Docomomo International Conference
August 2018
k YODER design Principal Kevin Yoder, AIA, LEED AP, presented the paper “Midcentury Modern Domestic Architecture: A Continuum of Livability” at the 15th International Docomomo International Conference in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Yoder was one of only eight American design professionals selected to present. His paper described renovation of houses by I.M. Pei, Vincent Kling, and Louis Kahn.
“Our work on these significant architecture projects restructured my firm’s design approach with a clear philosophy that guides our work today,” said Yoder. “Ultimately, it’s about respecting each house by understanding those who created it, and then respecting the new occupants by finding solutions that meet their contemporary needs within that context.”
Yoder coauthored the paper with architectural writer and longtime collaborator Amanda Gibney Weko of AGW Communications. The paper ties into the conference theme of Metamorphosis: Continuity and Change, describing the efforts to both preserve and enhance the ongoing viability of midcentury houses, even as they must be changed and adapted to suit contemporary lifestyles. Yoder’s and Weko’s paper examines projects at Pei’s 1964 Society Hill Town Houses and Kahn’s 1961 Margaret Esherick House in Philadelphia and Kling’s 1959 Smith Residence in Gladwyne, Pa.
The biannual International Docomomo Conference brings together practicing architects, preservationists, and scholars from around the globe to share research and best practices associated with documenting and preserving modern architecture. Yoder presented Friday, 31 August 2018 as part of Session 08: Visions for Living, moderated by Eui-Sung Yi, principal of the acclaimed design firm Morphosis.
Pictured: Kevin Yoder and Amanda Weko