Mid-Century Modern Architecture on Martha's Vineyard.

Martha’s Vineyard has several notable mid-century modern houses built by recognized architects at a time when the island, and especially "up-island", was transitioning from a mostly agricultural community to a summer home destination.  

Chilmark resident, Harriet Bernstein, has put together a series of three lectures covering the modernist architectural movement on Martha's Vineyard and the Cape, the first of which was held on Wednesday April 12^th at the Chilmark library.  Fredrick Noyes, was the guest speaker and he talked about his father, the well known modernist designer and architect, Eliot Noyes, and about "context" of a place and how it plays a part in architecture.

Fred used examples of some of the homes in Chilmark, that were designed by his father in the late 1950's.  A time when there were many societal and environmental changes which brought about the modernist movement.  New materials that became available and a change in the way people lived created a demand for more simple homes; the "context" in which we were living on Martha’s Vineyard had shifted from farmhouse with central chimney, small rooms and pitched roofs,  to summer camps with uninsulated walls, open plan spaces, floor to ceiling glass and seamless indoor / outdoor living

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Several houses were referenced in Mr Noyes presentation including his own family home on Flanders Lane which was designed by his father and built by Herb Hancock in 1960 and the Talbot Rantoul home on Glacier Glen that was built in 1968 and featured in LIFE magazine.

The Simonson house on Flanders Lane was also used as an example of a modified Mid Century design.  Originally designed by Eliot Noyes in 1958, Fred Noyes was given the task of adding and modifying his father’s original design to satisfy 21 century living and include a larger kitchen, bathrooms and sleeping spaces, whilst retaining the design aesthetic of the original structure.

The Chilmark library was filled Wednesday evening with locals, architects, engineers, builders and town officials, who all share a common interest in preserving the character in these icons of the modern age.

The series continues on April 26^th when the guest speaker will be David Fixler talking about Modern Architecture in New England and America and concludes on May10^th with Peter McMahon talking about modern architecture on the Cape and Islands, case studies and preservation.  All presentations are held and the Chilmark Library at 5 until 6.30 pm and are free.

IF YOU MISSED IT.....To watch a video of the presentations click the link  here