Wright Chat

There is a small balcony above and to one side of the Taliesin living room. I've seen photos from the living room towards the balcony, and from the balcony down to the the living room. The tours we been on have not mentioned it. I'm curious of what's up there, how large is the space, and how is it a...

Arnold Jackson to Beaver Dam, WI

The George Berdan project had louvers above the window wall transom. I don't remember if they were operable, not sure of the date of the design.

doug k

Thank you for posting this, we hope for the best outcome as well. 101 years of age. Is it my imagination or have these Wright homeowners lived unusually long lives? I have to wonder if the rather consistent Usonian design and material formula contributes to longer, perhaps more joyful and healthier ...

Carr, Gillen, and Brauner also have concrete block windows. So do the Usonian Automatics but that would be a different category I think.

doug

In 1994 we attended an exhibit of FLW's work at the MOMA in New York, and purchased a large book of essays and plates published to accompany the exhibit, "Frank Lloyd Wright Architect". Many of the drawings in the book give credit to the delineators with their initials in the captions. On ...

I recall reading of Tom Olson being assigned to "draw something up" by Wright for a medical clinic in Hastings, MN. He did, and with some alterations was approved by FLW and built under Tom Olson's supervision. That background story supports the verbal instruction claim for the little cat ...

I would imagine the logic of those tall fireplaces is that if you lit them at the top of the vertical wood stack, they would create a draw and burn harmlessly down to the bottom? Or is this another case of "form and function are one, but when function gets in the way of form, to heck with funct...

Perhaps it's a way to achieve the elegance of an expensive window without the cost. And viewing Isabel Roberts from the sidewalk, it seems to afford a degree of privacy. The many reflections make it difficult to see inside. Why not a simple square pattern rather than a diamond pattern? Sketch one of...

Wm Storrer "Frank Lloyd Wright Companion" page 180 has a complete and clear photo of the sideboard. Compare it to the fireplace photo above it to see how Wright could express two different elements in the same language.

doug k

Remembering small town Midwest in the 1950's, virtually every home had a vegetable garden, some fruit trees, and a lawn for the youngsters to play (without wood ticks). Wright most certainly recognized this, and added his artistic version when he could. The trees seemed to suit him in their natural ...

I'll sell my set for half that price.

doug k

Somewhere I read of Wright waking up very early with a new idea or solution, and would immediately summon Jack Howe to his drafting board. They would have a scheme on paper before breakfast. I believe it likely, having had solutions come clearly only during the first few minutes after waking up. Som...

It seems moving the header function out to the fascia was a consequence of the brilliant idea that the roof would appear as a flat plane, uninterrupted by a header. I'm not sure Wright was the first to do this? The window wall could then rise all the way to the bottom of this plane. The ceiling/soff...

Outside in, I have often wondered how those (2 x 12 Douglas Fir?) mullions supporting the roof around the front did not rot at the bottom where they rest on the masonry? We have been there to visit and it looks like they may be original, although the sash was new. Also, do you think the perforated p...