MUNI = POMO?

It’s been a while, I know.  Work has taken me away from our fair city and wrung out all my energy.  But thanks to the intrepid email of an anonymous tipster, I have a new building for you to consider:  Riverside Municipal Airport.

Designed in 1968 by Clinton Marr, Riverside Municipal Airport (nicknamed Muni by airplane types) references the Mediterranean/Spanish Colonial Revival style of the early 20th century with its large vigas, red-tile roof, and wide eaves, but also uses a more modern aesthetic in the window placement and shaping, stucco texture, and grid-like wall trim.  I didn’t delve into permit history as much as I usually do, so some of the look might be the product of later changes to the facade.

This mixture of historical references through a modern lens suggests that we could most accurately call Muni an early example of Postmodern architecture.  I need to do more reading about Postmodernism because I don’t know whether the transition between Mid-Century Modernism and Postmodernism has been worked out.  It seems to me that one could argue that New Formalism is really an early expression of Postmodernism because of its conscious reliance on references to classical architecture.

At any rate, I’m sure the people who work there appreciate all the floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the airfield.  Hopefully I’ll get out there for some photos in the near future.