re: Out of the Office reply

kodachrome courtesy of the Stock Family Archive

Regional Modernism is on holiday.

Be back in a few weeks.

Modernism : Lost and FOUND!

Petrolane, 1352 Jefferson Highway, originally uploaded by regional.modernism. Charles L. Franck Photographers. The Historic New Orleans Collection

Mystery solved :: Architect of the Petrolane building on Jefferson Highway was F. Monroe Labouisse

Milton Scheuermann (Tulane School of Architecture class of 1956, member of TSA faculty for 50 years and counting) recollects:

"The building was designed by F. Monroe Labouisse, who at that time was partner in the firm of Goldstein, Parham & Labouisse. In fact, it was that building that made me decide that I wanted to work for the firm and I got my summer job as a 3rd year student with them. I had the greatest admiration for Labouisse.

Leaving New Orleans on Jefferson Highway the building was on the right at the last right turn of the S Curve leading to Ochsner Hospital after crossing the railroad tracks after entering into Jefferson Parish. I actually remember seeing the drawings for the building in the office as well as Labouisse's sketches. I believe there were only 2 or 3 sheets. It made my day!!!"

Thanks Milton! You just made my day.

Modernism: Lost and ...

Petrolane, 1352 Jefferson Highway, originally uploaded by regional.modernism.

This image was found via Louisiana Digital Libraries. Titled as "Petrolane, 1352 Jefferson Highway" by Charles L. Franck Photographers. source: The Historic New Orleans Collection.

Too fabulous to escape somebody's memory. Whodunnit?

Hoffman Elementary (yes we can!)

Hoffman Elementary (THREATENED), Section showing sun control and ventilation. 2622 Prieur Street, New Orleans, LA. Sol Rosenthal and Charles Colbert, architects, 1948-1954. Image source = Idea: The Shaping Force. SFMPOP Preliminary assessment: "complete replacement"
originally uploaded by regional.modernism.

While it's raining outside, the sun is shining on Hoffman Elementary and the residents of the Hoffman Triangle neighborhood. The Recovery School District has been seeking a demolition permit for Hoffman Elementary, even though the RSD currently does not have funds to rebuild a school on that site.

Yesterday the Neighborhood Conservation District Committee (NCDC) voted to DENY the RSD a demolition permit for Hoffman. The Hoffman structure is well-designed for our extreme climate and could definitely be adapted with contemporary advances in glazing and given a new life. Need inspiration? Look no further. A zeitgeist school design exists in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Munkegaard's School was designed by architect Arne Jacobsen 1952-1956. The Danes have taken good care of the school and it is still in use and fresh as the day it was born.

Thank you NCDC for returning a bit of faith in good government to this nearly weary warrior.

Comments on Wheatley coming soon...

Mystery modernist building

Mystery modernist building, originally uploaded by regional.modernism.

This photo arrived in my inbox yesterday. The owners of the photo thought that it may depict the since demolished St. Frances Cabrini School (Curtis and Davis, architects, 1956). I've seen some vintage photos of the school before, but don't remember it having a scalloped roof overhang.
There appears to be a PA system on the roof which could indicate a school.

Anyone recognize this structure?

Sacra Conversazione

DECONSTRUCTION: AN IMPRESSION OF VANISHING TREASURES
new paintings by Nell C. Tilton
June 6-30, 2009

Carol Robinson Gallery, 840 Napoleon Avenue (at Magazine Street)

Statement by the Artist

The focus of this exhibit is a collection of abstract paintings that recall elements of specifically two demolished buildings - one destroyed before Hurricane Katrina, the Rivergate Convention Center, and one demolished after and because of Katrina, St. Frances Cabrini Church in Gentilly.

My emphasis in these paintings is to capture the essence of the buildings and to represent the feeling of turmoil, destruction and a sense of loss for those creations by using form, color, value, and textural properties of the paint.

These structures were treasures because they were the result of a vision, a collaboration of many talented artists and craftsmen expressing their dream and creativity, special skills, abilities and brilliance through their art. They were places for a community to gather, exchange ideas, worship, practice commerce, or come together and celebrate. They were treasures because of the innovative designs and engineering feats that were revolutionary at the time of their construction in the 1960's.

My father, Nathaniel C. "Buster" Curtis, Jr. was an architect, artist, and historian. He loved people, his family, his heritage and his work. He was the Chief Project Architect and Director as well as the designer of the Rivergate Convention Center and held the same title for the Louisiana Superdome. He was a gentle, humble man who was very talented and proud of his accomplishments. He died in 1997, almost two years to the day after the demolition of the Rivergate began. This exhibit is dedicated to his memory and his love of architecture.

Form follows function

Hoffman Elementary (THREATENED), originally uploaded by regional.modernism.

This sectional diagram of the Hoffman Elementary School (Charles Colbert, 1948-1954) illustrates how the inverted steel truss spanning the roof provides both sun control and ventilation. The school is threatened with demolition and is on the NCDC agenda today June 1, 2009. Meeting is at City Hall Council Chambers, 1300 Perdido at 2 pm.