Name: Paul Hayden Kirk and Midcentury Modern NW Architecture
Start: 2026-03-12T18:00:00-07:00
Location: Red Cross Building At The Historic Reserve

Paul Hayden Kirk and Midcentury Modern NW Architecture

Discover one of the key figures in Pacific Northwest modernism, who overcame polio as a child and reputational damage during the Red Scare to become the most influential architect our region has yet to produce.
In the mid-20th Century, our state was slow to adopt the modern architectural trends flooding Europe, the East Coast, and California. But smartly, Paul Hayden Kirk blended the clean look of modernism with our region’s tradition of building with wood, and crisp lines with Japanese and Native American influences. This talk explores Kirk’s life, along with examples of his work, to paint a portrait of a true Northwest innovator.
Speaker Dale Kutzera is the author of Paul Hayden Kirk and the Rise of Northwest Modern, the first monograph on the father of mid-century design in the Pacific Northwest. Kutzera has spent his life largely in the arts sector and entertainment industry.
Dale lives in Seattle.
This program is offered free of charge, but space is limited. Please reserve your spot: https://tinyurl.com/bdemyt35
Thank you to Humanities WA (humanities.org) for their support in bringing this event to Vancouver!