Architecture

Harlingen High School Level Students Tour Midcentury Modern Homes

Texasville, TX
On April 30, 2015 a small group of students toured four residences and Casa del Sol in Harlingen classic prototypes of midcentury modern buildings in the Rio Grande Valley.

Michelle Honl, the group’s teacher, came to the RGV just last year to direct the architecture design courses at both Harlingen High Schools. For the first time students went outside the confines of their classrooms to explore Harlingen’s modern architecture.

gathering Preserve Historical Buildings in Rio Grande Valley, Rio Grande Valley Modern, Consult, Restore, Build, Buy, Preservation, Historical Buildings, Architecture, Texas
the crew Preserve Historical Buildings in Rio Grande Valley, Rio Grande Valley Modern, Consult, Restore, Build, Buy, Preservation, Historical Buildings, Architecture, Texas
living room Preserve Historical Buildings in Rio Grande Valley, Rio Grande Valley Modern, Consult, Restore, Build, Buy, Preservation, Historical Buildings, Architecture, Texas
kitchen Preserve Historical Buildings in Rio Grande Valley, Rio Grande Valley Modern, Consult, Restore, Build, Buy, Preservation, Historical Buildings, Architecture, Texas
“I can’t believe these homes are here,” a student stated while others marveled at the floor to ceiling windows, the post and beam design, the austere lines and simplicity of the designs. From the 1940s through the 1960s the Rio Grande Valley was at the forefront of modern architecture. There existed no attachment to past traditions and concepts. It was fertile ground for innovation and creativity.

RGVMOD’s mission is to share the modern legacy of the Valley, inspire admiration and foment its preservation. What a better way to do this than by offering a tour of modern homes to our future generation. The photos below are from a Harlingen modern home designed by Merle A. Simpson for Charles Parce in the mid 1950s.

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