Mid-Century Modernist Buildings in Raleigh to be Demolished

Adam
10/07 07:56 AM

Perhaps I am ignorant but please tell me why this era of architecture should be so cherished? While historic (30-40 years old is historic?) and meaningful to the evolution of building design, they now stand in the way of more contemporary and useful building space. Even these pictures, which I am sure were shot by a skilled hand with a great camera, look horrible.

A common trend throughout the nation recently has been to replace these once futuristic, now severely uninviting structures with new and less historic (again, really?) stores and condos, and with good reason. I am all for the demolition of most of the buildings from this era. It is called progress.

RaleighRob
10/07 08:27 AM

^ Yeah, while I totally appreciate modernist design, I don’t think losing these specific buildings is such a bad thing.  I like modernist stuff….the Legislative Bldg or Dorton are two of my favorites, as well as the stuff on the Triangle Modernist home tours.  But this cluster barely rates on my radar.
If there’s an architectural type that’s TRULY rare & endangered in Raleigh, it’s Art Deco, not Modernist.

matt
10/07 08:31 AM

For goodness’ sake, don’t start your rant admitting that “perhaps” you’re ignorant. Read up for a couple days and then get back to us with an informed opinion. And don’t eat that apple when the nice naked lady offers it to you. http://www.google.com/search?q=modernist+raleigh

John Morris
10/07 03:52 PM

These specific examples of midcentury architecture are not particularly pretty examples of the style, but they are also some of the oldest modern structures in the city (1949) and are therefore noteworthy. Although now they are inconspicuous and overlooked, at the time they were a bold statement in an era of tudor and neoclassical revival styles that mankind had seen for countless generations.

No one is advocating for their preservation or staging a protest. But allow us to ask the question: “Is what we’re getting better than what we’re losing?”

If we replace the slightly unique with something that is bland and generic, what have we gained as a society? Yes, we need not-super-expensive, high density housing downtown—but if the solution to that problem is dozens of cookie-cutter structures that all look the same, have we really progressed?

+1 for more renting options downtown. -1 for not trying to be at least a little bit creative or unique in the design.

Todd Morman
10/07 07:31 PM

RaleighRob, I appreciate your appreciation of Art Deco, but Raleigh really was an unlikely hub for mid-century modernist building and design. If you don’t know about the Catalano House, demolished 10 years ago, here’s a great place to start: http://www.jetsetmodern.com/catalano.htm It’s an amazing building, and that kind of fascinating experimental housing design is a quirky, brilliant element of Raleigh’s history, unique to the South, and one we should cultivate, preserve and treasure. The Gregg museum had a great little exhibit last fall about the group of designers that followed Henry Kamphoefner to NC State in the early 50s; anyone who didn’t see it or doesn’t know about the odd explosive flowering of modernist design here in town really should read up a bit before dismissing it. It’s very cool.

Todd Morman
10/07 08:26 PM

(Oops, I should have addressed most of that comment to Adam, not RaleighRob.)

renew raleigh
10/09 08:32 AM

when will the eyesore be demolished?  I for one will be there in celebration as I have been while watching the ratty CV ‘modernist’ buildings being torn down.  Once Raleigh is rid of all the past architectural mistakes, now deemed important and coveted, it will then become a city of the future!

rob
10/11 09:31 AM

Raleigh sucks a big phat one… they dont build anything cool around here. They also dont think big at all here, its been like that for years so you cant blame the recession. All they care about in Raleigh is brier creek, wakefield, and north hills there is no urbanity here. I would call Durham a real city before Raleigh. Raleigh needs to step its game up and make this place more physically attractive instead of just bragging about the same shit all the time like healthcare and schools. All that is good too but there needs to be more diversity here. Raleigh needs to grow the hell up and become adult in its thinking instead of and adolescent. If you dont watch out Durham will end up having more in its downtown than Raleigh.

Hate Mail
10/12 04:52 PM

Gay. Totally gay.