On October 11, nonprofit organization NCModernist will celebrate its 18th anniversary with a one-of-a-kind benefit. Community members are invited to tour the Holton House, a 17,000-square-foot Modernist residence in North Raleigh, over an evening of food and live music.
The newly completed home, designed by Raleigh architect Joe Trojanowski AIA, sits on 110 acres and includes dramatic features that exemplify Modernist design.
George Smart
“This benefit cocktail party is more than just a celebration of NCModernist’s 18 years as a historic preservation nonprofit,” says NCModernist founder George Smart. “It’s a chance to see firsthand how our mission of documenting, preserving and promoting these living works of art comes to life. Your support helps us ensure North Carolina’s legacy of Modernist houses continues to thrive.”
We caught up with George — often called “Mr. Modernism” — to learn more about the organization and upcoming event.
Describe the mission of NCModernist.
We’ve worked since 2007 to keep exceptional mid-century Modernist houses from being destroyed, and to do that, our staff and volunteers compiled an unrivaled list of 5,000 Modernist houses across the state at ncmodernist.org. We lead tours of these houses old and new, and we have so many events — architecture movies, parties, happy hours, and talks during the year.
What challenges or changes has NCModernist faced in its 18 years?
I thought we were toast during the pandemic, but we were able to keep our house tours going, just by spreading attendance over six hours instead of two.
Why is historic home preservation important?
Mid-century Modernist houses are essentially beautiful livable sculptures. They represent the best of architecture and engineering and construction from the 1950s through the 1970s. At one time, Raleigh wanted to be the Modernist jewel of the South. We built banks, Dorton Arena, later the Legislative Building, and finally the original Museum of Art on Blue Ridge Road. But around 1973, interest in Modernism tanked. It wasn’t until the late ’90s that people rediscovered Modernism, but it wasn’t until 2014 that we were able to stop most major teardowns.
Holton House interior. Photo by Angela Roehl
How can our readers support the cause?
Go to NCModernist.org, sign up for our newsletter. Come to our events — many are free. Become a Mod Squad member and support the organization. Volunteer for events or to do research. Attend house tours, like our Modapalooza events twice a year.
What can people expect at the upcoming Moon Over Modernism fundraiser? Who should attend?
Anyone who loves a great evening in exceptional architecture will love our benefit cocktail party, with entertainment by Raleigh’s hottest jazz band, Peter Lamb and The Wolves. Curated cocktails, delicious appetizers. We have an amazing close-up magician roaming the party. And dress up to the nines — whatever that means for you. We’ll even have door prizes! You’ll have a great time.
What makes the Holton House so special?
As far as we know, it’s the largest modernist house in North Carolina. Carefully designed and built over the last three years, it features detailed wood, glass, and steel for a thrilling 17,000 square feet on 100 acres.
Photo by Angela Roehl
What do you envision for the future of NCModernist? How do you plan to engage the next generation?
The parties and tours have been a great start. We’re also going to be hiring in the next few years as the organization expands.
Anything else you would like people to know?
Sign up for the October 11 benefit party at www.ncmodernist.org/moon. Ticket sales close October 6!
