Modern in the Middle: Chicago Houses 1929-75 [Hardback]

Named one of the best architecture books of 2020 by the Chicago Tribune Fans of mid-20th century modernism, especially as it took shape in the Midwest, will likely want to check out Modern in the Middle: Chicago Houses 1929-1975 . . . the book explores how Chicago and its suburbs played a pivotal but overlooked role in developing the modern single-family house. - Blair Kamin, Chicago Tribune



Of course, several Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies van der Rohe houses are featured . . . However, the book comes alive with less familiar gems. . . . In each case, the authors briefly delve into the history of the house, the architect, the client, and even the houses current condition, making you want more. Architectural Record



[ M]ost comprehensive . . . thorough and well-researched. - ARCHITECT



This book is an impressive effort at bringing more attention to these designs of smaller scale but equal skill. . . . [ T]his is a study that is overdue. - Interior Design



[ A] handsome coffee-table book of masterpieces by architects. - Chicago Magazine



Its an impressive scholarly work, but also, clearly, a labor of love. - Chicago Reader



Featuring over fifty private residences designed by renowned and lesser-known architects, lush photographs, and definitive essays by its co-authors Susan Benjamin and Michelangelo Sabatino, Modern in the Middle: Chicago Houses 1929-1975 is the book you want to get lost in. . . - Classic Chicago



A new book that tells the stories behind a few dozen samples of the rich stock of 20th century modernist homes in Chicago and the suburbs. - Crains Chicago Business



In Modern in the Middle: Chicago Houses 1929-1975, [ Chicago-based architectural historians and preservationists] Susan Benjamin and Michelangelo Sabatino present a far broader consideration of high modernism in the Chicago area than has generally been acknowledged. Local aficionados will recognize some of the entries, but even the most provincial will find new work to inspire from more than four dozen projects discussed. - ARCHITECT



Their lucid text, accompanied by handsome historic photographs, fills a significant gap in our understanding of mid-20th-century modernism. . . . In addition to broad introductory essays, the authors provide tightly focused studies of more than 50 houses. Among them: the Cahn House in north suburban Lake Forest, an extraordinary, crescent-shaped passive solar home by George Fred Keck. Its one of many delightful finds in these pages. - Chicago Tribune



Photos are in abundance . . . . The essays are excellent in providing context and making an argument for the appreciation and preservation of many houses in the book. - A Daily Dose of Architecture



Dazzling. - Oculus



A first of its kind for the Chicago area. - Dennis Rodkin



Modern in the Middle significantly expands our understanding of modern architecture in the Chicago area by bringing to light a number of lesser-known yet talented architects. The houses and interiors designed by IIT graduates like myself demonstrate that the Miesian legacy was more complex than it might appear at first sight. - John Vinci, FAIA



Modern in the Middle looks beyond Chicagos iconic skyscrapers to show us that this citys residential buildings have also been paradigmatic in shaping modern architecture. The books scope goes beyond just midcentury making the Middle a signifier that explores Chicagos central place in the nations geography and the essential role of the American middle class in defining the idea of modern housing. Every piece of this carefully assembled volume is insightful and still resonant in our lives today. - Gwendolyn Wright, Columbia GSAPP



This rich and fascinating compendium places the modern houses in and around Chicago in historical and philosophical context. In addition to the descriptions not only of the houses and architects but also the crucial role of the clients, the accompanying original photographs and plans are important parts of the thorough documentation. There is much to be discovered here! - Cynthia Weese, FAIA



How did we let ourselves forget so much remarkable architecture? Modern in the Middle reminds us that modern architecture has been more diverse and inventive than we seem to remember even in a fabled region such as Chicago and environs. This book is a long overdue corrective for our forgetfulness. May this book enrich our understanding of yesterdays architecture and inform the architecture to come. - Alan Hess, architect and historian



This book transforms the way we view modern residential architecture in Chicago and goes far beyond the iconic Robie and Farnsworth houses, allowing us to discover a largely unknown body of work presented through a powerful collection of photographs. - Tom Avermaete, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich



Theres nothing better than sitting down with a luxe coffee-table sized book and indulging in some eye-candy. - Advice Sisters



The creation of the modern residence led the way for the modernism architecture movement to be more fully accepted by the masses, as seen here, with an abundance of astonishing homes that have never been collected in one study until now. - Society Texas



Its good to finally have Modern in the Middle. It provides an important insight into mid-20th century Chicago and its suburbs - and into the art of the regions landscape. At last! - Third Coast Review



With Modern in the Middle: Chicago Houses 19291975, authors Susan S. Benjamin and Michelangelo Sabatino shine a deserved spotlight on the unique strain of modern residential architecture; that has influenced how and where we live today. - Azure