Inside the Most Comprehensive Compendium of Midcentury-Modern Architecture Ever

In the design world, is there any style that’s having more of a Renaissance moment than midcentury modern? It’s everywhere, from luxury hotels to high-end residential interiors to mainstream furniture lines from the likes of CB2 and Anthropologie, and it’s showing little sign of slowing down. In the midst of this revival, writer Dominic Bradbury, who has contributed to Architectural Digest, has compiled what might just be one of the most comprehensive books ever to be published on the subject. Titled Atlas of Mid-Century Modern Houses ($150, Phaidon), the tome showcases 400 midcentury houses by 290 architects, located everywhere from Palm Springs to Sri Lanka, giving extraordinary insight into the history of the movement.

“If one imagines a list of the greatest, most influential houses of the twentieth century, it seems highly likely that the mid-century period will dominate,” writes Bradbury in the book’s introduction, going on to name such famous edifices as the three famous glass houses by Philip Johnson, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and Lina Bo Bardi, respectively; Richard Neutra’s Kaufmann House; and Luis Barragán’s Cuadra San Cristóbal. “One could, of course, go on.…” he writes.

While the book serves as a thorough encyclopedia of midcentury homes, listing the architect, location, year built, and even condition and current use of each structure—not to mention displaying hundreds of photographs to capture both interiors and exteriors—it also serves as a memorial. At the time of the book’s publishing, 22 of the structures featured have been torn down, with another slated for demolition. More than 60 houses, however, have been designated as heritage sites, ensuring their survival. And with books like this atlas drumming up even more interest in the style, hopefully more structures will be preserved as crucial pieces of architectural history.

“It’s so rare to fix on a time when architectural ingenuity and engaging aesthetics combine so completely and expressively,” writes Bradbury. “Factor in the richness of the era’s textiles, its glassware and ceramics . . . and one has a synergy that is unique in the history of design. This truly was a golden age.”

Take a peek at just a handful of the incredible homes inside the book below.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest