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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1950s modern architectureThe 1950s a golden decade for architecture in B -CS area B ryan- College Station has several worthy buildings that will be ripe for histori- cal designation. Some buildings from the 1930s are Art Deco - inspired, . ^ ' • g the Varisco building and several banks in downtown Bryan, and in College Station there's the Campus Theater. On the Texas A &M cam- pus, the old Petroleum Engineer- ing building and the Administra- tion Building qualm. But during the Depression peo- ple were very cautious, and few buildings were constructed. Just about the time P r".41 a ".. was re- turning with the new decade, World War II broke out and build- ing supplies were rationed. Consequently, the 1950s became the decade for new buildings and modern architecture in the United States. It was also when American cities turned their back on their historic centers and pushed their energies full blast toward peripheral .Yl' ° -r; 'n. This phenomenon profoundly affected Brazos County in its de- velopment at the middle of this century, creating the rich and varied modern architectural leg- acy of Bryan- College Station. Building materials Improved Where are the best buildings of the Brazos Valley and how would you recognize them? First, think about the materials and products developed during the war that were commonly used in new buildings in the 1950s. Just a few of the new products archi- tects had available were: • Aluminum for door and window frames, railings, letter- ing, curtain walls. • Built -up, flat roofs of felt, as- phalt and gravel. • Cement, asbestos board, fiber glass panels, plastic '. ;'^ ' . - counters and doors. • Terrazzo and cork for floors, frameless tempered -glass doors, glass blocks, plywood. • Radiant heating, stainless steel, prestressed concrete, and suspended ceilings. Local buildings remembered Architecture professor Graham . ■ ■ ■ ■ • Yesterdays Jody Bates Horsley, who was born and raised in the area, patiently went over my list of valuable buildings with me. We decided to go for quality, since these were the buildings it would be nice to pass on to the next generation in their pure form as representatives of the mid -20th Century. Finally, I took the list to Dick Vrooman, who had designed many of the buildings as a private architect in Brazos County and who now works with Texas A &M. • Vrooman designed the All Faiths Chapel at Texas A &M. "I was inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies van der Rohe," Vrooman said. "1 wanted the chapel to look like a shelter in a park rather than have an enclosed feeling." The rectilinear design features a copper roof, aluminum frame windows and wide spaces between seating rows. Outside there is a canopied area for medi- tation. Landscaping was meant to shelter • The Memorial Student Center was a prime example of rep- resentative architecture, but has been changed •" 'hat only one wing remains in its original state, clad in Austin chalk. • "The Lutheran Student Center, designed by Frank Law- yer, and the Catholic Student Center by Harry Ransome are both good examples," said Vroo- man. • The Northgate post office and the round auditorium at Oakwood Middle School are also good ex- amples of '50s public buildings. • "Private houses up on the knoll by architect Caudill (later of Caudill, Roulett & Scott of Hous- ton) featured floating roofs, inlaid plumbling in the floor for radiant heating and black bricks," recal- led Vrooman, who built his own family a home next to Dexter Park on Old Jersey Road. It featured the low roof with gravel, carport columns of special woods, a four foot overhang to control sunlight, and two 7- foot -wide sheets of glass for a park view. Bryan has its share of rep- resentative buildings: • Vrooman and Earle Merrill designed Clayton's Restaurant, which is now First Federal Sav- ings at Texas and Villa Maria, as well as the office buildings across the street. • The "new" county court- house was a Caudill and Frank Lawyer design, but, like the MSC, it has now been renovated too much to qualify as a true '50s building. • The apartments at the corner of Carson Street and College Avenue feature brick with steel windows and is a haven for archi- tecture students seeking design purity (as well as hardwood floors!). • Vrooman designed a "quality luxury" home on the corner of Ethel and Wayside for the Earl Cunningham family. (They owned all the coin laundries in both towns.) "The house had cork ceiling in the dining room, a sunken living room, a copper fascia on the edge of the roof (designed to make lovely ice sickles when the weather cooperated) a birch and walnut entry design to make peo- ple want to turn to the left, touch latch hardware so one wall of cupboards looked solid, and a garage door control — all innova- tive for its day," said Vrooman. • There are some duplexes built by William Fitch on Mary Lake that are now owned by the Texas Department of Mental Health & Mental Retardation, and the first house Caudill built is by the Bryan Country Club. • Several houses in the Hensel area are wonderful =• • • r' of '50s varied style. • Other good = • ' _ of '50s commercial architecture are the International Harvester building at Main and 29th streets and Tom Light Chevrolet on Texas Avenue • Jody Bates is a free -lance writer living in College Station. Val I i iih II' �.R _ r '` V. . I ,,, r "1', YIIIII�� I ' A -4 ► � ` g a - ,1 • I II' I II''i III11 1 z ; r " �; .`i1�4 1,II II 411111111111A IIIIIQ MI NI 1 i y.y fk .. ,s ' ,fit r 1 � 4 w . I` I I I Ilia i T ~� ,; � . ' ` '�' " I it I I I i III I � III I I'l I I lbw r9 *.4:.';‘1...;1,.4 ' 71 y f -". :4: I I I ( I uu r' 'i' i ,'f-. AI Alllw 1111111 R I " 'ill : i . 1 l I I t z• \ • i■ , ANirie ti • r•• i :4. r r a lll.�I Ilit L : „N. . - -,i 9 ., .._ CMIT.GT THE C HAPEL • TEXAS A. 4 M. • 1954 • The All Faiths Chapel at Texas A &M University is an example of modern architecture in Bryan - College Station from the 1950s. The 1950s a golden decade for architecture - area ryan- College Station has family a home next to Dexter Park several worthy buildings F on Old Jersey Road. It featured that will be ripe for histori- the low roof with gravel, carport cal designation. Some buildings ., of special woods, a four from the 1930s are Art Deco- foot overhang to control sunlight, inspired, including the Varisco or and two 7- foot -wide sheets of glass &3o b building and several banks in for a park view. downtown Bryan, and in College Bryan has its share of rep - Station there's the Campus resentative buildings: Theater. On the Texas A &M cam- Yesterdays •Vrooman and Earle Merrill pus, the old Petroleum Engineer - Jody Bates designed Clayton's Restaurant, ing building and the Administra- , which is now First Federal Sav- tion Building qualify. ings at Texas and Villa Maria, as But during the Depression peo- Horsley, who was born and raised well as the office buildings across ple were very cautious, and few in the area, patiently went over the street. buildings were constructed. Just my list of valuable buildings with III The "new" county court- about the time confidence was re- me. We decided to go for quality, house was a Caudill and Frank turning with the new decade, since these were the buildings it Lawyer design, but, like the MSC, World War II broke out and build - would be nice to pass on to the it has now been renovated too next generation in their pure much to calif ing supplies were rationed. form as representatives of buildin q y as a true '50s Consequently, the 1950s became mid 20th Century g• the decade for new buildings and 3' III apartments at the corner modern architecture in the Finally, I took the list to Dick of Carson Street and College United States. It was also when Vrooman, who had designed Avenue feature brick with steel American cities turned their back many of the buildings as a private windows and is a haven for archi- on their historic centers and architect in Brazos County and tecture students seeking design pushed their energies full blast who now works with Texas A &M. purity (as well as hardwood toward peripheral expansion. ■Vrooman designed the All floors!). This phenomenon profoundly Faiths Chapel at Texas A &M. •Vrooman designed a "quality affected Brazos County in its de- I was inspired by Frank Lloyd luxury" home on the corner of velopment at the middle of this Wright and Mies van der Rohe," Ethel and Wayside for the Earl century, creating the rich and Vrooman said. "I wanted the Cunningham family. (They varied modern architectural leg chapel to look like a shelter in a owned all the coin laundries in - ..A -LL L_ __ _l_� .