• Modern Phoenix Home Tour of Uptown Phoenix
  • Discover Uptown World!

    Modern Phoenix Week

    was April 1 - 10 in 2016

  • 32 Dynamic Speakers

    at 13 venues citywide

    See them all!

10 Days of Modness!

Modern Phoenix Week was April 1 thru April 2016 in Phoenix + Scottsdale

It was our 12th year of award-winning tours, education and events for design professionals and do-it-yourselfers alike

Tours

The star of our event was the Modern Phoenix Home Tour called "Uptown World" on April 10. Smaller tours were held all week long before the big event! Click TICKETS to discover them all.

Talks

Industry experts presented on a variety of topics related to midcentury modern design and contemporary challenges. Click EVENTS to read event descriptions.

Mixers

There were lots of opportunities to get together and meet others involved in the preservation and restoration of Midcentury Modern design in the Phoenix Metro area. Click EVENTS to discover them all.

Missed it? Subscribe to our newsletter to hear about future events

 
 

Modern Phoenix Week Events April 1 - 10

Many of our events were free, some were ticketed online. Click the dates above to view the entire week's itinerary. Click the + icon to expand each event description for details.

Modern Marketplace at SMoCA





FRIDAY | MOD-AZ First Friday Reception | 6-10 pm

Meet the artists at Chartreuse Gallery at Bragg's Pie Factory, as they respond to Arizona's midcentury modern history.

SATURDAY | Tour Of Paolo Soleri's Cosanti | 9 am

$15 Tickets

SATURDAY | Insider Tour of Uptown Plaza | 11 am

Tour the newly refreshed shopping center

SATURDAY | Danish Modern: Between Art and Design | 6-8 pm

A talk with author Mark Mussari

SUNDAY | Ultimate Tour of the Hotel Valley Ho | 2 pm

Guided tour with Ace Bailey

SUNDAY | Mesa's Neon by Night | 6-9 pm

A guided bus tour with Vic Linoff and Marshall Shore for the Arizona Vintage Sign Coalition

MONDAY | Design Within Reach Mixer | 6:30-8:30 pm

A Century of Plastics with Christopher McPherson

MONDAY | Three Arizona Icons in The ASU Special Collections | 6:30 pm

An intimate view of drawings by architects Beadle, Drake and Henry.

TUESDAY | SMoCA Architecture Slide Slam | 7 pm

Earn AIA CEU credits at this FREE event

WEDNESDAY | Arizona Storytellers: Stories of Phoenix Design

At Changing Hands Bookstore at The Newton

THURSDAY | FUTURISMO! At Studio 3125 | 5:30 - 8:30 pm

A taste of the Italian Avant Garde with SMoCA

FRIDAY | Double Feature Movie at SMoCA Lounge | 6 pm

A Single Man and Far From Heaven

Tour Of Paolo Soleri's Cosanti

$15 Tickets

Inspiring Aspiring Architects: Modernism

FREE Workshop by coLAB Studio.

Modern Marketplace 11am-5pm

Explore Pop-Up Shops + Meet Professionals

Research your Midcentury Home Using Primary Sources

FREE workshop with Donna Reiner and John Jacquemart.

Phoenix’s Historic Warehouse District

FREE Panel Discussion with Michael Levine and other Downtowners.

Ultimate Tour of the Hotel Valley Ho

Guided tour with Ace Bailey at 1 pm.

Modern Marketplace Break

FREE Pop-up shops and professionals open to the public at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts

Practical Strategies to Conserve Frank Lloyd Wright's Legacy in Phoenix

A conversation with Wright House owners and architects.

Modern Marketplace Break

Explore Pop-Up Shops + Meet Professionals

Door Prize Drawing

Must be present at 4:30 pm to win!

Curating Desert Modernism: Lessons from Palm Springs

By Robert Imber. Tickets $10.

12th Annual Home Tour

The 2016 tour spotlighted the diverse neighborhoods of Uptown Phoenix. In classic Modern Phoenix tour tradition a broad spectrum of modern lifestyles, price points, architects and aesthetics were featured. Highlights included the Haver Homes of Marlen Grove and Northwood, condos by Laszlo Sandor, garden apartments by Charles Polacek, plus four spectacularly restored homes custom homes by Fred Guirey, FAIA, Bennie Gonzales, FAIA, and Mel Ensign. The tour was park-and-walk spanning several different neighborhoods with some homes clustered within walking distance of each other.

Modern Phoenix Home Tour of Uptown Phoenix

Ticketholders check-in for Tour Map | 12:30 - 3 pm

At Southwest Gardener at The Newton on Camelback Road at 3rd Avenue

Modern Phoenix Home Tour | 1 - 6 PM

SOLD OUT!

Highlights from 2016 Events

 


  • MOD•AZ

    First Friday Gallery Opening on Historic Grand Avenue

    MOD•AZ Art Show

    Chartreuse Gallery
    at Bragg's Pie Factory
    1301 NW Grand Ave

    MAP IT

    The MOD•AZ group show reflects the mid-century community in Arizona, with a focus on architecture (drawings, renderings, 3D models), but also furniture, fabric, advertising and design. MOD•AZ will open with an artists' reception on First Friday, April 1, 2016 and remain on display through Saturday, April 16.

    VIEW PHOTOS

  • Paolo Soleri's Cosanti

    With Roger Tomalty

    Cosanti

    Cosanti, Paradise Valley
    MAP IT!

    Join us for a tour of Paolo Soleri's 1956 Cosanti complex led by his special assistant, now Director of Paolo Soleri Studios, Roger Tomalty and SMoCA Curator of Contemporary Art Claire Carter. Limited to 35 participants. 20% discount on all books and publications about or by Paolo Soleri purchased by participants on day of tour. Wheelchair accessible. Meet in the gallery area at 9 am. Tickets $15.

    EVENT OVER

  • Insider Tour

    of Uptown Plaza

    Uptown Plaza

    Uptown Plaza
    Central Ave at Camelback Rd.
    MAP IT!

    Take a trip back in time with Walter Crutchfield of Vintage Partners at the recently-renovated Uptown Plaza. View the work-in-progress, learn about Del Webb Construction’s massive impact on Valley development and tour the company’s crown jewel. The first 50 RSVPs will receive an original screen print by artist Jon Arvizu. Something sweet from the Shake Shack plus light snacks and drinks from Flower Child will be served. Meet in the courtyard in the far northeast corner.

    VIEW PHOTOS

  • Danish Modern

    Between Art and Design

    Danish Modern

    Copenhagen, Phoenix
    MAP IT!

    Join Copenhagen Imports at their vintage Ralph Haver-designed showroom for a special mixer with free food and drinks celebrating Danish Modern Design. The evening includes a special talk by historian & author Mark Mussari at 6:30pm. RSVP the number in your party to email below or at 602-266-8060.

    VIEW PHOTOS

  • Ultimate Tour of
    the Hotel Valley Ho

    With Ace Bailey

    Valley Ho Tour

    Valley Ho Lobby
    MAP IT!

    An insider tour of the iconic Scottsdale hotel designed by Edward L. Varney Associates, AIA, in 1956. Tickets $19.56.

    EVENT OVER

  • Mesa's Main Street
    Neon by Night

    Guided Bus Tour

    Mesa Main Street Neon Tour

    Park and Ride: Price Freeway at Apache Boulevard
    MAP IT!

    Join Marshall Shore the Hip Historian and Vic Linoff of the Mesa Preservation Foundation on a guided bus tour of Mesa's main drag. View and photograph the monumental and iconic signs. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Arizona Vintage Sign Coalition and restoration of the Watson's Flower Shop sign. Tickets $36.87

    EVENT OVER

  • Three Arizona Icons

    An intimate tour of Architectural Special Collections.

    Special Collections at ASU

    Arizona State University
    Hayden Library, Luhrs Reading Room
    MAP IT!

    Explore the architectural archives of Blaine Drake, Frank Henry, Alfred Newman Beadle and the University Archives at ASU Libraries! Archivist Rob Spindler and librarian Dennis Brunning will present and discuss selected treasures from the drawers of these touchstone collections. Members of the Beadle, Drake and Henry families will be present. Limited to 20 participants. Tickets $25 / $20 museum members.

    VIEW PHOTOS

  • A Century of Plastics

    By Christopher McPherson

    placeholder

    Design Within Reach
    at Scottsdale Quarter
    MAP IT!

    The use of plastics exploded after World War Two, fueling a juggernaut that led the transition from formal to casual living. But plastics had been around for decades before and still influence our lives every day. "A Century of Plastics" looks at the history of plastics and the important role they played during the middle half of the 20th Century.

    EVENT OVER

  • SMoCA Slide Slam

    Presented by AIA Arizona

    SMoCA Slide Slam!

    Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Stage 2
    MAP IT!

    Featuring fast-paced decks about contemporary architecture, adaptive re-use, sustainability, design-build, making connections across time and space, and problem-solving by:
    • Benjamin Ayers, AIA, Shepley Bulfinch
    • John Anderson, AIA, 180 degrees
    • Chris Knorr, AIA, SmithGroupJJR
    • Jennifer Knorr, AIA, DWL
    • Peter Koliopoulos, AIA, Circle West Architects
    Earn AIA CEU credits at this free event!

    EVENT OVER

  • Arizona Storytellers

    The meaning of "home"

    Arizona Storytellers

    Changing Hands Bookstore at The Newton
    MAP IT!

    Join azcentral.com, The Arizona Republic and Alliance Bank of Arizona to celebrate Phoenix design. You'll hear from architects, home historians and designers as they celebrate the Valley's vibrant architectural scene. We'll hear stories about the meaning of "home," designing disasters, and the spaces that define our community. Storytellers include Will Bruder of Will Bruder Architects, Austin King of Rafterhouse, Moazam Khan of MoD a+p, Betty Drake of Drake & Associates, Benjamin Hall of Benjamin Hall Design and Jason Boyer of artHAUS.Tickets $12.

    EVENT OVER

  • FUTURISMO!

    A taste of the Italian Avant Garde with SMoCA

    FUTURISMO!

    HOSTED BY STUDIO 3125
    MAP IT!

    Celebrate the revolutionary and often-misunderstood early modern movement of Italian Futurism with a lively talk by SMoCA Docent Deborah Robin. Refreshments will be served.

    VIEW PHOTOS

  • Double Feature!

    A Single Man &
    Far From Heaven

    A Single Man and Far From Heaven Double Feature

    SMoCA Lounge
    MAP IT

    Join us where modernism, gender, and gingers collide. The incomparable Julianne Moore connects our double feature about gender roles and the status quo at midcentury. Both films showcase impeccable cinematography, costuming and midcentury modern set design. Local arts critic and advocate Robrt Pela and artist Paul Wilson will be present for a panel discussion between reels. Cocktail attire encouraged. Cash bar. Tickets $10 / $8 for museum members by phone only at 480.499.TKTS [8587]. Photo: Weinstein Company.

    EVENT OVER

  • Paolo Soleri's Cosanti

    With Roger Tomalty

    Cosanti

    Cosanti, Paradise Valley
    MAP IT!

    Join us for a tour of Paolo Soleri's 1956 Cosanti complex led by his special assistant, now Director of Paolo Soleri Studios, Roger Tomalty and SMoCA Curator of Contemporary Art Claire Carter. Limited to 35 participants. 20% discount on all books and publications about or by Paolo Soleri purchased by participants on day of tour. Wheelchair accessible. Meet in the gallery area at 9 am. Tickets $15.

    EVENT OVER

  • Inspiring Aspiring Architects: Modernism

    With coLAB Studio

    CoLab Workshop

    - 1 pm

    1614 E. Cedar Street, Tempe 85281
    MAP IT!

    For ages 13-18: Thinking about a career in architecture or simply curious about the craft? Meet and work with local architects in a professional setting during this exclusive event! You’ll learn about design concepts and tricks of the trade while you create a model of your own living space. Materials and light snacks will be provided. Free with RSVP.

    EVENT OVER

  • Ultimate Tour of
    the Hotel Valley Ho

    With Ace Bailey

    Valley Ho Tour


    Valley Ho Lobby
    MAP IT!

    An insider tour of the iconic Scottsdale hotel designed by Edward L. Varney Associates, AIA, in 1956. Tickets $19.56.

    EVENT OVER

  • Research your Midcentury Modern Home

    Using Primary Sources

    Research Workshop


    Mezzanine above Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
    MAP IT!

    John Jacquemart and Donna Reiner guide a small group through researching a midcentury home or neighborhood using local resources and online databases with our pop-up library of magazines, brochures, newspapers, maps and other materials. Hands-on, bring a camera!

    VIEW PHOTOS

  • Phoenix’s Historic Warehouse District

    Panel Discussion

    Warehouse District

    Stage 2 at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
    MAP IT!

    For more than 20 years, Michael Levine has been acquiring and renovating warehouses and other buildings in downtown Phoenix. Come hear Michael and other Downtowners who work in the buildings that he has saved discuss the past, present, and future of the warehouse district.

    VIEW PHOTOS

  • Practical Strategies

    to Conserve Frank Lloyd Wright's Legacy in Phoenix

    Boomer House by Frank Lloyd Wright

    Stage 2 at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
    MAP IT!

    Join members of the Board of Directors from the David and Gladys Wright House Foundation, Taliesin's Preservation Director Fred Prozillo, and the owners of other Frank Lloyd Wright residences in Phoenix to discuss conservation strategies of Wright homes and those of the Taliesin Fellows in this candid open forum.

    VIEW PHOTOS

  • Curating Desert Modernism

    Lessons from Palm Springs

    Robert Imber

    Stage 2 at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
    MAP IT!

    Palm Springs preservation advocate Robert Imber shares the explosive growth of Palm Springs Modernism Week and its architecture. Learn about Midcentury gems just a few hours away and hear this expert’s opinion on how Palm Springs Modernism week has grown to its current size and scale. See what Arizona can do to take her desert modern cities to the next level. Tickets $10/$8 SMoCA members.

    VIEW PHOTOS

  • Modern Phoenix Home Tour

    Of Uptown Phoenix

    Modern Phoenix Home Tour

    Check-in at Southwest Gardener
    at the Newton
    MAP IT!

    Features full access to a dozen modern homes in Uptown Phoenix, Arizona. Highlights include five Haver Homes of Marlen Grove and Northwood, plus custom homes in the Biltmore area and the Central Avenue Corridor including three spectacularly restored homes by Fred Guirey, FAIA, Bennie Gonzales, FAIA, and Mel Ensign. The tour is park-and-walk spanning several different neighborhoods with some homes clustered within walking distance of each other. A map will be provided on tour day. Terms and conditions apply.

    VIEW PHOTOS

Many events are held at

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art

7374 East Second Street | Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Hotels with Midcentury Modern Flair

Hotel Valley Ho

6850 E. Main Street
Scottsdale, AZ 85251


ElDorado

6825 E. 4th Street
Scottsdale AZ 85251

The Clarendon

401 W Clarendon Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85013

The Saguaro

4000 N Drinkwater Blvd
Scottsdale, AZ

The People Who Made it Happen

HOSTS

Presenting Sponsors

Partners + Contributors