Gropius, TMBG, Julia Child and Design Research – Mid Century Mod Betty!

Never thought I’d write a post that would mention Walter Gropius, They Might Be Giants, Julia Child  and my friend Thad, but there’s a first time for everything. Here’s how posts like this happen, and how they relate to the Mid Century Modern corner of Retro Roadmap!

I got hipped to a Modern Architecture Tour happening in Cambridge MA on Saturday May 15th, and figured I’d let Retro Roadmap readers know about it. This one phrase in the writeup intrigued me:

This tour includes twenty distinctive modern structures on the Harvard and MIT main campuses as well as “Architects Corner” on Brattle Street.

While I used to frequent Cambridge often for work and pleasure, I had never heard of Architect’s corner, so I did a little digging and found (with the assistance of the AIA Guide to Boston by Susan Southworth, Michael Southworth) that:

“Three architects built quarters for their own offices in “Architects’ Corner” at Brattle and Story Streets in one year.

44 Brattle Street Sert, Jackson and Associates 1970-1971
TAC Building Walter Gropius / The Architect’s Collaborative 1967, 1970
14 Story Street Earl R. Flansburgh and Associates 1970-1971

So first thing I see, besides Gropius of course, is Earl Flansburgh, the “pop of the popster” John Flansburgh from They Might Be Giants:
(How did I know this? Well, nowadays you can find out stuff like this via the internet, but oh, back in 1990/91 I waited on nice Mr. Earl Flansburgh as I worked in a downtown Boston record store. He would come in and buy copies of Melody Maker and NME, and confided in me that his son was in the mag. Since then my sister (huge TMBG fan) and I have had a fondness for Earl Flansburgh, a dad, and a fan. I am saddened to see that he passed away just last February.)

But wait there’s more!
Not quite picturing where this Architect’s corner is, I did some more online research and saw on Google Maps that this was where I remember Crate & Barrel was. I also found out that C&B isn’t there anymore, but before it was even the C&B store it was an iconic store called D/R or Design Research.

Design Research was one of the first importers of modern Scandinavian design in home furnishings and this Brattle Street location was its flagship location from 1953 to 1979. Internet research reveals that they were famous for introducing modern design to the US ( including Marimekko, a Mod Bety fave) and fans included Julia Child, who frequently visited the distinctive concrete and glass flagship location in Cambridge. Sounds like it was a cool place.

But wait! There’s more!

Even MORE research reveals that the iconic building – empty with the departure of C&B, is – for just a few more weeks, home to an installation entirely recreating the iconic DR home furnishings store! The installation is meant to be viewed from the outside, as the building itself is closed. What a mod and cheery way to brighten up the winter for the walkers in the area, and I bet the place glows happily at night.

Wow, that’s some pretty neat stuff  but you still might be asking yourself, so, how does Thad fit into all this mid mod madness? Well for the longest while if you looked at the Google Map street view of the intersection of Brattle and JFK Street, you would see him there, waiting to cross the street. Probably against the light, as everyone in Harvard Square seems to do.

I have had an evening of design research for sure!

Modern Architecture Walking Tour
When: Saturday, May 15, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Rain date: Saturday May 22.
Where: Gund Hall, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, Mass.
Phone: 781-259-8098
Admission: $45 Historic New England and Cambridge Historical Society members, $55 nonmembers

This tour includes twenty distinctive modern structures on the Harvard and MIT main campuses as well as “Architects Corner” on Brattle Street. Led by Gropius House guide and lecturer, Ziad Qureshi, the tour explores mid-century modernism from 1947 to 1976 in the work of Walter Gropius, Eero Saarinen, Alvar Aalto, I.M. Pei, Josep Lluís Sert, and others. Tour includes interior access to select structures and a one-hour break for lunch. Group size is limited.

DR Design Research Exhibit
48 Brattle Street
Cambridge MA 02138

Check out the location for this iconic MCM building and Design Research exhibit on the Retro Roadmap!