Paul Hayden Kirk and Midcentury Modern NW Architecture
Thursday October 15, 2026, 6:30pm
Offered by Lopez Island Historical Society
Admission
By donation at the door: Adult $10.00
Sponsored by
San Juan County Lodging Tax and Humanities Washington.
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.
Come learn about Paul Hayden Kirk, who designed the Lopez Inn (now Islander Lopez) and multiple buildings at Henderson Camps/Camp Nor'wester, as well as mentored other influential architects with designs on Lopez.
SPEAKER BIO
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.
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.
Come learn about Paul Hayden Kirk, who designed the Lopez Inn (now Islander Lopez) and multiple buildings at Henderson Camps/Camp Nor'wester, as well as mentored other influential architects with designs on Lopez.
SPEAKER BIO
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.