Frank Lloyd Wright's Designs for Barbecues
Frank Lloyd Wright's Designs for Barbecues
Can anyone think of a Frank Lloyd Design for a barbecue? On the landscape plan for the Weltzheimer house is a designation for a barbecue. It shows up as an "L" shape on the lawn with no detail given. I have always assumed it would be made of the same brick used in the house, but know of no other FLW design which includes a barbecue separate from the actual house.
Is there, then, a design for a barbecue attached to a house ? That would be a starting point.
I suppose there have always been portable barbecue devices like the Weber kettle. So, the only necessity for the architect would be to make a semi-sheltered fireproof environment, perhaps with seating and with a built-in chef's bench or room for one -- plus a dining table and seats ?
As this does not seem to be a standard Usonian accessory, it seems likely that the Weltzheimers asked for it specifically -- and the architect duly noted it on his plan, without (apparently) going further than that.
A more elaborate setup is the built-in grill or range, fueled variously, built of masonry materials with, again, the above-mentioned elaborations. Do you think that's what the client had in mind ? Is that what you'd want for yourself ? I leave it to others to find such a device, among Wright's residential works.
SDR
I suppose there have always been portable barbecue devices like the Weber kettle. So, the only necessity for the architect would be to make a semi-sheltered fireproof environment, perhaps with seating and with a built-in chef's bench or room for one -- plus a dining table and seats ?
As this does not seem to be a standard Usonian accessory, it seems likely that the Weltzheimers asked for it specifically -- and the architect duly noted it on his plan, without (apparently) going further than that.
A more elaborate setup is the built-in grill or range, fueled variously, built of masonry materials with, again, the above-mentioned elaborations. Do you think that's what the client had in mind ? Is that what you'd want for yourself ? I leave it to others to find such a device, among Wright's residential works.
SDR
I believe with a few design modifications this outdoor bake oven might pass for a " usonian " design.
/Users/moore/Desktop/Usonian oven by Stefan Polatschek.jpg
Some red brick and more cantilever on the shelf would go a long way to that goal. If the stone shelf would also eliminate the steel lentil it would be even better.
A wood fired oven will do most anything that a grill will do !
/Users/moore/Desktop/Usonian oven by Stefan Polatschek.jpg
Some red brick and more cantilever on the shelf would go a long way to that goal. If the stone shelf would also eliminate the steel lentil it would be even better.
A wood fired oven will do most anything that a grill will do !
The January 1963 issue of House Beautiful is devoted to the Hanna House. Pages 90 - 93 are entitled "We can eat and entertain almost everywhere." There is a rather forlorn 1960 photo looking east from the area of the master bedroom captioned "...Our first barbecue was built at the end of this brick path. The picture was taken after we had dismantled the barbecue, preparing to start work on...." There are three photos (called 1963, but more likely 1962) showing "The garden house, equipped with barbecue and electrically driven rotisserie....". While Wright was by then gone, and execution would have most likely been by TAA, another caption says "...you will see how Mr. Wright...." implying the design was by the master. This structure shows as the "Garden House on Storer's "after" plan. When I was there, I felt the structure seemed too large, too high, and somewhat over-wrought for its function and location, and proximity to the main house. It is as large in plan as the new master bedroom. Perhaps someone else has the magazine who knows how to post photos.
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Roderick Grant
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Duncan, I am sure that somewhere there is printed that the Garden House was indeed designed by TAA. All the remodeling to the Main House, as well as the addition of the Shop and Guest Room, was done by FLW specifically to be carried out after original construction once Hanna had the means, but the Garden House was not part of that expansion plan.
Cedar Rock (Walter) has this round ("Council Fire") outdoor barbecue.
https://www.google.com/search?q=outdoor ... L32F-IcqrM:
https://www.google.com/search?q=outdoor ... L32F-IcqrM:
I am very interested to see the Cedar Rock Council Fire(1945) clearly fitted out as a barbecue. The only other photo I recall of the Walter Council Fire is in Storer, where I failed to notice the grate etc. The Council Rock idea of course comes from indian councils, and was used by the Arts and Crafts landscape architect Jens Jensen (1860-1951). Wright and Jensen had some interactions over the years (Coonley House grounds (1908 - 1917); Sherman Booth grounds (1911-1912); Abbey Beecher Roberts (1936). Wright also was a guest instructor at Jensen's "school" The Clearing, all according to the book, "Jens Jensen, Maker of Natural Parks and Gardens" by Robert E. Grese, Johns Hopkins Press, 1992:
Gese states: "Council Rings, simple circular stone benches with fire pits in the center which resembled the kivas of the Pueblo Indians in the American Southwest, were perhaps the only architectural element that Jensen repeated again and again in his designs. Viewed by Jensen as a symbol of democracy, the council ring was intended as a gathering place where all people would be equal. Jensen developed his idea of the council ring and fire by combining elements of his Danish folk school tradition with 'the council fires of the Native American, and with (the) fires of the pioneers.' Around the council ring, people gathered to participate in free and honest discussions, to read poetry or tell stories, to act out dramas, or simply to meditate, especially on humanity's relationship with nature. " (page 176)
Gese states: "Council Rings, simple circular stone benches with fire pits in the center which resembled the kivas of the Pueblo Indians in the American Southwest, were perhaps the only architectural element that Jensen repeated again and again in his designs. Viewed by Jensen as a symbol of democracy, the council ring was intended as a gathering place where all people would be equal. Jensen developed his idea of the council ring and fire by combining elements of his Danish folk school tradition with 'the council fires of the Native American, and with (the) fires of the pioneers.' Around the council ring, people gathered to participate in free and honest discussions, to read poetry or tell stories, to act out dramas, or simply to meditate, especially on humanity's relationship with nature. " (page 176)
The Storrer floor plan of the Shavin house on the Wright Library website shows an outdoor barbecue beyond the carport.
http://www.steinerag.com/flw/Artifact%2 ... RtS339.htm
http://www.steinerag.com/flw/Artifact%2 ... RtS339.htm