modTEXAS

Multi-Site Education/Advocacy Award

Amy Walton

Texas

An Instagram-based initiative, modTEXAS documents modernist architecture and educates a new generation of preservationists. Followers are invited to seek out subjects and use the #modtexas tag to help crowd-source the largest collection of Texas design worth preserving.

Founded by Amy Walton in 2018, the project features photos from her travels and highlights submissions from others, who have collectively shared over 10,000 posts using #modtexas. With 236,000 square miles to cover, modTEXAS may be the largest midcentury survey ever undertaken. Volunteer photographers, researchers, and citizens work together to share the images and stories that make these buildings special to their communities.

The focus of modTEXAS is broad. It has documented hundreds of churches across the state, gathering first-person histories and other research details to tell their stories. The initiative earned a Modernism in America citation from Docomomo US, and Amy Walton has received a Community Honors award from the American Institute of Architects Dallas Chapter.

Jury Comments

The creation of a database of these projects to raise public awareness and appreciation is a great asset. This project has done a great job as bringing awareness to buildings that can be seen as a collection.

Project Team Members

modTEXAS is a crowd-sourced project with thousands of volunteers who share photos, research, and their memories.