Why Mid-Century Mundane?

This website was created to explore a specific genre of architecture that has largely been ignored. While architecture of the mid-century and recent past have become more appreciated in recent years, there is a category of vernacular building that uses a modern architecture vocabulary and contributes to a sense of place, but is generally not considered significant or as a candidate for preservation. Examples include regional bank branches, churches and synagogues, schools and community colleges, municipal offices, fire and police stations, and small commercial and retail locations. This is not a comprehensive survey but rather an effort to document a small fraction of these places and hopefully raise awareness about their importance.

Special categories and features on this site include Not So Mundane, site visits to mid-century buildings and complexes identified as very significant and a candidate for preservation; Demolished!, which documents lost examples of our mid-century mundane heritage; Preserving Our Mundane, which looks at current preservation efforts for mid-century structures; and Mid-Century Mondays, reader-submitted buildings and sites.

Interested in learning more? Contact midcenturymundane@gmail.com.

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