What is the signature architecture of the Berkeley Hills? Chances are good that brown-shingled Arts and Crafts homes quickly come to mind. But modern houses built from the 1940s through the 1970s — and, indeed, still today — make a sizable contribution to some of the most beautiful and, arguably, most mysterious neighborhoods anywhere.

On Wednesday, August 2, at 7 p.m., architecture enthusiast and journalist Dave Weinstein will take us on a photo tour of some of these distinctive homes in Berkeley and beyond, discuss why modernism came late to the Bay Area, and explain why — and with whom — it proved so popular. We’ll also learn how this style, which looks so different from Arts and Crafts buildings, actually is deeply indebted to the Craftsman ethos.

Tickets for this program are $5 for club members and $10 for non-members. Please register early so we can be sure to accommodate everyone comfortably and safely. Masks are strongly encouraged. You can register via Eventbrite here.

For years, Dave has written about Bay Area architecture for the San Francisco Chronicle. His popular books include Signature Architects of the Bay Area, Berkeley Rocks, and It Came from Berkeley: How Berkeley Changed the World. For the past twenty years, his well-researched articles have appeared in CA-Modern magazine, which focuses on the mid-century modern tract homes that the famed developer Joseph Eichler built in the Bay Area, as well as on other topics related to modern design.

Dave also has worked to publicize and preserve the historic and natural landscapes of El Cerrito, where he lives. He is president of the El Cerrito Historical Society and El Cerrito Trail Trekkers. He was instrumental in saving and restoring the Cerrito Theater (now the Rialto Cinemas Cerrito) and in protecting the Madera Open Space by having it added to the city’s Hillside Natural Area.

Dave grew up on Long Island and studied art history at Columbia University and journalism at UC-Berkeley.