the architecture of black mountain college

The porch of 

Robert E. Lee Hall.

A classical beginning to the architectural legacy of

Black Mountain College.

Joseph Alber's

drawing class on the huge porch of 

R.E.L. Hall.

Very olde South,

especially with the blooming

dogwoods in front.

Early student study.

Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer

with their proposed buildings

at the

Black Mountain College meeting,

The Museum of Modern Art,

New York

1940

Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer

Lake Eden Campus

architectural model.

1939

A. Lawrence Kocher 

Kocher takes over the design and building 

of the new Studies Building

since there was not enough moo-la

for the Gropius/Breuer building.

A. Lawrence Kocher 

Central building for Lake Eden Campus

1940

Studies Building construction

Fall 1940

It was built by the students and faculty.

Studies Building

Completed wing

View of the building from across the lake.

My view

HERE

New and improved student study in the building.

So great, so simple.

View from above on a snowy winter day.

A. Lawrence Kocher

Jalowetz House

1941

Alexander Reed

"Quiet House"

1942

Paul Beider

Music practice room

1945

Lake Eden dining hall and theater.

This is now the heart of a Christian boys camp.

Joseph Alber's drawing class 

Chair by Josef Albers adapted from

a traditional Mexican design.

(Seen above and below in situ.)

Mary Gregory

Modular wooden units used as 

stools, tables and sculpture stands.

Concetta Scaravaglione and Isaac Nakata

putting the Mary Gregory "units" to good use.

Summer 1946

A. Lawrence Kocher

Chair of molded plywood

1942

A. Lawrence Kocher

Side table and stool

1942

These are great. Why can't I find these in an 

antique mall down here?

Mary Gregory

Wooden plates

1940s

Woodworking Shop

1944

Mary Gregory is at left.

The Cowboy and Dorky guy are unknown....

A. Lawrence Kocher

Jalowetz House

Detail of the custom bookcases

built by the Woodworking Shop.

1941

Paul Williams, Albert Lanier, Warren Outten, Si Sillman, Bernard Karp,

Alex Morse, Ralph Chernoff and Ragland Watkins

(Ragland should have been a Blues artist, not an architect with that moniker.)

"Minimum House"

1947-48

Buckminster Fuller in his studio

Summer 1948

Buckminster Fuller 

"The Supine Dome"

1948

This dome was supposed to be 22 feet high and was made of

Venetian blind strips.

It was a failure.

Buckminster Fuller 

"Dome of thirty-one-great-circle structure 

of tubular beads and continuous

internal cable with double heat-sealed pneumatic, 

transparent skin"

Designed and constructed at the Institute of Design,

Chicago 1948-49

Tested at Black Mountain College

Summer 1949

Demonstration of lightness

Demonstration of plastic skin

Demonstration of strength

Students casting parts of a Bucky Dome

Summer 1949

Kenneth Snelson

"Early X Piece"

Wood and nylon

1948-49

Richard Lippold

"Devotion 1"

Brass, stainless steel and bronze

1948

Paul Williams

Science Building

Designed 1949

Constructed 1949-53

Paul Williams

"The Pot Shop"

Designed in collaboration with Robert Turner

1949-50

(Additional workroom and open shed designed by Jack Rice

Summer 1953)

Hunky Paul Williams

1940s

"Black Mountain Chairs"

Jacqueline Herrmann Gourevitch

1950

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