Article: "This Newly-Renovated Motor Lodge in North Carolina Is Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's Iconic Style"

[DavidC]

(John Geiger's list does have Arthur J. Kelsey on it):

This Newly-Renovated Motor Lodge in North Carolina Is Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's Iconic Style


David

[SDR]

The roof in the initial photo---a combination of gable and hip (does it have a name ?)---is widely used in Japan, virtually never in Wright. (It might be said to be a hipped roof with an integral dormer at each end of the ridge ? Can anyone point to an example in Wright's work ?)

S

[Roderick Grant]

There is a specific name for that style of roof: Helm. The lower portion of the roof is hipped wrapped around the structure. The upper part is gable-ended.

[SDR]

Thanks !

One thinks of the helm of a ship; I can see the first mate peering through the attic window, on the "bridge," surveying the rolling seas of grass ahead. . .

S

[Roderick Grant]

Ahoy!

[SDR]

. . . being a seaman's portmanteau word, combining "Ah . . ." and "Oy !"

S

[Tom]

Stumbled across this building years ago when it was empty.
This is the first I've heard of it since.
If I can get by there I'll post shots.
It's about a 2 hr drive.

[JChoate]

I have a mountain house that is 2 miles from Skyline Lodge. The lodge is newly renovated and I went there a few weeks ago to try out their new restaurant (which is very nice). The natural surroundings were still winter dormant, so not yet as splendid as they will be when Spring arrives.
Here are some snapshots:

[DavidC]

Thanks for posting the photos, James.

What were your thoughts on the design and structure?


David

[JChoate]

It is a cool place. I don’t know exactly what it was like when it was originally built, nor do I know what it was like when it was rundown and abandoned. With this new refurbishing it now feels fresh, but also maintains a patina of having been there for a long time. The owners have a good marketing firm helping with their branding — see their website:
https://skyline-lodge.com/
In particular, here’s an interesting part dealing with history: https://skyline-lodge.com/about-lodge/

It’s interesting that its design dates back to the mid-30’s, right about when FLW was getting the Fellowship cranked up. When I was walking around the site, in and out of the courtyards and around the edges it reminded me of Taliesin the way it was sited, the scale of the architecture, and the way the spaces flowed.

In general, there are lots & lots of stone clad walls around Highlands NC but it is almost all rustic weathered fieldstone. Interestingly, the Skyline Lodge is built using quarried stone in ashlar pattern like Taliesin.

In the recent renovations, they have inserted lots of modern mechanical systems resulting in lots of clutter on ceiling and roof planes. Also, in their renovations they followed the unfortunate current trend of painting things stark white. I’ve seen old photos where interior wood paneling was warm stained wood. I wish that would be corrected.

I’m looking forward to springtime when the mountain landscape greens up. I’ll return and see what that’s like.

[DavidC]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, James. From the photos, the design has a nice balance to it. The wood, stone, and roofline all work well together, too. I'm glad that you enjoyed your visit there. It's only about a 3-hour drive from where we live. Next time my wife and I are in the 'Tri-state' area we need to drop on in.


David

[Tom]

I like the scale of the place.