The first usonian

[SDR]

Odd, aren't they. At the other end of the scale, Goetsch-Winckler has no chimney at all !

If the order of entries in the Monographs reflects strict chronological sequence of events at the Taliesin drafting tables (I'm not sure if that's the case or not), Lusk follows both Jacobs and Hoult.

I sort of like the industrial quality of the Lusk elevations. The fact that the chimneys are square in section is even more unusual (for Wright) than is their height. One result, perhaps intentional, is that the elevations have a pleasing consistency.

SDR

[Michael Shuck]

The Hutton House in Wichita, Kansas, built 1995.

[Michael Shuck]

Ok. As you see, though this pic does not fit this discussion, it successfully passes the "did it work?" test.

I joined Photobucket. I uploaded the photo from my computer. When finished, there is a command at the bottom of the page for "url's". Just "copy" that URL address. Then come here to Wright Chat, Post Reply, and paste it in. That's all. Very straight forward. I had tried Flickr last week and it doesn't post the url that works.

Mike

[SDR]

Boinggg ! Congratulations -- another convert !

Now, who's the architect ?

SDR

[Michael Shuck]

The architect and the builder are the same: Mark Hutton. Mark is an interesting guy. He is a commercial contractor. He is very passionate about FLW's work and organic architecture. I did my best to convince him to build my Life Magazine Dream House, but he insisted that he only builds commercial buildings. Except, of course, when he decided he wanted a home built using the concepts of organic architecture. He did it all himself using his own equipment and some help. How handy it is to own your own building business! In 2004, this house went on the market for $1.3 million dollars. It is a concrete fortress. I tried to buy it, but my offers were declined. I offered trade and cash worth $1.1 million, but he wouldn't do the trade. We're still friends. There are several nice commercial buildings here in Wichita which he designed and built using organic architectural methods. They are beautiful! ... Mike

[SDR]

Hmm. I think he owes you -- if you keep buttering him up, he's got to break sooner or later and build your dream house. Let's think. . .what does he need that we've got. . .?

SDR

[Michael Shuck]

[SDR]

Ah-ha -- what have we here ? Is the rendering one done for you by Mr Rattenbury ?

SDR

[Michael Shuck]

The rendering was done by Nick Newberry. It is for the original LDH house. The originals are at Taliesin West. Very beautifully done. I have more if anyone is interested.
Mike

[SDR]

And the photos -- is the top one the interior of Mr Hutton's residence ? Is the bottom one a Life Dream House ? Good photos. . .

SDR

[Michael Shuck]

Hi..sorry I wasn't more descriptive of the photos. Hallway photo is in Ms. Peggy Garner's house, the original LDH, near Portola, California. She collects Asian art, and that is reflected here. The lighting is late afternoon in July, 2006. Beautiful clerestories! The middle photo is the rendering for the original LDH. The bottom photo is of the smaller masterbedroom. Ms. Garner has a hot tub on the decking of it. She told me the best way to enjoy the scene of an entire mountain was to enjoy it from her hot tub with a glass of wine. She is the owner of Gold Mountain. She sells lots! My favorite lot was only $750,000! Just a lot. No house. Houses there must conform to FLW. Most are designs of Taliesin associates. I have a lot of photos of this house, but it is a very difficult house to photograph. Because of the overhangs, it is very dark! To illustrate what I mean, I'll upload a photo of the front of the house. I retouched it heavily and yet the quality, due to shadow castings, is barely acceptable. The originals are almost totally dark from the roofline down!
If anyone is interested, I may have more photos of the Hutton House, but if there is interest and if I can find them, I'll post them under a new topic.

[Michael Shuck]

One can see graininess due to processing. The climate on this mountain is desert as it is in the Sierra Nevadas. Being from Kansas where we have green lawns, it was odd, to me, to see yards of rocks and dirt. Ms. Garner explained to me that much of the cost of the house was in the rock used, not so much in the actual building of it. She did not disclose the cost to me. She was beginning the process of building a new $7 million dollar home on another acreage she owns on the mountain.

[SDR]

Excellent. Keep em coming; I sense that there is both a pent-up demand and a pent-up supply. . .!

Your last photo of the Garner house matches nicely with the rendering. I have yet to venture up to Gold Mountain. I'm curious about their version of the Nakoma Country Club (Madison, 1924). The drawings of that project are as perfect as any that ever came from the Wright office, I believe.

SDR

[Michael Shuck]

For those interested, I've posted a video of the Hutton House, on YouTube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjZIZf1J0Go

[Michael Shuck]

This photo is from my visit to Peggy Garner's LDH. It was taken in July, 2006, in very harsh, afternoon sunlight. The photos that you see on the website for Life Dream Homes are poor in quality. They were taken in February, 1997, before the house was completed. They were taken late in the day, and because of the severe winter, they were not able to go back and take more photos before the magazine ran the story in May, 1997. It is an awesome edition, using 18 pages to cover the LDH, the most the magazine ever used on this theme. I enjoy the floating deck, which appears to be cantilevered.