Days are Numbered for Modern House in Normandy Park

• April 03, 2010
• No Comment
• Demolition

Despite great efforts to save the modernist Brauner House in Normandy Park, it looks like it’ll be demolished soon. Designed by Seattle architect Paul Thiry, the “Father of Northwest Modernism,” this unique house was originally built for Mr. and Mrs. Kalman Brauner in 1962. Prominently featured on the cover of Sunset Magazine in its April 1967 issue, the house was described in this manner, “Raised up on concrete legs, the house has a sculptured form that almost suggests a gull poised for flight.” Hard to believe that a residence deemed worthy for the cover of a national magazine in the 1960s would be considered disposable architecture in 2010.  

Jeff McCord of Nickel Bros. house moving company practically moved mountains to try to save the mid-century modern residence. He worked with potential buyers, the current owner, and local preservation organizations to find a solution. The Seattle Times wrote a follow-up article on this issue, published on April 1. The first Seattle Times article provided much exposure to the house’s endangered status. Ultimately, a piece of modern history in Normandy Park will be gone. This is a community with a nice collection of modern residences and other resources, including the Tracy House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and the Normandy Park Community Club, which will most likely be listed on the National Register of Historic Places this summer.