Retro Road Trip Archives - Atomic Ranch

Retro Road Trip

The Dorton Arena’s Groundbreaking Tension Design

October 12, 2024
Written by Kye Cardinalis and Featured image by Warren LeMay

Vintage postcard showing Dorton Arena exterior.

If you head to an event at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, you may have the chance to visit the historic J. S. Dorton Arena. This arena features 7,610 seats, and has hosted everything from sports events to musical performances to robotics competitions. But while you are here, you may find yourself as captivated by the building itself as you are by anything taking place inside it.

Louis Kahn's Arts United building

Hidden Masterpiece: Louis Kahn’s Arts United Building

September 20, 2024
Written by Michelle Mastro and Images by Courtesy of Arts United and Visit Fort Wayne

Sometimes masterpieces are found in the most unassuming of places. Hidden in plain sight in Fort Wayne, Indiana, there’s an extremely rare Louis Kahn building known as Arts United. The building is the city’s only performing arts center. But its true claim to fame is that it’s the only Louis Kahn building located in the Midwest and the only performing arts center the architect ever produced in the world. That’s why the city is now doing all it can to not only preserve it for future generations but also update the building to be more easily accessible to all audiences.

guest bedroom at the Little Mod Hotel with MCM style furniture

Enjoy Retro Style at the Little Mod Hotel

July 21, 2024
Written by Michelle Mastro

Surround yourself in your favorite décor in fun, retro-styled rooms at this rescued property. What was once old can be new again. This is especially true of a 1960s-themed hotel…

33 Thomas Street exterior

Retro Road Trip

33 Thomas Street: A Sleek Brutalist Habitat for Machines

July 5, 2024
Written by Kye Cardinalis and Featured image by Lars Plougmann

While you are exploring Lower Manhattan in NYC, you may notice a distinctive and unusual building soaring 550 feet and utterly devoid of windows. This ominous, mysterious structure is located…

The Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts at night

Retro Road Trip

The Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts: Le Corbusier’s Only North American Structure

June 14, 2024
Written by Kye Cardinalis and Featured image by Daderot

Le Corbusier is a name you will hear time and again as you are exploring the history of Mid Century Modern architecture. Countless other architects from the mid century period…

Fountainbleau exterior

Retro Road Trip

The “Miami Modern” Works of Morris Lapidus in Miami Beach

May 23, 2024
Written by Kye Cardinalis and Featured image by David Berkowitz

While visiting Miami Beach, Florida, you may notice that the city boasts a lot of Mid Century Modern flair. Much of these MCM vibes are thanks to works by architect…

UNESCO Headquarters exterior

Retro Road Trip

UNESCO Headquarters: A Confluence of Brilliance

March 22, 2024
Written by Kye Cardinalis and Featured image by Matthias Ripp

One of the most recognizable buildings in Paris—especially from above—is the UNESCO Headquarters building, also called Maison de l’UNESCO. Seen from overhead, this building features a Y-shape with three wings…

Paul R. Williams Suite living room

Retro Road Trip

The Paul R. Williams Suite at the Beverly Hills Hotel

February 18, 2024
Written by Kye Cardinalis and Featured image by Beverly Hills Hotel

If you want to experience Hollywood glamor to its fullest, book a stay at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Sunset Boulevard. During its golden age in the 1930s-1960s, this hotel…

exterior of First Baptist Church in Hunstville, AL

Retro Road Trip

The Cosmic Grandeur of the First Baptist Church of Huntsville, AL

December 28, 2023
Written by Kye Cardinalis and Featured image by DXR

As you drive around Huntsville, AL, you will notice a tall steeple piercing the sky. Like a beacon, it draws you toward it. This is the belltower of the First…

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