Developing a Design Theory: The Abend Singleton Story

This paper explores the design philosophy that guided the work of the celebratedlate 20th Century Kansas City architectural firm Abend Singleton.The work spans almost 40 years and is remarkably diverse; it reflects thedramatic changes in architectural culture and taste of the time, yet exhibitscommon attitudes and characteristics that suggest the presence of a consistentunderlying theoretical basis.The ideas manifested in Abend Singleton’s work were drawn from varyingsources; they were a rich amalgam that grew out of the experiences and valuesof the principals, Steve Abend and Crichton Singleton, and the dynamics oftheir office. Abend and Singleton carried forward the lessons of their teachers,which included ardent exponents of heroic modernism as well as individualswho were beginning to question the limited focus of Post World War II InternationalStyle modernism, notably Aldo Van Eyck, Balkrishna Doshi, and LouisKahn, But Abend and Singleton interpreted them quite differently based ontheir individual interests and sensibilities. Critical reflections in their internshipexperiences provided Abend and Singleton with an understanding of thedifficulties in the practical application of these ideas. In their joint practice,which began in 1967, Abend and Singleton’s design methodology evolved inresponse to the unique challenges they faced, and with the participation of themany talented young architects who passed through the firm. Their approachwas at once flexible and responsive, and also deliberate and rigorous.The paper illustrates a sampling of key projects as a way of showing boththe processes and formal implications of Abend Singleton’s working theory.These examples show the value of an enlightened modernism, which remainsoptimistic while embracing the vicissitudes of an uncertain world.Abend and Singleton found a way to challenge the expectations and raisethe standards of both their clients and employees. They were able to produceuniquely appropriate buildings of various types and at diverse scales.Abend Singleton’s work is illustrative of the expanding interests and sensibilitiesof the modernist tradition through the latter part of the 20th Century.While the challenges facing today’s architects continue to change, an understandingof the Abend Singleton story can provide a hopeful example ofhow such challenges have been addressed in the past, and might be tackledin the future.

Volume Editors
Martha Thorne & Xavier Costa

ISBN
978-0-935502-83-1