street, 92105.

Join Modern San Diego Real Estate this coming Saturday to preview architect Leonard Veitzer's Lincoff Residence (1964-66) before it hits the MLS.

In the early 1960s, Leonard Veitzer opened his office on 5th Avenue in Lloyd and Ilse Ruocco's Design Center Building where he worked alongside the region's leading architects, landscape architects and designers in a collaborative environment. The Lincoff Residence, published in Sunset Magazine, in 1967, is the byproduct of a unique collaboration between architects Leonard Veitzer and Guy Anderson, builder Ted Mintz, landscape architect Joe Yamada and artist Svetozar. See more HERE.Exclusive PreviewDate Saturday, May 16Time 2-5 p.m.Location 152 Old Ranch Road, Chula Vista 91910 

May 8th at 6PM: MOPA and Modern San Diego present a deeper look into Lynn G. Fayman: A Colorful Life. A hosted reception will be followed by a discussion about Fayman’s contribution to San Diego art and culture, led by David Hampton, accompanied by a presentation of important and never before seen Fayman works by MOPA’s Assistant Curator Chantel Paul. RSVP Here Lynn G. Fayman: A Colorful Life runs until May 11th
Fayman photos and Dr. Suess, who knew?

I went to check on the missingClaire Falkenstein sculpture at The San Diego Museum of Art sculpture garden. It looks like Accelerated Point is almost back in place, and it's not bolted down. Believe me, I thought about it. 
More here.
Night Presence II, 1976 by Louise Nevelsonis just in front of Accelerated Point.
The Timken Museum (1965) by Frank L. Hope and Associates is just across the plaza. John Mock led the design for the firm.
It's the one of only a couple pieces of non-Spanish Colonial Revival arc

Yes, San Diego is sunny in the winter and has some nice beaches.
There's also some great architecture, like the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics (1964) by Lloyd Ruocco
Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics (1964) by Lloyd Ruocco
Liebhardt, Frederick & Marianne Residence (1951) by Frederick Liebhardt & Eugene Weston 
House being demolished next to Scripps Institute of Oceanography
Monsees Professional Building (1959) by Frederick Liebhardt & Eugene Weston
Compact Houses by Herbert Brownell
Compact Houses by Herbert Brownell
Compact Houses by Herbert Brownell
Unknown in Pacific Beach
Unknown in Ocean Beach
Bailin Residence (1961) by Maggy Thomas Associates in Ocean Beach
Rhoda Lopez in Point Loma
Spec Houses 3 and 1 (above) by John Reed
If you find yourself in San Diego and want to see some architecture,

Ynez Johnston at the Mingei runs until June 17,2012 If you have been blowing it and haven't made it to the San Diego's Craft Revolution exhibit yet,  now would be the time to go.  You can also catch the Ynez Johnston and Northern Stars: Twentieth Century Finnish Design.  

Johnston 1940's fishy

Bad cell phone photo of a really great 50's piece by Johnston
Crazy detail
Northern Stars: Twentieth Century Finnish Design I'm generally not a Scandi guy, but some of those Finns were pretty good.

Timo Sarpaneva
Kaj Franck Nuutajarvi
Get your Tapio on
 Aalto Alto altar
Nokia prototypes. Too soon?
The Mingei hosted The San Diego Architecture Foundation's 14th installment of PechaKucha Photo: SDAF
Keith York of