Wright goes to Arkansas

[hypnoraygun]

Guess who just bought a Wright house? http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article ... lson-house

[DavidC]

Glad the house is being saved. Glad the house will remain in the United States. Glad that there will be the funds and expertise to (hopefully) do the move and reconstruction correctly. Glad that the furnishings will be going with the house. Glad that there will be funds available for upkeep over time. Hope that public access is made fully available. Hope that it can be re-sited on the museum grounds as best as is possible in overall relation to how it was on it's original site. Sad to see that it will no longer be a home for a family to live in.


David

[clydethecat]

As far as I know this will be the first Wright structure in Arkansas.

But - how do you move a slab-on-grade house?

[SDR]

You leave the slab behind. The slab and/or heating loop(s) are frequently failing or are compromised in a Usonian after 60 or 70 years, so the opportunity to replace them would be welcomed by those involved.

I doubt that the (plain and generic) concrete block elements will be saved, either. Moving unreinforced masonry walls -- or breaking up the walls into blocks, which then need to be cleaned of mortar -- are impractical. Wright's patterned blocks, of course, would be saved where present, regardless of cost.

SDR

[hypnoraygun]

In the lengthy press release, (link towards bottom of this post) there are details about the moving process. " architect/designer team Lawrence and Sharon Tarantino" are the ones who own it and will supervise it's deconstruction/reconstruction. They also completed a restoration on the house.

I'm glad it will be in in the Tarantino's hands. One would assume they will make sure it is correct.

The sale of the house includes all the fixtures and furniture designed for it. A specialized contractor will be secured for the methodical process of dismantling the house, under the supervision of the Tarantinos, for moving to Arkansas where it will be reconstructed to Frank Lloyd Wright’s original specifications. The Tarantinos will oversee the packing of every building component, built-in furnishings and furniture, which will be carefully loaded into container trucks, transported and reconstructed on site.

http://crystalbridges.org/press-release ... -treasure/

[SDR]

I've been quite impressed with what I've seen from afar, and read . . .


Is this Organic enough for the folks out there ?

http://crystalbridges.org/blog/art-and- ... e-shelter/

The vaulted roofs are really suspended at the eaves. ("Known as Glu-lam, the structural beam is comprised of a number of layers of dimensioned timber bonded together with durable, moisture-resistant structural adhesives to produce one large beam. The beams are then steamed and shaped to produce beautifully crafted arches." Ouch!)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/11058961455/


I'd say the Bachman/Wilson will fit right in, as an orthogonal cousin of Safdie's organisms. Perhaps some new connections will be made, for any visitors who still think of Wright as passé ?

SDR

[hypnoraygun]

Here are a few of my photographs of Crystal Bridges from a quick visit.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hypnoraygu ... 2923746448

[SDR]

Big budget, wouldn't you say ?


SDR

[peterm]

Doesn't much of the money for the museum come from Tyson Foods, the chicken company?

This is such good news.

I must admit to being surprised by this. I would have thought that some wealthy New Yorker would have found a spot not too far from New York City to locate their weekend house.

This is a better outcome. It will be an additional draw for their museum, the state of Arkansas, and more people will be exposed to Wright's architecture.

[Paul Ringstrom]

But - how do you move a slab-on-grade house?

The Gordon House is very similar in style and construction materials and was successfully moved to Silverton, OR and reconstructed and opened to the public.

The Tarantino's should consult with Larry Woodin regarding the dismantling and reconstruction process that he supervised.

[Paul Ringstrom]

Doesn't much of the money for the museum come from Tyson Foods, the chicken company?

This museum was founded and funded by Alice Walton of the Walmart fortune: http://alicewalton.org

[DRN]

clydethecat and Paul: Having met the Tarantino's, I assure you they know exactly what to do and how to do it.

The CMU and slab, like the Gordon house's, will be abandoned and demolished at the old site and replaced with new in Arkansas. The wood framing, steel framing, doors and windows, hardware, casework, electrical fixtures and devices, will move to the new site for reassembly.

Sam Walton was an E. Fay Jones client, maybe the experience had some influence on his daughter.

[Wrighter]

My understanding is that Alice Walton currently lives in the house that Fay Jones designed for her parents. Jones also designed a house for Alice, which I believe she sold. Though hypnoraygun would be a more authoritative source on this info.

Some pics:
http://rbeuc.freesuperhost.com/english/ ... house.html

[Jeff Myers]

I think this is a perfect home to be moved to an area that is becoming a focus of architecture design. Also you have within a 2 hour and 45 minute drive to Bartlesville's Price Tower and then in at least,I guesstimate, a 5 hour drive to Wichita from Bentonville, the Allen-Lambe House.
It completes the circle of famous and blossoming organic architectural designs from Fay Jones, Bruce Goff, Frank Lloyd Wright and more.

[pharding]

Congrats to Lawrence and Sharon Tarantino. This undoubtedly this is the best outcome given its current location.