Esoteric Survey

Neutra VDL studio and house. Originally built in 1932 and reconstructed after a fire in 1963, the house was designed for Neutra and his family. It was named the VDL Research House because it financed with a no interest loan from Cees H. Van der Leeuw, a Dutch industrialist.
On Saturday evening, Bonhams presented Le Corbusier's Baigneuse, barque et coquillage (Painted between 1934 - 1947). Head of Modern & Impressionist Art, India Phillips spoke about the painting. It will be up for sale in March at the Impressionist & Modern Art auction in London. 



Tackett!
As you can see in this 1966 photo with Richard Neutra, this section of the roof was once a "cooling roof". If you look close, you can see the Tackett pot back there. 
Photo: Julius Shulman
Neutra stairs are some of the best.
Le Corbusier through the window.
Cell phones aren't the best for night photos.

Demolition of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Lockridge Medical Clinic building in Whitefish, Montana. It was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1958 ands completed after his passing. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: Matt Baldwin

It's the first usable Wright-designed building to be demolished in over 40 years. It was initially designed as a medical clinic, then it became First State Bank, and more recently it was an attorney's office.

Source: Wikimedia

Mick Ruis, a developer, agreed to sell the 5,000-square-foot building for $1.7 million, $100,000 more than what he bought it for. He made this offer after preservationists heard of the demolition plans. Ruis ultimately rejected the offer from an LLC set up by the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy. This was despite receiving his asking price of $1.7 million and a deposit. He kept changing his terms and demanded a deposit that was 50% higher, and non-refundable. He also changed his deadline multi…

String Chair by Robert J Ellenberger for CALFAB
Milo Baughman for Glenn of California
Have I ever mentioned that I like iron?
Italian ceramic

Medical office in Tucson by Scholer Sakellar and Fuller (1954)



Wild, right?

Martin Perfit for Rene Brancusi table, Earthgender pot and magazine holder by Tony Paul for Woodlin-Hall
Jack Boyd
Good California paper stack
There's something important hiding back there.
John Follis file
Eames
Very serious stuff

I stayed at a geodesic dome home in Santa Fe.
The architect built the dome in 1979 for his parents. It is constructed of two thin layers of concrete over a steel frame. The passive solar design with what seems like incredible insulation made for a toasty stay. That's coming from a thin-skinned San Diegan who is not used to 30 degree temperatures. 
Dome door

Crossroads Motel on Central Ave (formerly Route 66) in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

1966 Postcard with the Route 66 sign in the median. The route was decommissioned in 1985. Central Avenue is a pretty great time capsule of roadside businesses that serviced the historic highway. 


The motel was known as the "The Crystal Palace" in Breaking Bad.  The reviews of the hotel are interesting. It seems like if you're not a Breaking bad fan, it's a dump. 


The pool looks a little sketchy.

Central Avenue had been under construction for quite some time. They were working on the Albuquerque Rapid Transit (ART) bus line. People were up in arms about about the project when I was there last year. It's done now and it looks like a lot of new investment is going into the area.

Albuquerque Boys Club (1954). A pretty interesting triple quonset.


Albuquerque is a little rough around the edges, but I like it.

Photo: Ernst Haas, 1969