Architect Profiles: Charles Haertling (1926-1984)
Dammann House (1966)
Charles Haertling is one of Colorado’s most important modernist architects. He designed over 40 buildings around Boulder, in addition to houses and churches in Denver, Cherry Hills, Littleton, Northglenn, Brighton, Lakewood, Lookout Mountain, Gold Hill, Vail, Snowmass, Cleveland, Albuquerque and even Costa Rica.
Moment House (1966)
Haertling was an organic architect. His designs often derived from flowers, leaves, mushrooms, yucca plants, mollusks and other examples of nature. In this respect, he is sometimes compared to architect Bruce Goff. The Moment Houst (above) has lost some of that organic feel now that it has been white-washed.
Menkick House (1970)
As you can see, his architecture was quite diverse and at times also displayed a strong Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian infuence, as is evident here in the wonderful Menkick House, which incorporates a large rock outcropping.
Brenton House (1969)
The Brenton House above was one of about a half-dozen Colorado buildings chosen to represent life in the future for Woody Allen’s Sleeper film.
Johnson House (1976)
Haertling moved to Boulder to teach at CU in 1953. During this time he also worked as a designer for Jim Hunter and Tician Papachristou, before practicing architecture himself in 1957. (A house in Cherry Hills recently came on the market which is a collaboration between Papachristou and Haertling).
Another view of the Brenton House
While driving around the fringes of Boulder, especially near Flagstaff, you often spot unique interesting homes from the 1960s and ’70s. More often than not, you will be looking at a Haertling design.
Quaker Friends Meeting House (1960)
Charles Haerting was civic minded, he served as a city council member from 1967-1973, as deputy mayor from 1970-71 and was one of the main influences for Boulder developing its Greenbelt/Open Space plan that has preserved the livability of Boulder to this day.
Boulder Eye Clinic (1969)
His famous Boulder Eye Clinic building stands out as a landmark on Broadway. The four windows originally protruded out with eye charts at the ends, form following function!
Jourgenson House (1970)
Willard House (1962)
The Willard House was threatened in recent years when an unruly neighbor decided to dig out the mountainside to make way for new construction. The construction project was abandoned, but the hole remains and threatens the amazing Willard House.
Closeup of the Willard House
Triframe Modular, Lakewood (1965)
Razee House, Denver (1970)
The Razee House in Denver is an outstanding example of Brutalist design. Brutalist structures are often known for their cast-in-place rough-surface concrete.
Our Savior Parish Center, Denver (1961)
Haertling was also a religious man and designed two Denver area churches and remodeled an interior of a church in Boulder.
Our Savior Parish Center
His design for the Our Savior Parish Center on Capitol Hill in Denver was very controversial and originally featured spikes on the edges of the roofline representing the Crown of Thorns.
St. Stephens Church, Northglenn (1964)
The roof of the St. Stephens Church in Northglenn is a fantastic example of the use of the hyperbolic paraboloid and is an engineering triumph.
St. Stephens Church
Kahn House, Boulder (1970)
And lastly we see a wing of the Kahn House on Flagstaff peeking through the envionment with the famous Boulder Flatirons on display behind it.
Charles Haertling succumbed to brain cancer quite suddenly in 1984 at the age of 55. While some may not appreciate his architecture, Boulder residents have all benefited from his dedication to preserving open space.
Tags: architect, architecture, Boulder, Charles Haertling, Colorado, homes, mid-century modern, modernism, Usonian