November 24 - the DETAILS | from Mid-Mod Dream Homes

welcome to the DETAILS

with Mid-Century Modern Dream Homes

11 2024

Hello Modernists

"The machine does not write the doom of liberty, but is waiting at man’s hand as a peerless tool, for him to use, to put a foundation beneath a genuine democracy."

- Frank Lloyd Wright, The Kahn Lectures

As the above quote by Frank Lloyd Wright indicates, artists see design and creativity as a method of influence on society. This past week I decided to use the election as an excuse to dive into the intersection of the modern design movement, politics, and capitalism. The two are not mutually exclusive, as I am sure most of you know. I thought you might enjoy some examples I came across. Enjoy!

The Articulated Wall sculpture in the Denver Design District was designed by Herbert Bayer, a prolific artist, product of the Bauhaus, and resident of Aspen, CO. The idea for the sculpture was not original, however. The original Muro Articulado was designed by Bayer and built as one of a series of sculptures for the "Route of Friendship", an urban art installation for the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City which was intended to show Mexico in a proud and progressive light alongside the Olympic Games. We see this same ideas in today's Olympic venues and villages.

Mexico City's Public Sculpture Corridor is a Broken Dream Worth Saving

John F. Kennedy & Richard Nixon were seated in "Round Chairs" in the Danish-style first made popular by Hans Wegner during the first-ever televised U.S. presidential debate. The style was seen to reflect the success of American capitalist development post WWII.

Freedom Furniture

Walter Paepcke, believing in progressive advertising strategies as a way to advance his company's position within the U.S. and around the world, commissioned the "Great Ideas of Western Man" ad campaign, which brought together some of the most well-known graphic artists to design print ads in reponse to some of the greatest thinkers and their ideas. This series changed how corporate america viewed print and was viewed as one of the most successful print campaigns ever.

Great Ideas of Western Man - Walter and Elizebeth Paepcke and the CCA

Thanks for tuning in.

-LAWRENCE LIPPARD

MID-CENTURY MODERN DREAM HOMES

the ARCHITECTURAL SPOTLIGHT

Ductwork in Slab-on-Grade Mid-Century Modern Homes

Stephanie and I first met when I performed an inspection for her clients on a Eugene Sternberg-designed home in Arapahoe Acres. The home was on a slab-on-grade foundation. Most homeowners are familiar with crawlspaces and basements. These spaces give room for mechanical systems such as plumbing lines, conduit and wiring for electricity, or ductwork for forced-air HVAC systems. So what do you do when there is no space under the floor, such as the case in slab-on-grade construction? The section detail above shows the method employed at this home. You can see what looks like a sandwich made of two layers of concrete with blocks in the middle, and air vents along the edge of the slab at the foundation wall.

A. This home utilizes a "downdraft" furnace. Simply put, the blower is pointed down, and the air from inside the home is pulled through the return and forced down into the slab and through the ductwork. Note that this diagram shows ducts under a framed floor, not a slab - it's the same principle. Many times these are located in the center of the home in a closet.

B. The furnace at the house actually indicated this, as seen by the airflow arrow pointing down.

C. You can see clearly at the bottom of the furnace cabinet the structural slab at the bottom, the block ductwork in the middle, then a top slab which acts as the floor surface.

D. The punched strip at the edge of the slab where the brick wall meets is where the air is forced out. This is a thermal image from when I tested the heating distribution.

If the slab and ducts are maintained, a furnace can easily be swapped out just like any other unit used in traditional homes should the unit need replacing. Air conditioning can sometimes be added if there is enough space. If you have questions about your HVAC system, let me know. I'm happy to put you in touch with professionals who can help guide you through annual servicing, repairs, or upgrades.

the LISTINGS

RENTAL POTENTIAL - 1495 S ELM ST | KRISANA PARK/VIRGINIA VILLAGE

3/2 - 1226 SF | now $850,000

This awesome mid-century modern located in Krisana park is still for sale, and we've just reduced the price - BUT the owner is open to a short-term lease (no more than 6 months) starting in December (January could also be considered). If you feel you may be interested in checking it out, let me know and I can get you in touch with the property management company. Serious inquiries only.

the LIFESTYLE

Check out the 2024 AIA Colorado Design Awards in the Fall issue of Modern In Denver

MID Fall Issue - 2024 AIA Colorado Design Awards

A great article on ADUs + Mid-Century Modern homes from The Eichler Network

It Came From The Backyard

Clyfford Still Museum - Beyond the Canvas Tour: Architecture

Saturday November 16th 2-3pm

Find Tickets HERE

Looking for a holiday market to get a jump on shopping for the season?

Check out these great options including the Denver Christkindlmarket, and Holiday BAZAAR, from Do303

meet the AGENTS

Thank you for reading this month's issue of the DETAILS by

MID-CENTURY MODERN DREAM HOMES

View agent profiles by clicking the buttons below, or reach out directly via our contact info -

We look forward to connecting with you!

Stephanie Kroll - Broker Associate in Aspen - m. 303-345-5886 stephanie.kroll@compass.com

Lawrence Lippard - Broker Associate in Denver - m. 704-880-8291 lawrence.lippard@compass.com

Mid-Century Modern Home Listings For Sale in Colorado

Compass is a licensed real estate broker. All material is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description or measurements (including square footage). This is not intended to solicit property already listed. No financial or legal advice provided. Equal Housing Opportunity. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions.

Mid-Century Modern Dream Homes at Compass Colorado