About this Event
Join WiA El Paso for the Desert Usonian Soirée, a special Archtober evening celebrating mid-century architecture, historic preservation, and El Paso’s design community.
The soirée will take place at a remarkable 1956 mid-century residence in El Paso’s Kern Place neighborhood, designed by the El Paso architecture firm Garland & Hilles. The home reflects the influence of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian principles, thoughtfully adapted to the climate and landscape of the desert Southwest through its use of materials, daylight, shade, and connection to its surroundings.
During the evening, D.J. Sevigny, Historic Preservation Specialist at Fort Bliss, will present a one-hour AIA 1 LU/HSW continuing education program, Desert Usonian: History, Materials, and Stewardship. The presentation will explore the history of the home and Garland & Hilles, the influence of Frank Lloyd Wright and other modernist architects, the conservation of characteristic mid-century building materials, and the stewardship of culturally significant places.
Before and after the presentation, guests are invited to enjoy drinks, small bites, and conversation while experiencing the architecture of the home firsthand. To embrace the spirit of the evening, guests are encouraged to dress in their favorite mid-century-inspired attire, think 1950s and ’60s cocktail party style!
A silent auction will also take place throughout the evening, with proceeds from both ticket sales and the auction benefiting the AIA El Paso Women in Architecture Scholarship, supporting the next generation of women pursuing architecture.
The Desert Usonian Soirée is presented as part of AIA El Paso’s Archtober celebration and organized by Women in Architecture (WiA).
Come for the architecture, dress for the era, stay for the soirée.
The event will be held at a mid-century home located in the Kern Place neighborhood of El Paso. The exact address will be provided upon purchase of tickets.
Event venue & nearby stays
Kerbey Avenue, Kerbey Avenue, El Paso, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.