the Sixties turn 50 – A tribute to modern architecture in (the other) LA

Patty Gay, PRC’s Executive Director, has just returned from the National Trust Big Cities meeting in Los Angeles, California, where the Los Angeles Conservancy is winding up a nine-month celebration of 60′s architecture.

The Conservancy has blazed the trail for advocating for mid-century Modern resources for twenty-five years. Slowly but surely, other preservation communities throughout the country are following suit. However, PRC, like The Conservancy, has learned that it is a struggle to get policymakers and the general public to understand the significance of resources that are younger than they are, or those built in an unfamiliar architectural style.

Love Modern or not, we contend that the greenest building is the one that is already built and that these structures are part of the ongoing story of New Orleans’ architectural heritage. The Historic District Landmarks Commission has recently designated several mid-century Modern structures as local landmarks. This is an exciting trend we expect will continue and for which PRC will advocate.

Learn more about “the Sixties turn 50″ celebration on the Los Angeles Conservancy’s website. Let us know about your favorite modern buildings and stay tuned as we will continue to post about the gems of the Modern era.