Norman Carver Bach house Kalamazoo, Mi. for sale

To control SPAM, you must now be a registered user to post to this Message Board.

EFFECTIVE 14 Nov. 2012 PRIVATE MESSAGING HAS BEEN RE-ENABLED. IF YOU RECEIVE A SUSPICIOUS DO NOT CLICK ON ANY LINKS AND PLEASE REPORT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION.

This is the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy's Message Board. Wright enthusiasts can post questions and comments, and other people visiting the site can respond.

You agree not to post any abusive, obscene, vulgar, slanderous, hateful, threatening, *-oriented or any other material that may violate any applicable laws. Doing so may lead to you being immediately and permanently banned (and your service provider being informed). The IP address of all posts is recorded to aid in enforcing these conditions. You agree that the webmaster, administrator and moderators of this forum have the right to remove, edit, move or close any topic at any time they see fit.
Post Reply
peterm
Posts: 6352
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2008 10:27 am
Location: Chicago, Il.---Oskaloosa, Ia.

Norman Carver Bach house Kalamazoo, Mi. for sale

Post by peterm »

Last edited by peterm on Wed Dec 12, 2018 1:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
SDR
Posts: 22359
Joined: Sat Jun 17, 2006 11:33 pm
Location: San Francisco

Post by SDR »

When I hear Carver's name, I think of Nelson and Chadwick, and this house in K-mazoo that we've studied before:

http://www.michiganmodern.org/buildings ... rick-house

And, we looked at another Carver, not too long ago:

http://wrightchat.savewright.org/viewtopic.php?t=11226

Who if anyone did Carver work with, or for ?

http://wmmodern.com/norman-f-carver-jr/

S
Roderick Grant
Posts: 11815
Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 7:48 am

Post by Roderick Grant »

This is a very handsome house. Nice to see it devoid of furniture, so you can discern exactly what it is you will get if you buy it.
SDR
Posts: 22359
Joined: Sat Jun 17, 2006 11:33 pm
Location: San Francisco

Post by SDR »

Starting with photo 25 we have a sequence: the Prairie/A&C/Japanesque metal and glass lantern finds its home here, along with the Japanese screen in the foreground; see photo 1.

And what other houses have we seen recently with such a screen at the property line, placed parallel to the body of the structure ?

Zeigler . . . and the Kalamazoo Kirkpatrick house of Nelson and Chadwick. And didn't previous owner Dave Corner make as his last project there the erection of an exterior screen of similar purpose and significance ?

S
thills
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Jun 28, 2013 10:36 am
Location: Kalamazoo, MI
Contact:

Post by thills »

to SDR:

Carver had his own practice with wife Joan who was also a Yale-trained architect. He worked for a number of years in Japan in the mid 50s for a large firm then returned to Michigan and worked briefly for Minoru Yamasaki before establishing his own practice in his hometown of Kalamazoo.

He had planned to move to the West Coast to practice but received so many local commissions that he never left Kalamazoo. I'm working on a book about his architecture (125 built projects) which will include many period photos shot by Carver himself, who is perhaps best known as an excellent photographer, having published 8 books on vernacular architecture.


https://www.instagram.com/p/BsGaJ6Ynl-M/
SDR
Posts: 22359
Joined: Sat Jun 17, 2006 11:33 pm
Location: San Francisco

Post by SDR »

Thank you, thills. I certainly look forward to seeing your book !

Now, the Instagram you linked to has me puzzled; I'll quote:

"Norman Carver’s only 3 storey [sic] home design sits on the site of a house that burned down in 2005. The owners worked with Norm to redesign
and expand the house to incorporate an upper loft level and double height living area. It was completed in 2010 with much of the work done by the
owners themselves."

As I read that, Mr Carver was still working in 2005. Is that right ? Was the entirety of that house designed by him, or only repairs and additions ?

S
thills
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Jun 28, 2013 10:36 am
Location: Kalamazoo, MI
Contact:

Post by thills »

Yes, Norm worked up till this year, completing a home that was just completed in his subdivision called Twelve Oaks in nearby Oshtemo.

Regarding the house in the photo I linked to, it was originally a fairly normal mid century house built 1955ish which the owner asked Norm to modify in the early 60s.

The current owners purchased it and lived in it for some time before the house burned down in 2005. Norm worked with them to redesign the house, adding the 3rd storey for the rebuild. The house was eventually completed in 2010.


P.S. I'm British that's why I use the storey spelling. :)
SDR
Posts: 22359
Joined: Sat Jun 17, 2006 11:33 pm
Location: San Francisco

Post by SDR »

Heh-heh -- got it, and thanks ! Thanks also for bringing us this information.

S
thills
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Jun 28, 2013 10:36 am
Location: Kalamazoo, MI
Contact:

Post by thills »

You're very welcome. I'm sure Wright enthusiasts will find plenty to like about Carver's architecture.

You can view lots more photos of Carver homes (mostly photos I've posted) by following the hashtag #normancarver

https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/normancarver/
SDR
Posts: 22359
Joined: Sat Jun 17, 2006 11:33 pm
Location: San Francisco

Post by SDR »

Oho: we have a whole new area of study, thanks to thills. Happy New Year, and welcome to Norman Carver, just as he has slipped the surly bonds of earth . . .

S
Post Reply