Happy Birthday, Oscar!

 

 Image © unknown, 1972

Even though he thinks that turning 102 today is "crap," Oscar Niemeyer has quite a bit to be thankful for.  Not only is he one of the greatest architects of the modern era of International Style, he has also reached a milestone few live long enough to experience.

Born in Rio de Janiero in 1907, Niemeyer has created some of the world's most memorable structures.  Among the most famous are his work with  Le Corbusier on the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the design of Brasilia (Brazil's planned capital city), and the Niteroi Contemporary Museum of Art.    Niemeyer's spectacular use of reinforced concrete allowed him to experiment with modern design and create lasting monuments for the world to enjoy.

Brazilian National Congress in Brasilia

 Image © Eurico Zimbres, 2006 

Oscar Niemeyer is truly a world treasure.  Happy Birthday, Oscar!

Mid-Century Travel Poster Art

Travel anyone? Travel during the mid-century modern era was made easier by the burgeoning airline industry.  The introduction of the Douglas DC-8 and the Boeing 707 jets in the late fifties, helped shorten the world by literally leaps and bounds.  The jet age ushered in a new class of traveler: the “jet set.”  The “jet set” exemplified modern travel and luxury.  Airlines quickly capitalized on avant-garde modern motifs in their advertisements and travel posters to lure in passengers.   The artists who created these iconic pieces of art captured the timeless feel and excitement of the jet age.  Now collector’s items, these posters still evoke a sense of modern adventure.

Among the many mid-century era travel artists, a few clearly stood apart such as, David Klein, Stan Galli, and Tom Hayne.  David Klein painted the famous Fifth Avenue night scene for TWA’s New York poster which captured the nightlife in a simple colorful cubist style.  Klein created several other equally modern posters that transported you visually to faraway places and exotic locales.   Stan Galli painted equally exciting posters for United Air Lines, but perhaps none more exciting as seen in the captivating Hawaii outrigger poster.  Tom Hayne, another artist commissioned by United, painted travel scenes that emphasized modern architecture such as the twin Marina City towers in Chicago.  Another United poster features a unique perspective: faint sailboats on Lake Michigan as viewed between the two Mies van der Rohe designed Internationalist Style Lake Shore Drive apartments in Chicago. 

Original posters can be quite pricey; however, inexpensive reproductions can be purchased online.  Moreover, what better way to travel back in time by seeing these classics on your wall.

Thermo-Con House

The United States Army has always been known for its power and military campaigns; however, it has never been properly noted for modern architecture. Situated at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, just 14 miles south of Washington, D.C., is an Internationalist Style modern structure that immediately stands out from the traditional brick colonial style military housing. This structure is called the Thermo-Con House.

According to the Fort Belvoir Housing History site, the Thermo-Con House was built as a prototype for the US Army in 1949 using a special concrete building technology developed by Higgins Resources (known for the famous WWII Higgins boats). Albert Kahn Associates, Inc., famous for designing much of Detroit's business buildings and industrial facilities, designed the minimalist structure.

Historically, the Thermo-Con House was designated to billet the post Sergeant Major, yet today it serves as distinguished visitor's quarters. Since 1997, the Thermo-Con house has been on the Virginia Landmarks Register, and was renovated in 2000.