Preservation work is not just for ornate courthouses and century-old brick buildings. Docomomo US has announced the 15 recipients of its 2026 Modernism in America Awards, honoring people and projects that protect modern architecture through advocacy, documentation, restoration, and rehabilitation.
The winners will be recognized at a ceremony in New York City on Nov. 5. Docomomo US Executive Director Liz Waytkus said this year’s honorees show how preservation can connect the past to today’s needs, including affordability, community life, environmental responsibility, and cultural recognition.
For mason contractors, one project stands out right away. Pickers’ Quarters in Northport, Michigan, was built in the early 1950s as a seasonal laborers’ residence using simple concrete masonry block construction and wood trusses. The award citation notes that its conversion into a three-bedroom home did not hide the building’s origins, a reminder that CMU can be part of the finished story, not something to cover up.
Other awardees underline how much modern building preservation can hinge on concrete and enclosure expertise. UC San Diego’s York Hall, a 1966 campus landmark, earned recognition for seismic rehabilitation of a 122,000-square-foot complex that features a fluted concrete colonnade, precast concrete fins, and open shaded walkways.
Long-term stewardship also made the list. Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1937 masterpiece in western Pennsylvania, was honored for more than 25 years of ongoing preservation and care. The house is known for its mix of reinforced concrete, steel, glass, and locally quarried stone, materials that demand careful planning when repairs are needed and appearance matters.
Read the full, original article from Archinect here.