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outside in
Joined: 29 Jul 2006 Posts: 1221
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Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2019 1:12 pm Post subject: stran steel |
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If Lustron is a viable topic, then so is the Stran Steel house, built for the Century of Progress Exhibition (World's Fair) of 1933. The House was moved to Wilmette, IL after the fair, and sat undisturbed until 2018, when a developer bought the house and planned to demolish and subdivide the property. Landmarks Illinois has been working with the developer, and the house has been disassembled and put inside a shipping container. If anyone has the interest in rebuilding this wonderful house, contact LPCI at 312.922.1742 or contact me directly through this chat room.
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outside in
Joined: 29 Jul 2006 Posts: 1221
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Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2019 1:50 pm Post subject: |
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I should add that it was made entirely of steel, and the exterior panels are porcelain coated iron which has held up well over time. |
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Roderick Grant
Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 9598
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Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2019 6:03 pm Post subject: |
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I guess it was a combination of poorly finished panels and salty sea water that caused the Walker roof panels to rust out so fast? |
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DRN
Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 3838 Location: Cherry Hill, NJ
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Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 10:49 am Post subject: |
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A house truly worthy of preservation! It has an Art Deco air about it.
The Lustron home grew out of Lustron president Carl Strandlund's work with Chicago Vitreous Enamel Corporation, selling panels for gas stations, storefronts, appliance cabinets, and White Tower/White Castle hamburger stands. This linked article has a link to the 1933 Stran-Steel house brochure in which the house is noted as being developed by the Stran-Steel Company, Carl A. Strand, President; affiliated with Kelsey-Hayes Wheel Company. I found it hard to believe that Carl A. Strand (1883-1970) was not a shortened or Anglicized version of Strandlund (1899-1974), but indeed they were two people with similar names and similar pursuits.
article:
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171219/CRED0701/171219874/historic-steel-house-in-wilmette-is-original-world-s-fair-model
brochure:
https://www.scribd.com/document/367007559/Century-0114#from_embed
The baked on porcelain enamel finish on the Lustrons and the Stran-Steel house are far superior to the Walker house first roof, which I believe was terne coated steel? The porcelain enamel finish is scratch resistant and tends to fail when the metal is sharply creased or breached following baking...ie; sharp blows or drilling or nailing. |
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Roderick Grant
Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 9598
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Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 11:48 am Post subject: |
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As I recall, the manufacturer of the Walker House roof panels was in the utility business, manufacturing washers and driers, and such. He had hoped to expand his market with the roof panels. |
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SDR
Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 18275 Location: San Francisco
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Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2019 10:50 pm Post subject: |
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DRN wrote: "The porcelain enamel finish is scratch resistant and tends to fail when the metal is sharply creased or breached following baking...ie; sharp blows or drilling or nailing."
The ideal procedure would be for all fastening holes or slots, and any forming of edges, etc, be accomplished before enameling. But that would seem to go without saying.
I believe we were told, by someone who must have been there, that Mr Wright was offered three different shades of green to the enamel for the Walker roof panels
---and his response was to ask for all three, presumably in equal portions. Some photos, in black and white unfortunately, seem to show these variations . . .
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Tom
Joined: 30 Jan 2011 Posts: 2775 Location: Black Mountain, NC
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Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2019 10:54 pm Post subject: |
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mmm, never considered the Walker roof panels before _________________ "taste is less important than non-conformity"
FLLW |
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pmahoney Moderator
Joined: 05 Feb 2006 Posts: 187
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Posted: Wed May 01, 2019 8:48 am Post subject: Enameled panels |
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One of the original enameled panels survives as a furnishing in Wright's / Aaron Green's San Francisco office (now disassembled). I believe the surviving panel was there as a submittal for approval. |
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JimM
Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 1490
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Posted: Wed May 01, 2019 9:51 am Post subject: |
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How nice to see an early photo without that "sculpture" center stage within the prow! The discreet placement of the large shell (shell-like?) is how it should be done. |
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Tom
Joined: 30 Jan 2011 Posts: 2775 Location: Black Mountain, NC
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Posted: Wed May 01, 2019 11:34 am Post subject: |
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JimM wrote: | How nice to see an early photo without that "sculpture" center stage within the prow! The discreet placement of the large shell (shell-like?) is how it should be done. |
Ha! That sculpture has always bothered me and I've wondered about it.
Agree whole heartedly _________________ "taste is less important than non-conformity"
FLLW |
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wjsaia
Joined: 26 Aug 2006 Posts: 228
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Posted: Thu May 02, 2019 7:52 pm Post subject: Re: Enameled panels |
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pmahoney wrote: | One of the original enameled panels survives as a furnishing in Wright's / Aaron Green's San Francisco office (now disassembled). I believe the surviving panel was there as a submittal for approval. |
Yes, there was a piece of a fascia panel in the office, with the dimpled pattern along the edge. Look for some more discussion on these enameled steel roofing panels in two other threads I just put up . . .
WJS |
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Roderick Grant
Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 9598
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Posted: Fri May 03, 2019 11:46 am Post subject: |
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While I have to agree that the sculpture at Walker is unfortunate in both quality and location, the idea of a smooth stone piece of art set against rough stone walls works. Guerin, second owner of Gillen, installed a Henry Moore sculpture on his lawn, set against the backdrop of the rough stone walls. Very handsome. Brancusi would work as well. |
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Tom
Joined: 30 Jan 2011 Posts: 2775 Location: Black Mountain, NC
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Posted: Sat May 04, 2019 10:22 am Post subject: |
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Nice point. _________________ "taste is less important than non-conformity"
FLLW |
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