Mid-Century Modern Architecture in Boulder, CO - Central

The Historic Boulder, Inc. Mid-Century Modern Tour series is self-guided and encompasses several areas in Boulder. To date, Central Boulder is available while additional tours are in progress.

How to take the tours:

+ Be sure the PocketSights app has permission to access your location.

+ View the buildings from the public way – sidewalks and roads; do not enter private property.

+ Be discrete when viewing and photographing to avoid disturbance to occupants.

+ Visit each neighborhood (each tour) to get a sense of how Mid-Century Modern design evolved in different locations and in different time periods.

+ Tell family and friends about Historic Boulder's tours.

Introduction:

For over 50 years, Historic Boulder Inc. has advocated for the appreciation and preservation of properties that contribute to the heritage, culture, and spirit of Boulder. An emerging area of interest and importance is the contribution of Mid-Century Modern architecture that took place in the period from 1945 to 1975. Historic Boulder has surveyed the city and environs to identify notable examples of this design approach that are easily visible to the public. We hope these tours will inform you about the values of Mid-Century Modern architecture, will highlight its contributions to the progressive spirit of Boulder, and will educate you about Boulder's historic preservation program.

Key principles of Mid-Century Modern Architecture and its importance to Boulder:

The Mid-Century Modern (MCM) design movement began after WWII. It was a design response to the post-war optimism, especially in the United States as it emerged as the leading world power. The ensuing economic and population expansion utilized MCM design ideas in all building types from homes to churches to banks.

The MCM style was an outgrowth of the general Modern approach to design that began at the beginning of the 20th century. Initial MCM ideas were a combination of European advancements that began in Germany with the American ideals of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, in combination with the burgeoning mobility culture of the automobile. European Modernist designers immigrated to the U.S. in the 1930s and 40s and spread their ideas to colleges, corporations, and residential developments. In Boulder, the university and the federal laboratories were early adopters of MCM design ideals.

Historical styles persisted alongside Modern design during this time due to America’s foundation in conservatism. However, Boulder was on the forefront of progressive ideas in education, science, religion, and culture, and the city embraced MCM design ideas. The result is that Boulder has a higher concentration of MCM architecture than any other community in Colorado.

The predominant characteristics of MCM architecture:

Clean lines: Exteriors and interiors have almost no applied ornament, expressing the nature of the materials and strong geometric lines.

Connection to nature: Buildings are sited to take advantage of natural features, such as daylight, views, and landforms. Interior spaces flow outside with large expanses of glass.

Open floor plans: Structural design is utilized to allow for interior spaces to open into each other without the interruptions of columns and walls.

Creative building shapes: Freedom of artistic expression resulted in building forms that are cubic, curvilinear, and angular.

Exploration of building materials: The Modern approach explored new ideas in construction materials and techniques that were both affordable and expressive.

Environmentalism: Buildings were designed to use less energy, to sit more sensitively on the land, to pollute less, to be efficiently constructed, and to utilize local materials.

Leaders in the MCM design movement:

Europeans of the Bauhaus Design College in Germany, including Walter Gropius, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer, influenced American architects such as Pierre Koenig, Craig Ellwood, Paul Williams, Quincy Jones, Walter Netsch, Bertrand Goldberg, Edward Stone, William Lescaze, William Pereira, Buckminster Fuller, and Albert Frey.

French architect Charles Edward Jeanneret, known as Le Corbusier, influenced American architects I.M.Pei, Paul Rudolph, Louis Kahn, Richard Meier, Michael Graves, Peter Eisenman, John Hejduk, and Charles Gwathmey.

Frank Lloyd Wright and his American followers included Rudolph Schindler, Richard Neutra, John Lautner, Gregory Ain, Alden Dow, and Joseph Eichler.

Other American practitioners of MCM design were Philip Johnson and Charles and Ray Eames.

Scandinavian architects included Alvar Aalto, Eliel and Eero Saarinen, Jorn Utzon, Arne Jacobsen, and Gerrit Rietveld.

Latin American practitioners included Luis Barragan and Oscar Neiemeyer.

Architects responsible for the much of the MCM structures in Boulder:

James Hunter
Hobart Wagener
Charles Haertling
Roger Easton
Tician Papachristou
Everett – Ziegel
Nixon – Jones/ Bowen, Brockaw, Brown
Gale Abels
John Thacker
Carl Worthington
Wallace Palmer

Why it's important to understand and appreciate MCM Design:

By its nature, MCM design was innovative, and this created the setting that nurtured the progressive place that Boulder has become. However, over the past 30 years many MCM buildings have been torn down at an increasing rate as the population of Boulder expanded. Winston Churchill made a statement that explains how important buildings are to the spirit of humanity saying, “We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.” It is important to preserve great examples of MCM architecture because they tell stories and embody lessons about the values of Boulder.

Demolished or threatened MCM buildings:

First National Bank at Broadway & Canyon
Casey School gymnasium
13th, 30th and Baseline Street Fire Stations
Circular Bank at Canyon & 17th St
Williams Village Dining Hall
Fruehauf’s greenhouse
Harvest House Manor
Harvest House Hotel (currently Millenium Hotel)
Mecha Building
Baseline Junior High School
Numerous houses

Please support Historic Boulder Inc.'s efforts to protect Boulder's architectural history with a donation. Thank you.