modernist design

Frank Harmon Joins NCMH as Director of National Affairs

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NC Modernist Houses
Frank Harmon, FAIA (photo by William Morgan)

To coordinate with national architecture organizations, publications, and other non-profits.

North Carolina Modernist Houses (NCMH) announced today that renowned Raleigh architect Frank Harmon, FAIA, has joined the organization as Director of National Affairs.

Harmon has been an active advocate for NCMH’s mission to document, preserve, and promote Modernist residential design across the state since Executive Director George Smart founded the award-winning non-profit in 2007.

Over recent years, NCMH’s reach has expanded well outside North Carolina. The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation in New York City designated NCMH’s online archive as the official index for Rudolph’s residential work. Smart has addressed the National Trust for Historic Preservation and given presentations during Modernism Week in Palm Springs, California. The entire NCMH archive has also become the largest open digital archive of 20-century Modernist residential design in the nation, including an extensive Masters Gallery.

So when Harmon officially retired in November 2015 after 50 years in professional practice, Smart approached him about joining NCMH in an official capacity.

“Frank is very well known and respected throughout the architectural community, including on the national stage,” Smart said. “As a sought-after speaker, lecturer, and design awards jury chairman nation-wide, his contacts and influences are invaluable.”

He explained Harmon’s responsibilities as Director of National Affairs: “Frank will coordinate with national architecture organizations, publications, and other non-profits to focus attention on North Carolina Modernism and to further develop documentation, preservation, and promotion for NCMH. And with Frank’s participation, NCMH will create some of the best infrastructure for Modernist house documentation and preservation in the country.”

“NCMH is like an embassy for good design and I’m proud to be one of its ambassadors,” Harmon said.

For more information on NC Modernist Houses, visit www.ncmodernist.org.

redchair smAbout NC Modernist Houses: 

North Carolina Modernist Houses (NCMH) is an award-winning, 501C3 nonprofit organizations established in 2007 and dedicated to documenting, preserving, and promoting Modernist residential design. The website is now the largest open digital archive for Modernist residential design in America. NCMH also hosts popular architecture events every month and frequent home tours, giving the public access to the most exciting residential architecture, past and present. These tours and events raise awareness and help preserve these “livable works of art” for future generations. For more information: www.ncmodernist.org. Find NCMH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Modern Architecture Advocate/Archivist To Appear On NYC BlogTalkRadio Show

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December 10, 2009 (NEW YORK, NY) – What is “modernist” residential design and

George Smart, founder/director, Triangle Modernist Houses

why is it so important to preserve it? George Smart, founder and director of Triangle Modernist Houses.com, will answer these questions and many more when he appears as Larry Lane’s guest on “Sharing the Passion of Architecture,” a BlogTalkRadio show emanating from New York City. The show will air Monday, December 14, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

George Smart launched Triangle Modernist Archive, Inc. in 2007 to catalog, preserve, and advocate modernist residential design in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill “Triangle” region of North Carolina. The Triangle Modernist Houses (TMH) website – www.trianglemodernisthouses.com — maintains a vast gallery of home images and biographies of modernist architects who have had an impact on residential design in the area, both in the past and currently. TMH also keeps an up-to-date listing of modernist houses for sale and sponsors frequent tours of modernist houses throughout the Triangle region.

Recently, Smart has expanded the website to include over 589 photos of the work of internationally recognized “Modernist Icons,” such as Richard Meier, Charles Gwathmey, Pierre Koenig and Richard Neutra.

For Lane’s show, Smart will discuss the difference between “modernist” and “contemporary” residential design. He will also discuss what inspired him to take on the monumental task of surveying and cataloging all of the modernist houses in the Triangle area of North Carolina, how he goes about advocating for the preservation of houses he calls “more works of art than construction,” why these houses are endangered, and other related concerns.

Larry Lane is the principal of Lane Architecture + Design in New York, NY, as well as the host of “Sharing the Passion of Architecture.” To access his December 14th show, go to http://cdn1.blogtalkradio.com/search/larry-lane/ and click on the “play” button on the Lane Architecture box.

For more information on George Smart and Triangle Modernist Houses, visit www.trianglemodernisthouses.com

About Triangle Modernist Houses:

Triangle Modernist Archive, Inc. (TMA) is a North Carolina nonprofit organization committed to preserving, restoring, and growing modernist architecture.  Our primary public service is Triangle Modernist Houses (TMH), an award-winning, nonprofit educational archive for modernist residential design. TMH also hosts popular modernist house tours, design films, and trips several times a year, giving the public access to the Triangle’s most exciting residential architecture, past and present.  These events raise awareness and help preserve these works of art for future generations. For more information visit www.trianglemodernisthouses.com.