Modernist Index Archives

Modernist Index

Ruth Rivera Marín: Expressing Cultural Identity Through Architecture

June 16, 2025
Written by Kye Cardinalis and Featured image by Nicole Valenzuela Mejía

A prominent Mexican architect during the mid century period was Ruth Rivera Marín. Although Rivera died young, at age 42, she made many significant contributions to the field of architecture…

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Modernist Index

Luis Barragán: Spaces for Serenity

June 3, 2025
Written by Kye Cardinalis and Featured image by Esparta Palma

Those seeking a reprieve from the chaos of everyday life would do well to spend some time relaxing in one of Luis Barragán’s tranquil, meditative spaces. This Mexican architect and…

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Palm Springs style dining table with Saarinen tulip chairs and table and orange and yellow dishware and stemware

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Modernist Index

That Palm Springs Style

April 12, 2025
Written by Jickie Torres and Photography by Rex Bonomelli

We flock to the desert for the mid-century glamour. But what exactly are the key ingredients for that look? The area’s top design talents share their takes. “Palm Springs design…

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university of arkansas cantilever home prefab

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We Can’t Get Enough Of Cantilevers

April 10, 2025
Written by Rabekah Henderson

Even if you don't know what a cantilever actually is, you've almost definitely seen one. You'll recognize the style from museums like the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art to iconic homes such as Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater.

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Modernist Index

C. Jeré Wall Sculptures: What’s Behind the Famous Signature

April 4, 2025
Written by Kye Cardinalis and Featured image photography by Bret Gum

As a Mid Century Modern interior décor fan, you probably have run across metal sculptures signed “C. Jeré” before. The “C.” is short for “Curtis.” Who was Curtis Jeré? It…

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Color postcard from the 1940s showing a Greyhound bus station built with curved lines and several horizontal tiers. There are 5 taxis lined up in front of the structure.

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Streamline Moderne: The Whimsical Precursor to Mid Century Modern

March 19, 2025
Written by Jickie Torres

We’re assuming you love Mid Century Modern (we do too!), but there are so many different styles of architecture found within the Modern Era. Streamline Moderne or Art Moderne was…

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Modernist Index

Sub-styles of Mid Century Modern

March 6, 2025
Written by Kye Cardinalis and Featured image by Victor Grigas

“Mid Century Modern” refers to modernist architecture and design from the Mid Century period, which we usually define as ranging between the 1940s through the 1970s. That is quite a…

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Modernist Index

The Cherner Armchair

February 27, 2025
Written by Ian McMaster and Photography by The Cherner Chair Company

Norman Cherner’s iconic chair represents more than just quality design. The Cherner Armchair isn’t just a piece of furniture—it’s a sculptural masterpiece that redefined what a chair could be. Designed…

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The History of the LAX Theme Building

February 21, 2025
Written by Rabekah Henderson

The story of the LAX Theme Building begins in 1959, where architecture firm Pereira + Luckman dreamt of creating a dramatic glass dome in the middle of the Los Angeles…

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