Photography: Chris Mottalini's poignant shots of modernist homes prior to their demolition

Chris Mottalini’s poignantly titled series documents three homes designed by the controversial Modernist architect Paul Rudolph, just days prior to their demolitions. We like the project because it captures Modernism in a light that is increasingly becoming the norm; Chris’s compositions show how buildings once seen as entirely futuristic have become ghostly relics from the past. The buildings were located in Westport, CT, Watch Hill, RI, and Siesta Key, FL, and since the publication of the series by The Centre for American Places last year, the photographs have featured in a number of newspapers, from The New York Times to The LA Times. What is so intriguing about the photographs is that they capture the grace and dignity of the houses that stand in absolute defiance of their abandonment, and the series manages to beautifully address the importance of the buildings, as well as the cultural frustration over their loss.