NorCalMod : icons of northern California modernism / by Pierluigi Serraino.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Notes on northern California modernism -- 1945: the euphoria of freedom -- Regionalism versus the international style: the origins of a split -- Looking sharp: a glimpse into architectural photography -- Voices of California modernism -- 1965: the fall of the affluent society: on the crisis of modernism in the city -- Blind spots: on remembering in the age of indexing -- Modernity in the closet.

Many people think modernist architecture never flowered in California north of the San Fernando Valley. NorCalMod dispels that notion in a copiously illustrated history showcasing extraordinary examples of its proud contribution to the Bay Area and environs. As a style, modernist architecture was hotly debated in its day (why create modern structures where such distinctive Victorian and Arts and Crafts buildings already existed?) pulling heavyweights such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Lewis Mumford, and Walter Gropius into the fray. Ultimately, that existing "Bay Region Style" would remain the area's architectural hallmark, but not before hundreds of important modernist projects, many still standing yet unjustly neglected today, had been established. The remarkable photos in this book open our eyes to a long-lost chapter in the history of California architecture and make NorCalMod a volume to be enjoyed by those interested in California history and style as well as by architecture students and professionals. www.shelfari.com