Heritage Auctions' site
The Paul V Palmer, A D Barton, J L Smith, Wilson Shelton, Lawrence Swan, Alex Wainer, Gibbons Cornwell, Harold Price, Jr and Allen Zieger projects are all new to me. The Gerald Sussman design we are familiar with is a Usonian Automatic; the one at Heritage Auctions is previously unmentioned.
All of the above names appear in the index of Taschen volume III with the exception of Paul Palmer.
S
All of the above names appear in the index of Taschen volume III with the exception of Paul Palmer.
S
Right on. The section shows the slabs described in the specs. On the plan sheet is the continuous-pipe heating system---not discussed in the concrete specs nor apparently visible in the section . . .
The house has so much in common with Sturges---down to the knobby spindles rising from the 4x12 ceiling beams, and the steel cantilever beam that's longer past the fulcrum than behind it---here in steel, and unsupported by a diagonal.
And as at Sturges, the visible spread bracket doesn't meet the brick base at an angle, but levels off at the bottom before reaching it.






The house has so much in common with Sturges---down to the knobby spindles rising from the 4x12 ceiling beams, and the steel cantilever beam that's longer past the fulcrum than behind it---here in steel, and unsupported by a diagonal.
And as at Sturges, the visible spread bracket doesn't meet the brick base at an angle, but levels off at the bottom before reaching it.






Indeed Mr Wright seems to have tried several solutions to the bracket. The colored view drawing found in Taschen (p 324) and a section drawing in Monograph 8 (p 53) has yet another version of the bracket . . .



Could it be that the blueprinted section is the later version, and that the brick wall, which doesn't appear in other versions of this part of the house, is supporting one or more of the steel floor-support beams ?
These elevations and plan supply an answer:





Could it be that the blueprinted section is the later version, and that the brick wall, which doesn't appear in other versions of this part of the house, is supporting one or more of the steel floor-support beams ?
These elevations and plan supply an answer:


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In comparing Sturges and Swan, it might be wise to look also at Sander, the duplicate of Sturges that was actually constructed.
I would define Sander as a poor cousin of Sturges, bigger, heftier, costlier, but not as elegant.
Swan, with all of that concrete, might have turned out to be a heavy-handed Sturges.
I would define Sander as a poor cousin of Sturges, bigger, heftier, costlier, but not as elegant.
Swan, with all of that concrete, might have turned out to be a heavy-handed Sturges.
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- Posts: 10534
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 7:48 am
The Sander plan clearly derives from Sturges; the exterior expression as built---or as it appears today---could hardly be more alien to it . . .
Were the balconies enclosed, or was the house built without them ?




Were the balconies enclosed, or was the house built without them ?




Last edited by SDR on Tue May 07, 2019 9:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.