Wright Chat

With the exception of Paul Harding (Paul, the renovation is looking marvelous), most of us who frequent Save Wright do not live in a Frank Lloyd Wright home. But what if we had an opportunity and the financial resources to buy, renovate and maintain an original of the master? Would we do it?



I've personally had the privilege of being invited to two wonderfully restored FLLW homes:

1. The Heurtley House - http://www.savewright.org/wright_on_the ... rtley.html

2. The Muirhead Farmhouse - http://muirheadfarmhouse.com/



These are fine examples of two very distinct homes. It's much different than going to a structure that's open to the public. You truly get a sense for how people live in these unique domiciles. You see the great things that come with them, as well as the problems.



On the other hand, if we had the financial resources it takes to buy, renovate and maintain a FLLW original...would we instead consider participating in the Legacy program (a "new" FLLW original) via http://www.taliesin-architects.com? Here is an interesting article on how some folks participated themselves: http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2003/0 ... ede16.html



Let us know you thoughts.

I love Frank Lloyd Wright homes, but I don't think I would want to own or live in one. I've visited many of his homes and I live near Oak Park so I've walked around the neighborhoods. What I've noticed is you really have no privacy when you own a Frank Lloyd Wright home. Everyone wants to get a look inside or take a close up picture. That would drive me nuts!

If money were no object, of course I would, any number of them, from Seth Peterson to Taliesin. I could name 200 to 300 houses I would gladly restore, properly furnish, landscape and live in. What I wouldn't do is take an unbuilt Wright design and "update" it to meet "today's standards."

It would take me exactly 30 seconds to get used to living in the Goetsch Winkler or Kentuck Knob. Make that 15 seconds. Those are houses at their finest.

EJ wrote:It would take me exactly 30 seconds to get used to living in the Goetsch Winkler or Kentuck Knob. Make that 15 seconds. Those are houses at their finest.

I do have to say that Kentuck Knob is spectacular! I was there in October 2005 and it was simply amazing. The land surrounding that home is breathtaking. However, I'm not a big fan of the bedroom layout.

I would most definitely consider living in an original FLlW house. In fact,

about 5 years ago I looked at several that were on the market at that

time. Unfortunately, I found myself rejecting them all for various

reasons. In some cases I felt they were in quite poor shape and would have required a great deal of resoration. In others the surrounding

environment was no longer conducive to the peaceful lifestyle that the

houses themselves promised.

For the record, those I looked at are as follows.



Sunday: In very poor shape. I can still see the huge blue tarp

hanging from the ceiling with a PVC pipe from it to a

hole cut in one of the french doors to handle a leak in the

roof.



Manson: Just not Wright at anywhere near his best, though in

reasonable shape.



Anthony: With the adjacent marina I just figured the noise factor to

be too much for me.



Schwartz: I felt, once again, that the restoration was too extensive

for me to take on. Obviously the folks who bought it have

proven themselves up to the challenge.



Given unlimited funds, the story might be different. In the intervening years I have taken note of the houses that have come on the market and often find myself drawn to those in my price range. Currently other commitments make a move in this direction impossible, but the pull is still a strong one.



Looking at the article on the 'legacy' house near Cincinnati only

reinforces my opinion that it's either the real thing or nothing. The

differences between faux Wright and the real thing leap off the page.

Note the thickness of the window wall mullions and the minimal extension

of the concrete block into the interior before changing to drywall. In the

exterior photo, note the piers under the balcony (no dramatic cantilever

here), the siding of the balcony not ending on a full board and last but not least the eave condition at the gable, which smacks of standard

tract house detailing.

Well, I've said my piece and I look forward to seeing the opinion of

others.

ed jarolin wrote: Looking at the article on the 'legacy' house near Cincinnati only reinforces my opinion that it's either the real thing or nothing. The differences between faux Wright and the real thing leap off the page.

Ed, you bring up a great point. I personally love the idea of owning an original Wright home, but am challenged to think what Mr. Wright himself would have encouraged. My impression is that he never intended anyone but the original owners to live in the buildings he constructed for them. Since he is no longer around, I'm compelled to seek out professionals who understand his principals (truly understand them, not think they understand) and hire them to build a house which reflects the area I live in and is based around how I live my life.



The prairie style is great, but the prairie is gone. A usonian home wouldn't seem to fit near the downtown area of the metropolitan suburb I live in. What would? How does organic architecture play out in this new world?

erban,

Good question. What would Wright do in the era of massive urban

sprawl and multi-hour commutes? Would he still restrict his residential

commissions to those people who had acreages? My guess is no.

Perhaps he would have developed a residential solution that turned

inward. One along the lines of the Larkin and Johnson Wax buildings.

Spaces oriented around an interior open courtyard or atrium with

with clerestory windows atop screening walls facing the tumult of the urban environment. In other words, create your own slice of nature and

turn away from the rest.

An interesting problem to ponder.

I live in a secluded FLW house surrounded by trees and ravines. It is very private. The little surprises one sees here are always wonderful. Such as the pair of cardinals I saw outside my floor to ceiling office windows this morning bouncing around the branches of an arborvitea tree. The visuals you see every day such as the halls edged by light screens or concrete block windows never cease to be interesting as well.



Last week it was 8 degrees out and very sunny. I was upstairs laying on my bed reading. I could smell the fire downstairs as I had thrown a few fresh pine bows across the burning red oak The sun was pouring in the huge windows (which of course face south). It was 73 degrees in the room and the heat was not going on. I would occasionally look out over my book to see the bare trees, the ravine and the bright blue skies. There is something about one of these rooms being heated by the sun which makes it smell unique. Between the smell of the fire downstairs and the smell of the 60 year old philippine mahogany heating up... Afternoons just don't get much better than that!



Would I purchase a FLW house again? I am always scaning the Wright on the market site looking for a new adventure.



Oh, by the way. For the uninitiated, it is always good to be handy, have a few extra bucks or both, to own one of these jewels.

We bought an original Wright Prairie home, which, though in need of restoration, brings us incredible joy. Granted, the cost of doing anything is high. We thus do only a little at a time and try to do it right.



Every so often, looking out a wall of amazing art glass windows, I realize how connected we are to nature and how perfect this house is for its site. I doubt the workmanship and the patina of the natural materials used in our home could be replicated today, to the same effect. If you have an opportunity to buy an original - and it speaks to both your sensibilities and your soul - go for it. They need to be lived in and loved to be homes.

Absolutely!

Having lived in Wright while studying at the Taliesins, having been in over 120 of his homes and buildings, and having spent privileged hours with many original (and not so original) owners ... given the "Wright" circumstance, my wife and I would jump at the chance to own and live in Wright.



We currently live in what we describe as a "Usonian wannabe" designed by an architect in 1957. Even here, we've learned to adjust our lifestyle to accomodate the "restraints" of an unconventional house of under 1300 square feet. One learns to "live in Wright" if one wants to own Wright!



Hearing countless stories from long-term Wright owners, one common reflection is they seem to never grow weary of their homes, many describing the ceaseless joys or continual discoveries, even after decades of residence.



Living in Wright does invite the "uninvited" - a downside (even at Taliesin and Taliesin West!). But when I think of all the gracious owners who have opened their doors and lives to us (and closets, and built-ins, etc.!) - albeit I had a "natural connection" for them to consider welcoming us in (always pre-arranged!) - we feel it would be fascinating to offer similar opportunities to interact with many who are genuinely interested and willing to share the experience.



So, as others have commented, had we the resource to buy and impeccably maintain a Wright original, we would do it in a heartbeat.



So, mark mine a "YES" vote!

Former Taliesin Apprentice

I'm really surprised that the NO vote percentage is so high. Are the casino spammers logging votes?



As for the privacy concern, you could always live in one of those "Secret" houses that was designed by Wright but nobody knows it already. There might still be a few of these out there.

guestnow wrote:I'm really surprised that the NO vote percentage is so high. Are the casino spammers logging votes?

As of February 23 at 8 am, one person voted NO. The percentages are skewed by the incredibly small sample of 3 votes total.

I think the privacy concerns are greater for those who live on the Oak Park/River Forest tour routes than in other locations. We don't get too many tour busses in our neighborhood.

We get on average about 3 - 4 unannounced visits per year. (The house is north of Chicago.) They have all been positive and never any trouble. The worst it gets is just poor social skills. Also get a few letters a year from architects, tourists, book publishers, home buyers... It is typically all good.