Wright Chat

Palli Davis Holubar · Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 1036 Location: Wakeman, Ohio

This is an open request for information and photo documentation.
A thread on wrightchat (Brandes House) some time ago indicated that several correspondents were interested in perforated boards. I am trying to complete a chart of the wood perforated boards in built Usonian houses as the first phase of research on this feature of Usonian houses. Before visiting Taliesin Archives, I have been searching published sources. Among the 56 built structures I can now clarify (from the FLW Monograph Taliesin plans) had perforated boards specifications, there remain many loose ends. Some needs may be met by locating clear photographs from a wider range of published sources or personal photo collections.
Following is a list of houses for which I need photographic documentation of perforated boards in situ at specific houses and/or information regarding their installation at construction or subsequent installation/removal. If you can point me in good directions, provide answers or offer clear photos (preferably frontal, but I will take any views) I will greatly appreciate your efforts! Please include reference annotation or photography credit so the final survey will acknowledge all sources and contributors accurately.

1. Charles L. Manson House, 1938
S.249; T. 4009
Wausau, WI
Perforated boards (with clear design) are present on elevation drawings FLW Monographs vol. 6
NEED: information regarding the installation at construction (or not?) photographs of perforated boards in place?

2.James B. Christie House, 1940
S.278A; T.4003
Bernardsville NJ
Perforated boards (with clear, although simplistic, design) are present on the elevation drawings FLW Monographs vol. 6
NEED: basic info

3.Carlton David & Margaret Wall House, 1941 (Snowflake)
S.281; T.4114
Plymouth MI
“PERFORATED BOARD” indicated several places on the elevation drawings FLW Monographs vol. 6
NEED: I have never visited the house and the published documentation I have found does not include images of perf boards (I believe are there.) Surely there is info & images on this important house I have missed.

4.Stuart Richardson House, 1940
S.282; T.4104
Glen Ridge, NJ
A beautiful interior image of the perforated boards is on the Tarrantino Architects website. I hope to receive permission to use it; meanwhile any additional information would be appreciated.

5.Howard E. & Helen C. Anthony House, 1949
S.314; T.4901
Benton Harbor, MI
NEED: better photo of perforated boards on the clerestory windows; the published photographs I have located are shot at an angle, if anyone has a frontal photo of perforated boards it would be appreciated.

6.Robert & Gloria Berger House, 1950
S.330; T.5039
San Anselmo CA
NEED: better photo of perforated boards on the clerestory windows; the published photographs I have located are shot at an angle, if anyone has a frontal photo of perforated boards it would be appreciated.

7.Seamore & Gert Shavin House, 1950
S.339; T5023
Chattaanooga TN
NEED: better photo perforated boards on the clerestory windows; the published photographs I have located are shot at an angle, if anyone has a frontal photo of perforated boards it would be appreciated.

8.Margaret & Patrick Kinney House, 1951
S.342 T.038
Lancaster, WI
Perforated boards (with clear, although simplistic, design) are present on the elevation drawings FLW Monographs vol. 7
NEED: basic info re: the installation of perfs at construction (or not?); photos

9.Katherine and Maynard Buehler House, 1948
S.309; T.4805
Orinda CA
Perforated boards on the clerestory windows are shown on the perspective drawings in the FLW Monographs
NEED: good photo of the boards because the published photographs I have located are shot at an angle too low to depict the upper clerestory well, if anyone has a frontal photo of perforated boards it would be appreciated.

10. E. Clark Arnold House, 1954
S.374;T.5401
Columbus WI
Perforated boards on the clerestory windows are annotated on the plans and one elevation shows a faint pattern that does not directly relate to the design in situ
NEED: the published photographs I have located are shot at an angle, if anyone has a frontal photo of perforated boards or the band of windows, it would be appreciated. (my photographs from the 2008 Wright & Like Open House Tour are very dark)

11. Robert H. Sunday House, 1955
S.393 T.5522
Marshalltown IA
Perforated boards on the clerestory windows are shown on the perspective drawings in the FLW Monographs
NEED: info: were these installed at construction (or not?); photographs

DavidC · Joined: 02 Sep 2006 Posts: 6866 Location: Oak Ridge, TN

What you are doing is terrific - and long overdue, too. I greatly look forward to seeing your finished work on this project.

Here's a link that shows the Shavin House. You can get the best look at the perf boards on the hallway photo that's 12th from the end (i.e. - the 'right side' of the slideshow). The wood almost looks red with the overhead lights.

As for a possible source for some of the rest, have you tried looking in FLW: Mid-Century Modern? Though I have yet to own it (wife is getting me a copy as a gift .... shhhhhhhhh), I know it has (from the list you are looking for) the Buehler and Berger Houses in it.

David

Palli Davis Holubar · Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 1036 Location: Wakeman, Ohio

Tnguy, wisum photos of Shavin are great. I'm already using the interior shots (on an angle though) but the exteriors are too dark to differentiate the pattern well and I can't seem to lighten them The shot of the SE end of the House is a perfect frontal view but ... (Do you know wizum or are you wizum?) If yes to either, perhaps he can lighten it digitally and send it on larger. For photo credit does wizum want to use a different name? Thanks

DavidC · Joined: 02 Sep 2006 Posts: 6866 Location: Oak Ridge, TN

His photos of Shavin are wonderful. But I'm most certainly not him. I tried e-mailing him last year to see if he knew if Shavin might be open for tour again this year, but I never heard anything back.

David

Palli Davis Holubar · Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 1036 Location: Wakeman, Ohio

Forgot to say references I have used: Mid Century Modern; The Houses; FLW Inside and Out; Frank Lloyd Wright: The Western Work; websites like PeterBeers.net, and photostreams on Flickr like wizum, Paul Ringstrom, hyporaygun, etc. (but since this is changing often don't hesitate to suggest particular photostreams)

peterm · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 2:57 pm Post subject:

in an preliminary plan of the lamberson house, oskaloosa, iowa, which we just bought, there are detailed drawings for perforated boards. this detail was changed, however, to small vertical rectangular windows placed every four feet apart, in the final drawings. i do have the early blueprints which show the perforated design. i assume the design was changed due to budget considerations, but i have seen this same small vertical window detail in other houses, for example, the kraus house, also of 1951. if you need some drawings of this earlier lamberson design, i would be happy to help.

Roderick Grant · Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 9188

First of all, the Shavin House looks wonderful. They have been superb caretakers of a first-class house that has never been well documented before.

Don't forget, Palli, Goetsch-Winkler was intended to have perforated boards which were not executed. Drawings of the elevations show a rather simple design for them.

Palli Davis Holubar · Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 1036 Location: Wakeman, Ohio

RE: LAMBERSON HOUSE How exciting! THANK YOU. I won't be able to check the library for the Monographs (I wish I owned them) until tomorrow but...Taliesin may have published your revised plan...I can't imagine I missed them...some plans don't show a design just the annotation. WOW! You have the blueprints that show the perf design. Drawn on the elevations and/or a separate drawing on a detail sheet showing the perforated unit? I wish I could send you images. Perhaps SDR tomorrow will send on an entry I can share with everyone to see the survey form. If there is a separate perforated board unit drawing...what page is it on? Would you take a digital picture of the image of it and/or the elevation page orchoose one of the elevations. Also there should be a millwork sheet that shows how to install the perforated board. Send them to Michael.Holubar@oberlin.edu.
I'll make another posting after I check the monographs but I put the Lamberson House on the list. That makes a total of 57 so far. YEA! There are indeed several houses that did not ask for revised plans, but chose not to install the perforated boards and then years later good architects have the wits to suggest it and the houses sparkle.
I was born in Iowa City the year your house was designed.As a youngster my parents drove us around to Iowa FLW buildingss but it Lamberson was a distant view. Are you having inquiries about a residency in the House as you research and lay your plans? We are so lucky you have the energy and the will to purchase and take care of this house. Thank you.

Palli Davis Holubar · Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 1036 Location: Wakeman, Ohio

double posting with excitment

Palli Davis Holubar · Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 1036 Location: Wakeman, Ohio

Yes, the G-W House elevation and section plans show perforated boards top and bottom above the datum line. From the elevations and sections I read them as flush perforated board & batten walls. Like the Affleck House only as banding. Roderick, am I reading this correctly?
The simple design – horizontally elongated crosses and squares (sometimes more rectangular) make a very static pattern. However there are other houses whose elevation drawings have a simplistic design “sketched” in that evolves into more dramatic imagery later in the design process.
But I need to get to Taliesin to see more plans in the flesh and back to the Getty before I start drawing conclusions.

There is another surprise- the Hanna House- a rendering in FLW’s hand shows the tower clerestory with tilted parallelograms perforated boards in Monographs vol.11. The drawings in the Monographs 5 have the annotation: PERFORATED BOARDS. The Hanna House staff is looking through their archives now for the back story.

pharding · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 2:16 am Post subject:

The Glore House in Lake Forest, Illinois has perforated boards, as you call them.
_________________
Paul Harding FAIA Owner and Restoration Architect for FLW's 1901 E. Arthur Davenport House, the First Prairie School House in Chicago | www.harding.com | LinkedIn

Palli Davis Holubar · Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 1036 Location: Wakeman, Ohio

Paul, didn't you work with the new owners on the Glore House for the addition? (I tried to confirm this on search but it is so cumbersome and tedious, I hadn't finished yet) I have important questions about the house perforated boards. I was delighted to be inside during the 07 Conference. I always look carefully for the design/technical solutions for turning perf designs around corners and I was rewarded with a great corner solution. Each of my photos war dark however.
I am going to continue on the assumption that you were that Glore architect.

Perforated blocks for the upper clerestory are indicated on the plans published in the Monographs, although there are wood perfs in place. Questions: When was the design revised for wooden perfs on the second floor gallery?
Did you use the revised building sheets for your work?
Was there a millwork sheet that included the perf unit or was it a separate sheet sent on during construction?
I do need better photos as well.
Any comments you can offer will be appreciated. Thanks.

pharding · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 10:56 am Post subject:

pharding · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 10:56 am Post subject:

Accidental double post was deleted.
_________________
Paul Harding FAIA Owner and Restoration Architect for FLW's 1901 E. Arthur Davenport House, the First Prairie School House in Chicago | www.harding.com | LinkedIn

RA · Joined: 05 Feb 2008 Posts: 173

Please note that the studio at Glore, which was added to what was apparently a tool shed, had perforated boards. These are different from the main houses boards. Their design is inelegant and were probably designed to deal with the different dimensions of the studio. It is too bad because the original design could have been used.

The garage, which was also an addition, has perforated boards as well and these boards are an exact copy of the original boards from the main house.

When speaking with one of the Glore children, I was told that she did not remember the tool shed being original. When examining the patern for the brick, it appears that this is correct.

Another interesting note is that more than one text describes Glore as being on the small side. It is approximately 5000 sq ft without the last addition. It is over 130 feet in length.