Docomomo US / Modernism in America Awards Ceremony, Chicago
Left to right: Kim Robinson (Docomomo US/Wisconsin Board of Directors), Liz Waytkus (Executive Director, Docomomo US), Chris Rute (Milwaukee Preservation Alliance Board of Directors; Wisconsin AIA), and Eric Vogel (President, Docomomo US/Wisconsin).
Milwaukee’s Modernist Heritage Receives Unprecedented National Recognition
MILWAUKEE, WI — Docomomo US has announced that its Wisconsin chapter, Docomomo US/Wisconsin, has received two of its highest honors: an Advocacy Citation of Merit and its first ever Documentation Student Award. These prestigious awards recognize the chapter’s leadership in preserving Milwaukee’s modernist architecture and spotlight its commitment to uplifting underrecognized architectural narratives.
Together, these awards mark a watershed moment for Wisconsin, reinforcing the state’s emerging national reputation for community-led preservation, inclusive storytelling, and architectural research.
Advocacy Citation of Merit: Preserving Central City Plaza
The Advocacy Citation of Merit acknowledges the chapter’s successful efforts to protect Central City Plaza, a 1973 commercial center designed by Alonzo Robinson Jr., Wisconsin’s first registered Black architect. The plaza holds historic significance as the first shopping center in the state that was Black-designed, Black-owned, and Black-operated, symbolizing a powerful story of economic empowerment and cultural pride.
In early 2025, when demolition was proposed, Docomomo US/Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Preservation Alliance, and a broad network of community advocates, including Robinson’s son, Kim Robinson, mobilized swiftly. Through public testimony, media outreach, and a push for historic designation, they reframed the project as an urgent act of preserving Black heritage.
Their advocacy strongly influenced the decision by Milwaukee’s Historic Preservation Commission to fast-track historic designation of the site. Thanks to 11th hour conversations between the property owner, Salvation Army, and Kim Robinson, with support from Docomomo Wisconsin representatives and community advocates, the Salvation Army ultimately agreed to pause demolition and to collaborate with community members on an adaptive reuse strategy. Milwaukee’s Common Council quickly voted in support of the historic designation and adaptive reuse of the historic buildings on site. Plans for renovation of Central City Plaza will now include a public educational component, perhaps even a permanent installation, to honor the architectural legacy of Alonzo Robinson Jr. for future generations.
“The advocates deserve praise for stepping in quickly, mobilizing the local community, and providing education and context to support the narrative.” — Liz Waytkus, Executive Director, Docomomo US
“It is a great example of the many tools people are using not just to win local preservation efforts but to start a larger national conversation about how these histories go unrecognized.” — Todd Grover, FAIA, Advocacy Committee Chair
Docomomo US / Modernism in America Awards Ceremony, Chicago
Left to right: Eric Vogel (President, Docomomo US/Wisconsin), Seth Ter Haar (Docomomo US/Wisconsin Fellow), and Liz Waytkus (Executive Director, Docomomo US).
Documentation Student Award: Reframing Milwaukee’s Modernism
The Documentation Student Award recognizes Seth Ter Haar, LGBTQ+ scholar, artist, curator, and Docomomo US/Wisconsin Fellow, for two groundbreaking research initiatives:
The Mothers of Milwaukee Modernism: Building the Layton School of Art
This project reconstructs the now-lost 1950 Layton School of Art campus, designed by Jack Waldheim for founders and life partners Charlotte Partridge and Miriam Frink. Using archival research, oral histories, and public programming, it reframes Layton as a Bauhaus-influenced hub of educational modernism. The project has been exhibited at the Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, Milwaukee Pride, and is slated for PBS Wisconsin.
DocoDrive: The Divine Line
In collaboration with Historic Milwaukee’s Doors Open initiative, extensive research and writing by a group of Docomomo Wisconsin volunteers, and graphic design by Scott Templeton, this project documents midcentury sacred architecture along Capitol Drive. Highlighting over thirty sites, spanning immigrant, Black, and working-class congregations, it led to a printed guidebook, public tours, and increased community engagement.
“These laudable efforts activate history through engaging programming and show the value of getting young people involved and letting them take the lead.” — Dung Ngo, Award Jury
“I’m honored to receive national recognition for my work with Docomomo Wisconsin, especially my research into the Layton School of Art—the predecessor to my alma mater, MIAD. This project helped me explore my own queer identity and build a bridge of pride between the queer femmes who attend MIAD today and those who founded Layton nearly a century ago.” — Seth Ter Haar, Award Winner
A Milestone for Milwaukee’s Future
These national recognitions reflect not just achievements of the past, but the vibrancy of a growing movement to protect, reinterpret, and celebrate the modern architecture that defines community identity in Wisconsin. In honoring these stories, Docomomo US/Wisconsin continues to broaden the field of preservation with equity, creativity, and collaboration.