Crafting a Modern World

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The enduring fascination with mid-century modern design continues, yet many inspiring figures remain overlooked. Antonin and Nomi Raymond are now poised for recognition. This book serves as the first comprehensive English-language exploration of the duo who transformed design from 1917 to 1966. Renowned for their intricate structures built in Japan during the 1930s, the Raymonds had diverse careers that spanned factories, office buildings, churches, schools, and furniture, fabrics, and graphic design. They skillfully merged their European modern roots with local craft traditions from Japan, India, and rural Pennsylvania. Collaborating with prominent thinkers and artists such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Cass Gilbert, and Isamu Noguchi, the Raymonds drew inspiration from traditional Japanese architecture, emphasizing craftsmanship in all their projects. Their notable works include churches in Chicago, the Tokyo Tennis Club, the Pacific Cable Company Station in Guam, and the Golconde Dormitory in India, as well as modernist interventions in their own farmhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania. Four essays complement this thorough examination, shedding light on the Raymonds' careers and highlighting a captivating yet overlooked chapter in mid-century modern design history.