Eve Isenberg

The Peabody Building is part of Concord’s mid-century modern architectural legacy. Designed in 1968 by The Architects Collaborative (TAC) as an elementary school, it was opened in 1970 and served (along with the Sanborn building) for 55 years as the Concord Middle School. This building is the physical manifestation of the mid-century architects’ aspirations for the elevation of our society, starting with children and the design of their environment.

The owner of this Bauhaus home in Concord is a prolific painter whose art exploded when she moved into her mid-century modern house. It is located on a main thoroughfare in the town, but you would never know it when you are inside.

The neighborhood of Conantum, 104 homes on 195 acres of woodland hills along the Sudbury River in Concord, was conceived in 1950 as an experiment in speculative development. For a developer to make a modest profit, typically, he would keep the lots small and the roads and waterlines short, remove the trees and flatten the land, scraping off and selling the valuable topsoil.  

The original marketing material for Deck House, Inc., the company that built many thousands of kit-of-parts houses all over the country and abroad since its inception in 1959, is meant to be inspirational:

“The Deck House concept, as developed by its designer, Mr. William J. Berkes, evolved from the recognized need ... for a contemporary house that would satisfy most of the requirements of a considerable segment of the market.

One of the lovely things about living in Concord is the view. From Monument Street overlooking fields of grass to views of Warner’s Pond in West Concord to the dappled light of the forests on ORNAC, the viewer only needs to stand still and look around to notice. Many builders and architects of the 1940s-1960s (the mid-century modern era) understood this and sited homes to take in the surroundings. I feel privileged to be working with a family who bought one of these beautiful houses in the northwest section of town.

America in the mid-20th century was full of promise. WWII had ended and the economy was booming. A new sense of optimism about the world and progressive thinking influenced all realms of life including business, art, and politics. Today we can still see evidence of this “Modern” movement in the architecture that remains.  “Mid-Century Modern” homes are famous for their clean straight lines, large expanses of glass, and low sloped roofs but they do not always age well over time.  

There is more to Concord architecture than white clapboard and immaculate colonials. Like its neighbors in Lincoln and Lexington, Concord abounds with fine examples of mid-century modern homes.  Built between 1930 and 1970, these examples of architectural history have largely been ignored until recently - too young to be considered “historical.”