Photo courtesy Oregon Homeworks with MODaby Design
The end of the coronavirus pandemic is in sight for Americans, and people are venturing outside and gathering once again with close friends and loved ones… but, we are still not quite ready for large-scale gatherings in small spaces like private homes. For lovers of architecture and design, however, the Modern Architecture + Design Society (MA+DS) is presenting their signature Modern Home Tour series in a way that gives everyone, everywhere the opportunity to explore some of North America’s greatest examples of modern residential architecture.
Returning to Oregon more than a year after canceling the 2020 tour, MA+DS is presenting the 2021 Portland Modern Home Tour as a virtual summer experience. The online event will feature live walkthroughs, using 3D imaging, of some of Portland’s most interesting modern homes built in the last few years. Discussions and Q& with the MA+DS hosts and the architects, builders, designers, and homeowners will take place in each segment, giving viewers all the details and background of each project.
“We’re really excited to return to Portland with our virtual tour this year,” says MA+DS founder, James Leasure. “During our in-person events, most visitors would explore each home on their own, and perhaps ask a question on their way out the door. During our virtual events, we explore the homes as a group and discuss the project’s story with the people that created it. The event is NOT prerecorded, and it’s 100% interactive LIVE with the architects – so it’s as close to an in-person tour as we could possibly create!”
Leasure says the 2021 calendar of virtual events is his group’s answer to continuing live events in a safe manner until the world can resume large gatherings in-person: “We are very close but not quite ready to have large amounts of visitors in our private homes. Our virtual tours are fun and educational, and anyone, anywhere, can join from the safety of their own homes this year, until we can safely gather en masse in-home next year.”
Leasure also explains further benefits of the MA+DS virtual Portland tour: each home’s segment will be recorded and made available after the LIVE event. Tourgoers will be able to revisit segments or watch any they missed on tour day and explore many of the 3D scans on their own.
“The added bonus with doing a virtual event is that tourgoers interested in seeing the homes do not have to block a full day off on their schedule,” says Leasure. “Likewise, those who live far away don’t have to travel. Buying a ticket gets you access to the LIVE streaming event, all the taped segments, and the 3D models. We like to think of this as a LIVE TV show where you have the option to ask the host questions during the show… or you can watch it DVR-style at a later time.”
Leasure adds: “In other words, we hope you can join us and watch LIVE and participate in the discussion, but if this is something you’d rather check out during a rainy weekend in August, you have that option too!”
Confirmed 2021 Portland Modern Home Tour participants include:
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- Outside Architecture
- Oregon Homeworks with MODaby Design
- MODaby Design (a second project)
- Vanillawood Design Build
- eMZed Architecture
How this year’s virtual tour works:
1) Tickets can be purchased here: portlandmodernhometour.com.
2) Tourgoers will receive an access link with unique passcode prior to the event.
3) Tourgoers can participate LIVE on tour day, watching the segments in real-time and asking the architects, builders, designers, and homeowners questions, or…
4) Segments can be watched (or re-watched) and 3D models explored at a more convenient time after the event.
A curated selection of modern homes in and around Portland will be showcased virtually during the 9th annual PortlandModern Home Tour on Saturday, July 24. Tickets are just $40 per device and grant access to the taped segments and models after the live event. For details, visit portlandmodernhometour.com.
A 2021 Season Pass is also available that grants access to all virtual tours in 2021 and includes a ticket to pass holders once live events resume. For more information on the 2021 Virtual Modern Home Tour Season Pass and to see the current schedule of 2021 tours, visit mads.media/hometours.
