Vincent Kling, the modern architect most associated with large-scale urban reconfiguration and its attendant heroic, often severe architecture, is seldom thought of in connection with humane modernism and the post war era's search for a new domestic paradigm.
Kling's initial professional recognition, however, came for his houses; their unique combination of strict modernist precepts with qualities that reflected American popular culture set them apart. This simultaneous appeal to both the high- and low- brow is exemplified by the inclusion of one of his houses both in MoMA's "Built in the USA_ 1932-1944" and in post war magazine ads touting the sense of optimism and adventure associated with driving the "futuramic" rocket-action Oldsmobile.
This event will feature tours of Kling's mid-century houses, including the 1952 Scull house. In this commission, Kling faced the challenge of an additional duality; that of reintegrating the rustic remains of a barn originally on the site into the rigorously modernistic composition that replaced it. The program will also feature a discussion with Vincent Kling's studio associate, Richard Farley.
