The accompanying exhibition, both physical and digital, broadens the reach of this important narrative, engaging diverse audiences and fostering a deeper appreciation for Close’s work. “Given the lack of scholarship on women architects, the book and exhibit are to be applauded. The biographic information was stunning,” commented jury chair Gail Kennard.

Watch recording of Docomomo US/MN event: Women in Architecture: Lisl Close and the Legacy of Modern Design
View exhibition materials at the Goldstein Museum
Elizabeth Scheu Close: A Life in Modern Architecture at University of Minnesota Press
List of 2024 Modernism in America Award winners

Project Team: University of Minnesota Press (Publisher); Jane King Hession (Author and Curator); Joan Soranno (foreword); Pieter Martin (Senior Editor); Laura Westlund (Managing Editor); Eric Lundgren (Development and Outreach Manager); Anne Carter (Editorial Assistant); Rachel Moeller (Assistant Production Manager and Art Director); Emily Hamilton (Associate Director for Book Publishing); Heather Skinner (Publicity Director); Matt Smiley (Senior Sales Manager); Maggie Sattler (Digital Marketing Manager); Jeff Moen (Rights, Permissions, and Contracts Coordinator); Jena Sher (designer); William B. Olexy (Photographer); Goldstein Museum of Design, University of Minnesota (Exhibition Host); Lin Nelson-Mayson (Museum Director); Soo Jin Kang (Exhibition Designer); Rolf Anderson (Nominator)

Donors: Georgia Bizios; Lynda and Darel Jacobsen; Edward J. Kodet, Jr., FAIA; Mark Larson and Jean Rehkamp Larson; Michaela Mahady; Rosemary McMonigal; Lea Babcock Scherer and Jeffrey Scherer; Anne Close Ulmer, Roy M. Close, and Bob Close; James and Megan Dayton; Dale and Jan Mulfinger; Gladys and Roger Reiling

Grant Support: Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation; Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts

​Two extensive lakeshore properties featuring mid-century cabins designed by Close Associates have recently come up for sale in Northern Minnesota. Both properties have large acreage and private lakeshore; and have been in the same families for decades.

The Whitefish Chain Estate is located near Pine River, MN and includes more than 100 acres of forest, and 2000 feet of shoreline on Lower Whitefish Lake. The 1956 cabin designed by Close Associates is about 1500 square feet and features floor-to-ceiling windows, a wood-burning fireplace, a screened-in porch and wraparound deck overlooking the lake.
Article: Lake estate kept in the same family for over 100 years listed for $3.5M
See the Listing Here

Designed over a 2-decade period, the property that Lisl Close named 'Thunderhead' was completed between 1957 and 1959. Situated on a peninsula on the North shore of Lake Vermillion, the secluded property is only accessible by boat. It includes a boathouse/ workshop and a 2400 square foot, L-shaped cabin which features original fixtures, finishes and color palette. Multiple Conversation Areas unite the cabin and outdoor spaces.
Article: ​Wanna Buy a Mid-Century Modern Cabin Designed by a Pioneering Architect?
​See the Listing Here
Thunderhead was featured on the Docomomo US/MN Cabin Culture! tour in 2021 – fast forward to 1:04 to see the interview!
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