#431/A Fistful of Modernism: Prolific Authors Alan Hess + Dominic Bradbury + Sam Lubell + Architects Harper Halprin and Aaron Leshtz + Musical Guest Steve Rosenbloom Big Band

We've dug into the podcast vault to bring back two interviews with internationally respected architects Moshe Safdie and Danlel Libeskind.  

Shane Hood safeguards Tulsa's architectural gems. Peter Maunu lovingly restored Frank Lloyd Wright's Lamberson House in Iowa.  Emily Almloff, the youngest licensed architect in the US, is transforming hospitals across the Midwest. Later, musical guests Danger Hall, with Peter Lamb and Daniel Hall.  

First up, three prolific architecture authors: Alan Hess, Dominic Bradbury, and Sam Lubell. Then we meet Harper Halprin and Aaron Leshtz of AAHA Studio — a marriage proving that design collaboration isn't just for coworkers. And later, Montreal-born jazz master Steve Rosenbloom, who leads a 16-piece ensemble by night and is a psychologist by day.

Aidan Anderson is a former carpenter in Sydney Australia who turned a local furniture business into the Local Project, a worldwide media company for architecture and design. Trading a career a NASA for furniture, you will meet The Rattan Man Harvey G. Schwartz. And later, Hugh Martin, one of the founders of the UK Modern House Index, a huge digital archive documenting British modernist homes from the 1920s to today. 

We've dug into the podcast vault to bring back a show from the first year of USModernist Radio.  One of the best 80s films is Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Here's the plot: near the end of the school year, high school senior Ferris Bueller (played by Matthew Broderick) fakes being sick to stay home. His parents believe him, though his sister Jeanie (played by Jennifer Grey, the baby you don't back into a corner) is not convinced. Ferris persuades his best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) to help lure Ferris' girlfriend (Mia Sara) out of school and let them use his father's prized 1961 Ferrari. Spoiler:  that Ferrari tumbles out of a really cool Modernist house, much to the chagrin of Cameron and his dad. Our pal Bob Langford, who pretty much knows every line in the movie, drops by to help us examine this cultural icon with guest Meghann Salamasick, who with her husband Chris are the owners of the that famous Modernist house. Later in the show, with apologies to Wayne Newton, it's George and Bob and Tom serenading Meghann.

Tom Kundig of Seattle's Olson Kundig is a superstar in residential architecture, and he's got a new book, Complete Houses.  But you can't have a world-class architect without a world-class builder, and we'll talk with Kundig's close friend and frequent collaborator, Jim Dow of Dowbuilt. Later, you'll hear Veronneau, a husband-and-wife duo whose tunes go around the world.

Back on the show is one of our favorite guests, YouTube architecture star Professor Stewart Hicks; Brian Horowitz revives the joy and nostalgia of pinball, that midcentury pastime that was going to rot our midcentury minds; and author Hillary Carlip shares the wonderful world of Willis Wonderland, a new popup book for all ages.

E. Fay Jones is a name most architects know but the public does not.  A student of Frank Lloyd Wright, Jones blurred the line between indoors and outdoors with careful use of wood, stone, and glass.  It's like these buildings just emerge from the woods. Today, we've got three people dedicated to preserving Jones legacy. David McKee worked for Jones and is the go-to guy for restoring houses.  We'll talk with Jonathan Formanek, who created the E. Fay Jones Conservancy, along with his partner, Andy Whitmore, who live in the Faubus house in Arkansas.  And back in the studio, we talk with influencer Maggie Weber, whose takes on bad design keep us laughing. 

We've got author and architect Peter Forguson celebrating Michigan's extraordinary collection of bold, Modernist houses with the new book Contemporary Michigan, from the UK, Michael Diamant rants against Modernism, and later on, musical guest Brent Jensen serves classic tunes made famous by Paul Desmond.  

Kata Walters went from the catwalk to the construction site, changing from an international career in modeling to building Modernist houses.  Allison C. Meier shares her map of New York, uncovering hidden histories in architecture and culture from cemeteries to the streets. Kyle Bergman of the New York Architecture and Design Film Festival shares this year's highlights, and from Sweden, musical guest Klas Lindquist.