Wright Chat

We travel a lot, perhaps a hundred or so, every one I can. My favorite interior was Staley in Ohio, so perfectly scaled (to me), not so much to Lou Penfield who took me there. At 6' 8" tall he didn't fit under some of it. An interesting contrast and example how Wright customized each house to t...

This house and Taliesin West are great examples of how beautiful space can be created with the most ordinary and rustic of materials, especially if they appear to be gathered from the surrounding landscape.

doug k

There are intersecting structural members supporting the roof of the Wyoming Valley School, which allow for a clerestory set back from the walls. We stopped by some 18 years ago, and a man was there with a stepladder doing some repair on them. Curious how the were joined I climbed up for a look. The...

I wonder what problems, if any, were encountered with the floor system of the Lowell Walter house. Each unit of the floor is separate and apparently poured individually, then assembled over a bed of broken stone containing the heating pipes. The corners of adjacent units were supported by concrete p...

Apparently Wright disliked the diagonal line in elevation very early, even Charnley has wood spindles to the ceiling on one side of the staircase.

doug k

Paul, would the Boulter house qualify?

http://wrightboulter.com/Pages/Image11.html

Also, the Walker house. I remember more in unbuilt designs, but not sure this is what you are referring to.

doug k

Would Taliesin West be considered a 45 degree plan?

doug k

A bit off topic

R Grant, your ancestry caught my eye, similar to our Kottum branch still on the family farm near Melhus, Sor-Trondelog just south of Trondheim. Great-grandfather left in 1865, eventually farming near Renville, MN.

Doug K

I got the soft covers as they came out, practically wore out the Usonian volumes, then added a hard cover set. Wright's own writing can be hard to read, and the writings of others vary widely in quality and accuracy. These floor and site plans, elevations, and details are perhaps the purest record o...

I have have this book at home but am away right now. I think it has some Taliesin drawings of chairs with dimensions. They would be small, not sure if you can read them.

http://www.amazon.com/Frank-Lloyd-Wrigh ... 0965581926

doug k

We stopped at A.D. German Warehouse for a look in 1995 with our two youngsters, and Harvey Glanzer came from around back. He opened it up and insisted on giving us a tour. He told us about the construction indicating the decorative concrete was poured in place, showing us some molds used. They were ...

Some years ago I made a copy of a Bott gate plan offered on Ebay. Nicely done and colored, but slightly different than what was constructed. It was turquoise/green with some bright red elements, had an interesting automatic opening motor, and was of steel.

doug k

Nicely done. Altered floor plan without destroying Usonian scale.

doug k

Thanks Paul. Storrer says the Elams had a "falling out" with FLW and had to finish their kitchen without Wright's design. Have wondered what the story is behind that. An assignment for the Conference Tour members?

doug k

Ooops, Roberts and Blair also have 45 degree angles. Maybe others?

doug k