This year’s Modern Phoenix Week, April 9–17, travels to Sunnyslope and Scottsdale.

Built in 1945, the Vasan-Lobo home was purchased by the current owners in 2000. They completed additions and remodeling by January 2009, including passive solar design, rammed-earth walls, reuse of block and wood framing and adding old denim for insulation. Aaron Kimberlin image

“Sunnyslope’s challenging elevations and gorgeous views have attracted many talented individuals to create unique statements in their homes.” —Alison King, Modern Phoenix

The ticketed April 17 home tour features a dozen homes in Sunnyslope, the north Phoenix community that began as a health refuge in the early 20th century and developed into a thriving community with many fine mid-20th-century homes.

The home tour and related expo and lectures in Scottsdale are a partnership of the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) and Modern Phoenix, the highly regarded Web site-based network of designers, educators, writers and design enthusiasts who celebrate Phoenix midcentury-modern architectural style.

The previous day, April 16, SMoCA is hosting the expo and lectures inside the lobby of the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts building. Other related activities take place throughout the Phoenix area during the preceding week and the month of April.

The 7th annual Modern Phoenix event is also supported by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, notes Alison King, who, with husband Matthew, began www.modernphoenix.net to chronicle the city’s endangered postwar buildings, promote discussion forums and coordinate architectural events.

Sunnyslope is 100 years old this year — founded by William R. Norton. “While out on a buggy ride in the desert, one of his daughters was looking at the sun shining on the ‘pretty sunny slope,’” explains Vivia Strang, CPM, National Register coordinator for the State Historic Preservation Office in Phoenix. “Mr. Norton liked it and named the area Sunny Slope.” After World War II, the community became one word, she adds.

Norton platted the first subdivision in 1911 — the Sunny Slope Subdivision. Its boundaries were Central Avenue on the west, Dunlap Avenue on the north, Third Street to the east and Alice Avenue on the south, Strang notes.