Collection by Diana Budds
Midcentury's Greatest Hits
We've featured homes from virtually every continent, in locations as far ranging as busting metropolises to serene suburbs to remote islands, with architectural programs equally as diverse. However, the one style most emblematic of Dwell as a whole seems to be that of the mid-century (the name check in this video at about 30 seconds in is one example). In the following slideshow, view an assortment homes that channel the ethos of the era's architecture, interiors, or progressive design spirit. You'll spy what might be the first modern conversation pit and see a structure whose dramatic seaside locale competes with its sleek high-modern stylings.
The Opdahl House, designed by Edward Killingsworth for Richard and Joyce Opdahl, is located on the island of Naples, in Long Beach, California, and the design responds to the constraints imposed by the compact site.Unlike the neighbors, whose homes unflinchingly abut their property lines, Killingsworth set the Opdahl House 42 feet back from the street, dedicating half of the lot to a dramatic entryway that includes a carport, garden, and reflecting pool. The effect is one of entering a private sanctuary.
Marcel Breuer's 1959 Hooper House II was featured in Dwell's December/January 2009 issue. It’s a textbook example of Breuer’s classic “bi-nuclear” house, a division of the home into spaces for adults and children. One of Breuer's bi-nuclear houses was featured in the Museum of Modern Art's House in Garden exhibition series, which introduced modern living to the American audience. Click here to read about that house's preservation.