From Council Plaza’s Flying Saucer to the Climatron, the Gateway Arch, and the Saint Louis Abbey and Priory School, the St. Louis region was a hotbed of mid-century modernist architecture.
The mid-century modern style of design (from roughly the 1930s through the mid-1960s) is characterized by clean lines, organic and streamlined forms and lack of embellishment. It reached its height of popularity after World War II, where it was used in residential structures, with the goal of bringing modernism into America’s post-war suburbs.
“Mid-Century Modern in St. Louis,” premiering March 5, on Nine PBS, tells the story of how mid-century architecture represented progress by breaking from tradition, and how the democratizing style had an impact on St. Louis for decades to come.
Nationally renowned architects, like Ralph Fournier and Richard Henmi are interviewed, as well as historians and advocates of saving and celebrating these mid-century modern structures.
For “Mid-Century Modern in St. Louis” writer and producer Kara Vaninger, the story of mid-century modern architecture isn’t just about buildings and artistic vision – it’s about a hopeful time when a new consciousness about how lives could change for the better was taking hold.
“What I realized through all of the interviews was how much modern architecture and thought affected our city,” Vaninger said.
“Mid-Century Modern in St. Louis” will air at 8 p.m., Thursday, March 5, and at 4 p.m., Sunday, March 8 on Nine Network. The production is supported by Mackey Mitchell Architects.
Nine Network offers the people of the St. Louis region multiple ways to explore the world and become engaged in civic life. Nine’s platforms include four distinct broadcast channels (Nine PBS, Nine World, Nine Create and Nine PBS KIDS), the Nine Center for Public Engagement, the Public Media Commons, social media and online. Nine Network’s rich legacy of serving the community was launched in 1954, and continues through the vision of a strong and healthy community working together through public media and the mission of igniting the spirit of possibility.
