Seeds of Regionalism The Clauss Legacy: Early Modernism in the South

This exhibit excavates the forgotten legacy of Alfred and Jane West Clauss, who, in 1939, drawing on their respective experiences with modernist pioneers Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier, created the first modern deed-restricted subdivision in America, establishing themselves as key figures in regional modernism.

Through original artifacts—including photographs, drawings, posters, and furniture—detailed graphic maps and timelines, and immersive technologies the exhibition traces their architectural “DNA”, and explores how their move to East Tennessee inspired them to experiment with blending modernist ideas with local traditions, sowing seeds of a distinct regional modernism that marries universal design principles with a deep sense of place.