Wright Chat

To follow up on SDR's suggestion:

So, courtesy of TnGuy- I propose sort of a dump site for all of the "travesties". Maybe David's find could be the first in a series of Wright Done Wrongs.

On most of our other threads, we can find the Good... Can we agree to deposit the Bad and the Ugly discoveries in one bin? The idea to critique work which Laurie describes as the product of: "architect and clients intoxicated by the forms of an Organic Architecture without understanding the principles" could be educational (and possibly fun?)...

http://www.startribune.com/homes/113630659.html

BTW- If anyone has another title which they would prefer for the thread, I am by no means attached to this.

I just hope I am not surprised by seeing one of my projects showing up in here...

Not a chance... You have taste!

An example of a good photographer attempting to make sense of the choices made by a clueless resident (obviously intoxicated by something other than the forms of an Organic architecture; possibly a libation consumed from one of the massive jugs perched on the soffit above the rifles...)

Oy. The ironing board used as a sofa table is the piece de resistance . . .

(Looks more like Kentucky than Iowa, to me -- but what do I know, I'm a coastal type, I guess.)

We might be expecting architecture other that the Old Man's on this thread, in the main -- but this certainly epitomizes Wright Done Wrong, doesn't it !

S D R

Seeing this interior picture of Lamberson again reminds us all of the work that needed to be done.
The house as we know is in good hands.
Keep up the good work peterm.

Today, the house is a conspicuous object of neglect. Standing at a tight turn on Glencoe Way in the Hollywood Hills, Wright's creation looks ominously fragile: Along the facade, concrete blocks are cracked or have crumbled away. Wood supports brace the fragile exterior side walls. A heavy canvas tarp is propped, tent-like, over the roof--a necessary prophylactic because the structure leaks. It is a depressing sight.

Is this a reference to the current state of the Freeman Residence?

Another spammer. The statement is an obvious quote from one professional critic or another -- a crib from a (fairly recent ?) book, in other words. I don't recognize the source but someone here will -- perhaps Roderick Grant or another of his broad experience ?

The same poster has a similar spurious plagiarism on the "Glitch" thread this morning. I guess once you've made your second post you can add your linked advertising ?

SDR

It's also out of date. When I saw the house in 2006 the tarp and the wooden shoring were at least temporarily gone. The quote might be from Nicolai Ouroussof, who was the LA Times architecture critic back when this was true.

I wonder if the knockoffs that show up here from time to time might turn out a century hence to be the most valuable part of the Wright Chat archive.

The article dates at least as far back as 2003. By 2004, Freeman was used as a meeting place for FLWBC planning sessions for the 2005 conference. This is not to suggest that Freeman is in good shape today, it is not. It is on the verge of being lost, not only from neglect, but also from misguided "restoration" efforts. USC has been a miserable steward.

FLW inspired home

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhom ... 7801-73487

It would have been nice to have a few more interior photos. Looks like a great site.

Ahh, Paul, back on topic! Thanks (although I do have opinions on the LA textile block houses)
The example posted has one mitered corner window. That is the only "Wright" element I see.

Of all the examples of "Wright-inspired", "Wright-style", "Wright-esque", or "designed by a Frank Lloyd Wright protege'" (that we can never seem to find on any Taliesin rosters), the posting by Paul is not beyond the realm of reminding one of FLLW upon first glance. Sadly, that first glance is about all the average Joe sees or understands about architecture anyway.

Should the realtor have dropped the FLW-bomb? No. Is this house totally lacking any features, forms, or details reminiscent of FLW? No. Is the house bad? Not really, we've all seen worse.

Ironically, the house reminds me in some respects of the Charch house by Alden Dow, built without architect supervision in Chadds Ford, PA....a house several of my high school teachers swore was by FLLW.

This house (the one Paul posted) is the way Wright-inspired should be done, without the Wrightian forms and trinkets used as decoration. Is it organic in nature? That would be the question. I think it's at least decent, perhaps excellent, from what little is shown.

Doug

I tried to find photos of the Charch House by Alden Dow online but was not successful. Does anyone have a photo?

Has a book on Dow's work been published ?


S