Every now and again, some good is done in the name of modern preservation, and we tingle all over with pride for our city. This is one such occasion. Salt Lake Modern’s spring event will be Keepin’ It Glassy: Sugden’s Legacy Lives On. Oh, sure, we love a good pun…but this has got us excited for bigger/better reasons. Say, for one, the fact that it’s going off in the one and only Roberta Sugden home.
Yes, yes, y’all. We featured it here as a Place of Worship some time ago, and now we’re headed back to have a glass, and raise it up, and toast the host with the house that’s the most. For those that didn’t catch the story the first time around, here’s a touch of what we find to be so god damned intriguing: the home is–according to SL Modern–“a ripping demonstration of Miesian principles” (Sugden having studied under world-renown architect, Mies van der Rohe). When the current owner, Molly, purchased the home in 1993, the landscaping had run amok, windows were covered in drapes, and the previous owner had made an addition that largely distracted from the original design. Years of work, however, and diligent consultation with friend and Sugden colleague, Dee Wilson, enabled Molly to mold a consistent design with the addition, pull back the encroaching foliage, and save this building from the likely fate of purchase and demolition. For her efforts, she was honored with a well-deserved Utah Heritage Foundation Award in 2005. Applause, applause, applause. This was certainly one worth saving.
For a thousand cool-as-hell reasons, you should purchase a ticket and join us in this gorgeous home on Saturday, May 16th. Awe and wonder will undoubtedly accompany the wine and snacks, and the goodly SL Modern folks will be making an announcement regarding the preservation of this home (hint: it’ll be an exciting first), as well as their continued efforts to preserve homes like this one. #longlivemodern
Keepin’ It Glassy | Saturday, May 16th, 5:00pm to 7:00pm | Purchase tickets here
