Click on the invitation for a larger image.

Just when the Modernist house becomes cool again (in terms of contemporary retro-modernist design at least), owners of the actual Modernist houses can’t wait to get out of theirs (actually, its not quite that simple) – giving us all a chance to view and perhaps make a purchase of authentic architecturally-designed heritage.  Ditch your villa/bungalow pretensions and (for a night at least) come and check out ‘design for living’ at the Einhorn and Renwick Houses … see you there!!

The Einhorn House (1952) (you can look it up in your copy of Long live the Modern), is passing out of the Einhorn family for the first time – it is in immaculate condition (as you would expect when the architect’s own family have lived in it for almost 60 years). It is a beautifully crafted early experiment in open-plan living…

The Renwick House (1970) is a lesser-known work of Bill Toomath (who has indicated he may even be present at the site visit), although it follows many of the planning and construction solutions for a steep site that Toomath employed in the design for his own house in Roseneath – always a popular Arch centre destination. It has since changed hands from the original owners, Bill and Marjory Renwick, and has undergone some subsequent changes (although I believe these are relatively superficial). This was the last house designed by Toomath for almost a decade – kind of a last word for that period of his domestic architecture…

Helmut Einhorn and Bill Toomath have been key members of the Architectural Centre from its inception – so, this is a great opportunity to come along and see where we began…

The site visit is this Thursday evening, please rsvp by emailing me (check for AC emails in your inbox for my address), or simply comment below with an indication of how many are attending with you. Details of the location will then be emailed to you (so ensure that the email address that you provide when you comment is where you would like the invitation to be sent)…

See you there…

m-d