Thermodynamic Evolution and Structural Performance of Mid-Century Modern Residential Architecture: An Expert Analysis of Energy Efficiency, Retrofit Strategies, and Buyer Concerns

Mid-century modern homes were never designed to conserve energy—they were designed to dissolve the boundary between indoors and outdoors. Thin rooflines, expansive glass, uninsulated slabs, and radiant floors embedded directly in concrete created architectural poetry, but thermodynamic vulnerability. Today, the true question for buyers isn’t whether these homes are inefficient—it’s whether they’ve been thoughtfully modernized without destroying the architecture that gives them value.