USModernist Radio
 

Here are all our past shows

Listen to one of America's top-rated architecture podcasts as the USModernist® Radio crew talks and laughs with fascinating people who own, create, love, and hate Modernist architecture, the most controversial houses and buildings in the world.

Past and upcoming architecture guests include Jeanne Gang, Bjarke Ingels, Daniel Libeskind, Helena Arahuete, Barbara Bestor, Moshe Safdie, Tom Kundig, Harry Bates, Peter Bohlin, Alan Hess, Peter Gluck, Robert Rubin, Blair Kamin, Barry Bergdoll, Myron Goldfinger, Kenneth Frampton, Katie Swenson, Bob Ivy, Jen Masengarb, Angie Brooks + Larry Scarpa, Gisue Hariri, Sekou Cooke, Alexandra Lange, Paul Goldberger, Inga Saffron, Jim Olson, Sarah Susanka, Raymond and Dion Neutra, Eric and Susan Saarinen, and many more.

Past musical guests include China Forbes, Judy Carmichael, Toni Tennille, Stacey Kent, Jane Monheit, Jennifer Warnes, Ann Hampton Callaway, Lucy Wijnands, Monika Ryan, Diane Schuur, Noel Paul Stookey, Brenda Lee, Lenore Raphael and Howard Alden, Eliane Elias,  Halie Loren, Marilyn Scott, Cheryl Bentyne, Janis Siegel, Storm Large, Kate Earl, Nneena Freelon, Darius Brubeck, Maria Maldaur, Claire Martin, Robin McKelle, Bria Skonberg, Sophie Milman, Lucy Woodward, Heather Rigdon, Tierney Sutton, Diana Panton, Don Most, Judy Carmichael, Linda Eder, Peter Lamb and the Wolves.

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Presented By

Host and Executive Producer George Smart HAIA, one dark and stormy night in 2007, started what has become USModernist®, the largest open digital nonprofit educational archive for Modernist residential design in the world. George and his intrepid team of wildly dedicated volunteers and woefully underpaid staff have won 19 local, state, and national awards, He appears in the 2020 architecture documentary Frey II and the 2024 architecture documentary New England Modernism, both by Jake Gorst.

Announcer, co-host, and engineer Tom Guild, legendary Raleigh FM DJ, grew up in a Durham Modernist house. He was on WRDU and WQDR back when humans actually played vinyl records over the airwaves using something called radio. Over the years, Tom recorded and mixed hours of top-notch audio including Porsche By Design for the NC Museum of Art. He met Mick Jagger. He has not met Frank Gehry. The security code for the show's recording studio, SoundTrax, is 8675309.

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Upcoming Episodes

Jan 20 #388/Kevin Keim on Charles Moore + Evan Dyer Rebuilds an Ellwood + Lou Grotta Preserves a Meier

Jan 13 #387/Rudolph at the Met:  Abraham Thomas + June Goldfinger + Kelvin Dickinson + Musical Guests Chelsee Hicks and the Wholly Cats Swing Club

Jan 6 #386/BIG's Dominyka Voelkel + Justin Wood on Carter Sparks + Musical Guest Diana Panton

Dec 30 #385/Lindal's Christina Lindal and Aris Georges + Designer Lauren Rottet + Musical Guests Marco Palos and Blake Lewis of Phat Cat Swinger

For decades, we’ve been reading about Lindal Cedar Homes in design magazines.  Now, under the leadership of third-generation President Christina Lindal they’ve branched out into compelling designs inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright.  And inside great houses like this, you’re probably going to need good decorating advice, so we go to Montauk New York in the Hamptons to talk with author and award-winning interior designer Lauren Rottet.  Wrapping up, musical guests  Marco Palos and American Idol’s Blake Lewis of Phat Cat Swinger.  

Dec 23 #384/Christmas Show with Adam Sebastian + Quinn Garvey + Musical Guest Angela Bingham

A partner in one of North Carolina’s hottest firms for Modernist houses, Adam Sebastian. joins us in the studio; then we talk with Quinn Garvey, our special agent inside the amazing Craig Ellwood house that Chris Pratt tore down in early 2024, and later, jazz with the charming Angela Bingham.  

Dec 16 #383/Celebrity with Allison Martino + Bill Boggs; Columbus IN with Matt Shaw

Celebrities in Hollywood aren’t huge fans of Modernist architecture. Most prefer a 1930’s mansion or an Italianate villa. But there are a few, like Jennifer Aniston, Holland Taylor, Scott Caan, Kelly Lynch, Leonardo DiCaprio, and others who keep Modernist houses in the spotlight.  Today we’ll talk with Alison Martino, producer, historian, and preservationist, the Godmother of Old Hollywood and Los Angeles.  Next up, Frank Sinatra expert Bill Boggs, and later, we’ll learn about the Modernist town of Columbus Indiana from author Matt Shaw, with a new book. 

Dec 9 #382/Bottoms Up in Lancaster OH: David and Jason Annecy + Shag + Barware Lady Amy Chastek

The town of Lancaster OH is famous as the birthplace of David Graf, best known as Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry in the Police Academy series. Lancaster is also famous for glassware, and their best-known creative rebel was Fran Taylor. From 1939 to 1962, Taylor ran GayFad Studios, and now 60+ years after her business closed, partners Jason Annecy and David Annecy have revived the brand, opened a store, and held Bottoms Up, a wildly successful midcentury barware show this past summer. USModernist was there, interviewing today’s guests David and Jason Annecy, Shag, and the lady you need to see about barware, the barware lady Amy Chastek.

Dec 2 #381/Architecture Australia + UK + China: Glenn Murcutt + Rowan Moore + Nancy Steinhardt

From Australia, we talk with with architect and 2002 Pritkzer Prize winner Glenn Murcutt. From the UK, we’ve got architecture critic Rowan Moore, and wrapping up, the author of Modern Chinese Architecture: 180 Years, Nancy Steinhardt.

Nov 25 #380/Coastal Modernism: Ed Niles + Ralph Choeff + Musical Guest Chris Bennett

Rocking the California architecture scene for over 60 years, we’ll talk with Malibu architect Ed Niles.  Then it’s over 3000 miles and down 500 to Florida with tropical architect Ralph Choeff.  Later, one of the stars of the Purple Room in Palm Springs, musical guest Chris Bennett.