USModernist Radio
 
USModernist Radio

USModernist® Radio is underwritten by Diane Bald and The Budman Family, restoring significant architecture in Toronto, Los Angeles, Malibu and Palm Springs.

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 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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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.

The podcast began in 2015, based in Raleigh NC, and has done remotes from Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Sarasota, London, New York, and New Canaan CT.  As of April 2025, we've had about 400 shows and 700 guests.

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Upcoming Episodes




 May 26 #406/Ben Rousseau + Ian Koblick + John Jennifer Marx


 May 19 #405/Tim Techler + Halsey Smith + Colin Flavin + San Diego's Keith York + Alexandra Bregman on the Hunt

From poolside in Palm Springs, we’ll talk with Tim Techler, Colin Flavin, and Halsey Smith about Walter Gropius in Massachusetts and William Krisel in Palm Springs.  Back in the studio, San Diego’s top Modernist realtor and ardent preservationist Keith York has a new book on Craig Ellwood and Alexandra Bregman hunts for a Philip Johnson house.


May 12 #404/Author Celeste Robbins + KAA's Grant Kirkpatrick and Duan Tran + Podcast Host Lisa Gralnek

Today on the show number 404, author Celeste Robbins; KAA's Grant Kirkpatrick, and Duan Tran; podcast host Lisa Gralnek, plus the wisdom of Modernist homeowner Burt Reynolds!


May 5 #403/Author Steve Treinen + Architect James Cioffi + Helen Thompson on Aspen + Musical Guest Champian Fulton

From poolside at the swanky USModernist compound in Palm Springs, we meet Steve Treinen with a new book on the Indian Canyons area in Palm Springs, plus Palm Springs architect James Cioffi, who sheds light on a pervasive myth.  Back in the studio, we’ll hear from author Helen Thompson on Aspen plus lovely tunes from musical guest Champian Fulton.


Apr 28 #402/National Notables:  NTHP's Carol Quillen + AIA President Evelyn Lee + Tucson's Demion Clinco + HGTV's Elizabeth Finkelstein

Carol Quillen - President and CEO | National Trust for Historic Preservation Evelyn Lee, FAIA, Inaugurated as AIA 2025 President - Boston Real Estate  Times

Today we’ll visit with the CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Carol Quillen; the 2025 President of the AIA, Evelyn Lee; the founder of Tucson Modern, Demion Clinco, and the co-host of HGTV’s Who's Afraid of a Cheap Old House, Elizabeth Finkelstein. 


Apr 21 #401/DOCOMOMO's Liz Waytkus + Photographer Andrew Pielage + Architect Paul McClean + Musical Guest Laura Anglade

Liz Waytkus - Docomomo Andrew Pielage (@AndrewPielage) / X Laura Anglade – Justin Time Records

From poolside at the swanky USModernist compound in Palm Springs during Modernism Week 2025, we’ll talk to Liz Waytkus, Executive Director of DOCOMOMO-US and photographer-on-a-quest Andrew Pielage.  Back in the studio, we’ll hear from LA’s architect to the stars, Paul McClean and musical guest Laura Anglade.