A Slow Home is properly oriented to the sun, prevailing winds, and immediate surroundings in orde... more A Slow Home is properly oriented to the sun, prevailing winds, and immediate surroundings in order to facilitate natural heating and cooling. STEWARDSHIP A Slow Home conserves land and water for future generations reinforces smart, compact city growth patterns, and makes a positive contribution to the community. ENTRY The front and back entries in a Slow Home are good-sized spaces of transition with adequate storage and, if possible, room for a bench. LIVING All indoor and outdoor living spaces in a Slow Home have good daylight, a natural focal point, and can accommodate a wide variety of uses without wasted space.
In the spring of 1936, Alden Dow prepared drawings of a residence for George Greene, an empioyee ... more In the spring of 1936, Alden Dow prepared drawings of a residence for George Greene, an empioyee at the Dow Chemical Company.
The Currie House, a carefully crafted residence of wood, glass, and brick, rests on a steeply slo... more The Currie House, a carefully crafted residence of wood, glass, and brick, rests on a steeply sloping, sparsely wooded site in the mid-twentieth century Highland subdivision of Blacksburg, Virginia. Set among standard brick split-level and ranch houses of the era, the Currie House has become a landmark since its construction in 1961. It is known locally as the "Pagoda House" for the prominent, sweeping hipped roof that shelters the one-and-a-half story square house.
The Tivadar and Dorothy Balogh House is a unique example of Modern residential architecture desig... more The Tivadar and Dorothy Balogh House is a unique example of Modern residential architecture designed by architect Tivadar Balogh for himself and his wife. Balogh, a graduate of the University of Michigan's College of Architecture and Design, designed the 1,600 sf residence while working in the office of fellow Michigan alumnus and modernist architect Robert C. Metcalf. Designed in 1957 and constructed between 1958 and 1959, the Balogh House is a two-story, wood beam and steel frame structure with a flat roof. The building's simple cubic form has been made more elegant by the
integration of a tall, open, entry court in the structure's southwest quadrant. The edges of the open volume are defined by a semi-transparent screen wall along the east elevation and the continuation of the roof plane and primary members of the
structural frame on the other elevations. Within the entry court a dramatic stair with open, thick, slab treads cantilevered from a central brick pier provides access to the house's main entrance a story above grade. The rear half of the house is anchored to the landscape by a concrete block basement that retains the sloping topography to the north. This allows the three -story downslope side of the house to be raised on thin steel columns giving the structure a feeling of lightness, and making it appear as if it is hovering among the branches of the trees like a modernist tree-house.
The Minoru and Teruko (Hirashiki) Yamasaki House is a two story, flat roof structure with an L-sh... more The Minoru and Teruko (Hirashiki) Yamasaki House is a two story, flat roof structure with an L-shaped plan . Constructed 1972 , it is a unique example of Japanese influenced Modern residential architecture designed by local architect Minoru Yamasaki for himself and his family . Yamasaki remarked that Japanese architecture sought a quality of serenity which he sought to incorporate into the design . He stated about his home, "Buildings should not awe and impress, but rather, serve as a thoughtful background for the activities of contemporary man. Basically, I wanted an understated house with large spaces. Most houses are too overstated with gables, tricky roofs . . . they try to be sensational. .. " The roof structure is comprised of truss joists with a built up flat roof, which extends beyond the exterior walls for shade. The exterior is clad in aluminum glazed curtain walls and beige colored brick. The openings are oriented to the northeast and the southwest to provide light and views of the surrounding property.
How to Build a House for $6,000; Fabricating Houses from Component Parts, 1957
FABRICATING HOUSES FROM COMPONENT PARTS is a spectacular manifesto of how to take advantage of th... more FABRICATING HOUSES FROM COMPONENT PARTS is a spectacular manifesto of how to take advantage of the post-war building boom. The book subtitle (How to Build a House for $6,000) signals Cherner's agenda that still resonates to this day. You might have to add a decimal place, though. Cherner was truly a renaissance man of the midcentury-modern movement -- his devotion to teaching, prefabrication and hands-on production probably handicapped him in the race to get into the pantheon of midcentury greats. While Charles Eames, George Nelson et al. were polishing their respective laurels, Cherner was teaching at the Teacher's College at Columbia University. Norman Cherner is recognized as one of the most original of a generation of designers that explored post-war technological innovations in industrial design and architecture. His Cherner Chair (1958) is one of the most successful examples of mid-century molded plywood seating, and has recently been reissued from the original molds and drawings by Cherner's sons. Norman Cherner studied and taught at the Columbia University Fine Arts Department and was an instructor at the Museum of Modern Art in New York from 1947 to 1949. At the same time he also began his practice, embarking on a lifetime exploration of multidisciplinary design. Although best known for his furniture design, his work included almost all aspects of design: from graphics, glassware and lighting, to his pioneering work in prefabricated housing. Having been educated in the Bauhaus tradition, he became interested in housing as industrial design. His first houses were built in 1948 for a cooperative in Ramapo, NY. These homes were examples of this total design concept and included affordable furniture designed specifically for these low-cost modular dwellings. One of his first pre-fabricated houses in the United States was the "Pre-built." It was designed, produced and assembled in 1957 for the U.S. Department of Housing. After being exhibited in Vienna it was shipped back to Connecticut and uncrated to become his first home and studio outside of New York City. Cherner's furniture designs include the "multi-flex" modular storage system, the "Konwiser Line" of furniture and lighting, and the molded plywood seating line for Plycraft in 1958 which became his most recognized design and is found in museums worldwide. His later work includes designs for Gunlock, Modernmode, Haworth and Directional.
A Slow Home is properly oriented to the sun, prevailing winds, and immediate surroundings in orde... more A Slow Home is properly oriented to the sun, prevailing winds, and immediate surroundings in order to facilitate natural heating and cooling. STEWARDSHIP A Slow Home conserves land and water for future generations reinforces smart, compact city growth patterns, and makes a positive contribution to the community. ENTRY The front and back entries in a Slow Home are good-sized spaces of transition with adequate storage and, if possible, room for a bench. LIVING All indoor and outdoor living spaces in a Slow Home have good daylight, a natural focal point, and can accommodate a wide variety of uses without wasted space.
In the spring of 1936, Alden Dow prepared drawings of a residence for George Greene, an empioyee ... more In the spring of 1936, Alden Dow prepared drawings of a residence for George Greene, an empioyee at the Dow Chemical Company.
The Currie House, a carefully crafted residence of wood, glass, and brick, rests on a steeply slo... more The Currie House, a carefully crafted residence of wood, glass, and brick, rests on a steeply sloping, sparsely wooded site in the mid-twentieth century Highland subdivision of Blacksburg, Virginia. Set among standard brick split-level and ranch houses of the era, the Currie House has become a landmark since its construction in 1961. It is known locally as the "Pagoda House" for the prominent, sweeping hipped roof that shelters the one-and-a-half story square house.
The Tivadar and Dorothy Balogh House is a unique example of Modern residential architecture desig... more The Tivadar and Dorothy Balogh House is a unique example of Modern residential architecture designed by architect Tivadar Balogh for himself and his wife. Balogh, a graduate of the University of Michigan's College of Architecture and Design, designed the 1,600 sf residence while working in the office of fellow Michigan alumnus and modernist architect Robert C. Metcalf. Designed in 1957 and constructed between 1958 and 1959, the Balogh House is a two-story, wood beam and steel frame structure with a flat roof. The building's simple cubic form has been made more elegant by the
integration of a tall, open, entry court in the structure's southwest quadrant. The edges of the open volume are defined by a semi-transparent screen wall along the east elevation and the continuation of the roof plane and primary members of the
structural frame on the other elevations. Within the entry court a dramatic stair with open, thick, slab treads cantilevered from a central brick pier provides access to the house's main entrance a story above grade. The rear half of the house is anchored to the landscape by a concrete block basement that retains the sloping topography to the north. This allows the three -story downslope side of the house to be raised on thin steel columns giving the structure a feeling of lightness, and making it appear as if it is hovering among the branches of the trees like a modernist tree-house.
The Minoru and Teruko (Hirashiki) Yamasaki House is a two story, flat roof structure with an L-sh... more The Minoru and Teruko (Hirashiki) Yamasaki House is a two story, flat roof structure with an L-shaped plan . Constructed 1972 , it is a unique example of Japanese influenced Modern residential architecture designed by local architect Minoru Yamasaki for himself and his family . Yamasaki remarked that Japanese architecture sought a quality of serenity which he sought to incorporate into the design . He stated about his home, "Buildings should not awe and impress, but rather, serve as a thoughtful background for the activities of contemporary man. Basically, I wanted an understated house with large spaces. Most houses are too overstated with gables, tricky roofs . . . they try to be sensational. .. " The roof structure is comprised of truss joists with a built up flat roof, which extends beyond the exterior walls for shade. The exterior is clad in aluminum glazed curtain walls and beige colored brick. The openings are oriented to the northeast and the southwest to provide light and views of the surrounding property.
How to Build a House for $6,000; Fabricating Houses from Component Parts, 1957
FABRICATING HOUSES FROM COMPONENT PARTS is a spectacular manifesto of how to take advantage of th... more FABRICATING HOUSES FROM COMPONENT PARTS is a spectacular manifesto of how to take advantage of the post-war building boom. The book subtitle (How to Build a House for $6,000) signals Cherner's agenda that still resonates to this day. You might have to add a decimal place, though. Cherner was truly a renaissance man of the midcentury-modern movement -- his devotion to teaching, prefabrication and hands-on production probably handicapped him in the race to get into the pantheon of midcentury greats. While Charles Eames, George Nelson et al. were polishing their respective laurels, Cherner was teaching at the Teacher's College at Columbia University. Norman Cherner is recognized as one of the most original of a generation of designers that explored post-war technological innovations in industrial design and architecture. His Cherner Chair (1958) is one of the most successful examples of mid-century molded plywood seating, and has recently been reissued from the original molds and drawings by Cherner's sons. Norman Cherner studied and taught at the Columbia University Fine Arts Department and was an instructor at the Museum of Modern Art in New York from 1947 to 1949. At the same time he also began his practice, embarking on a lifetime exploration of multidisciplinary design. Although best known for his furniture design, his work included almost all aspects of design: from graphics, glassware and lighting, to his pioneering work in prefabricated housing. Having been educated in the Bauhaus tradition, he became interested in housing as industrial design. His first houses were built in 1948 for a cooperative in Ramapo, NY. These homes were examples of this total design concept and included affordable furniture designed specifically for these low-cost modular dwellings. One of his first pre-fabricated houses in the United States was the "Pre-built." It was designed, produced and assembled in 1957 for the U.S. Department of Housing. After being exhibited in Vienna it was shipped back to Connecticut and uncrated to become his first home and studio outside of New York City. Cherner's furniture designs include the "multi-flex" modular storage system, the "Konwiser Line" of furniture and lighting, and the molded plywood seating line for Plycraft in 1958 which became his most recognized design and is found in museums worldwide. His later work includes designs for Gunlock, Modernmode, Haworth and Directional.
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Papers by Arnold Ziffel
integration of a tall, open, entry court in the structure's southwest quadrant. The edges of the open volume are defined by a semi-transparent screen wall along the east elevation and the continuation of the roof plane and primary members of the
structural frame on the other elevations. Within the entry court a dramatic stair with open, thick, slab treads cantilevered from a central brick pier provides access to the house's main entrance a story above grade. The rear half of the house is anchored to the landscape by a concrete block basement that retains the sloping topography to the north. This allows the three -story downslope side of the house to be raised on thin steel columns giving the structure a feeling of lightness, and making it appear as if it is hovering among the branches of the trees like a modernist tree-house.
aluminum glazed curtain walls and beige colored brick. The openings are oriented to the northeast and the southwest to provide light and views of the surrounding property.
Books by Arnold Ziffel
Cherner was truly a renaissance man of the midcentury-modern movement -- his devotion to teaching, prefabrication and hands-on production probably handicapped him in the race to get into the pantheon of midcentury greats. While Charles Eames, George Nelson et al. were polishing their respective laurels, Cherner was teaching at the Teacher's College at Columbia University.
Norman Cherner is recognized as one of the most original of a generation of designers that explored post-war technological innovations in industrial design and architecture. His Cherner Chair (1958) is one of the most successful examples of mid-century molded plywood seating, and has recently been reissued from the original molds and drawings by Cherner's sons.
Norman Cherner studied and taught at the Columbia University Fine Arts Department and was an instructor at the Museum of Modern Art in New York from 1947 to 1949. At the same time he also began his practice, embarking on a lifetime exploration of multidisciplinary design. Although best known for his furniture design, his work included almost all aspects of design: from graphics, glassware and lighting, to his pioneering work in prefabricated housing.
Having been educated in the Bauhaus tradition, he became interested in housing as industrial design. His first houses were built in 1948 for a cooperative in Ramapo, NY. These homes were examples of this total design concept and included affordable furniture designed specifically for these low-cost modular dwellings.
One of his first pre-fabricated houses in the United States was the "Pre-built." It was designed, produced and assembled in 1957 for the U.S. Department of Housing. After being exhibited in Vienna it was shipped back to Connecticut and uncrated to become his first home and studio outside of New York City.
Cherner's furniture designs include the "multi-flex" modular storage system, the "Konwiser Line" of furniture and lighting, and the molded plywood seating line for Plycraft in 1958 which became his most recognized design and is found in museums worldwide. His later work includes designs for Gunlock, Modernmode, Haworth and Directional.
integration of a tall, open, entry court in the structure's southwest quadrant. The edges of the open volume are defined by a semi-transparent screen wall along the east elevation and the continuation of the roof plane and primary members of the
structural frame on the other elevations. Within the entry court a dramatic stair with open, thick, slab treads cantilevered from a central brick pier provides access to the house's main entrance a story above grade. The rear half of the house is anchored to the landscape by a concrete block basement that retains the sloping topography to the north. This allows the three -story downslope side of the house to be raised on thin steel columns giving the structure a feeling of lightness, and making it appear as if it is hovering among the branches of the trees like a modernist tree-house.
aluminum glazed curtain walls and beige colored brick. The openings are oriented to the northeast and the southwest to provide light and views of the surrounding property.
Cherner was truly a renaissance man of the midcentury-modern movement -- his devotion to teaching, prefabrication and hands-on production probably handicapped him in the race to get into the pantheon of midcentury greats. While Charles Eames, George Nelson et al. were polishing their respective laurels, Cherner was teaching at the Teacher's College at Columbia University.
Norman Cherner is recognized as one of the most original of a generation of designers that explored post-war technological innovations in industrial design and architecture. His Cherner Chair (1958) is one of the most successful examples of mid-century molded plywood seating, and has recently been reissued from the original molds and drawings by Cherner's sons.
Norman Cherner studied and taught at the Columbia University Fine Arts Department and was an instructor at the Museum of Modern Art in New York from 1947 to 1949. At the same time he also began his practice, embarking on a lifetime exploration of multidisciplinary design. Although best known for his furniture design, his work included almost all aspects of design: from graphics, glassware and lighting, to his pioneering work in prefabricated housing.
Having been educated in the Bauhaus tradition, he became interested in housing as industrial design. His first houses were built in 1948 for a cooperative in Ramapo, NY. These homes were examples of this total design concept and included affordable furniture designed specifically for these low-cost modular dwellings.
One of his first pre-fabricated houses in the United States was the "Pre-built." It was designed, produced and assembled in 1957 for the U.S. Department of Housing. After being exhibited in Vienna it was shipped back to Connecticut and uncrated to become his first home and studio outside of New York City.
Cherner's furniture designs include the "multi-flex" modular storage system, the "Konwiser Line" of furniture and lighting, and the molded plywood seating line for Plycraft in 1958 which became his most recognized design and is found in museums worldwide. His later work includes designs for Gunlock, Modernmode, Haworth and Directional.