A case for preserving the modernist legacy

Abstract

There have been a few shocking examples of lack of appreciation even from North America with the demolition of Richard Neutra’s masterpiece the Samuel and Luella Maslon House in Palm Springs, California and Arthur Erickson’s pioneering Graham House in British Columbia. DOCOMOMO has also lobbied hard against the physical neglect and whole scale demolition of a number of important early twentieth century Soviet-era buildings in Moscow. With its network of individual country committees DOCOMOMO has succeeded in raising a world-wide awareness of the need to preserve the finest examples of modern movement architecture. In 2005 DOCOMOMO published in the periodical ‘Japan Architect’ a listing and visual documentation of the country’s 100 most important modern buildings constructed during the period 1920-1970. [Excerpt]