Received this from the architect Carl Maletic, former partner of the late Vernon DeMars:
I cannot pass up this opportunity to relate a Wright story that was told to me personally by Professor Vernon A. DeMars, FAIA, who at the time, was Dean of the School of Architecture, U.C. Berkeley. I'm not sure of the year but most likely around 1957 or 1958.
Berkeley realized that it had never invited Mr. Wright to lecture at Berkeley so they sent him an invitation. According to Vernon, Wright accepted and called back to inform him which flight he would be arriving on, landing at San Francisco Airport. When Vernon told Wright that he personally would drive to the airport to pick him up; Wright responded: "You don't have a helicopter?"
A bit taken back, Vernon responded: "Well, no sir, but we'll find one!!" And they did. But where would it land? Eventually, they cleared the parking lot of the classic Claremont Hotel located just south of Berkeley proper. So Frank Lloyd Wright flew across San Francisco Bay, and as Vernon drove him from The Claremont to the campus he routinely pointed out sights along the way. “Over there Mr. Wright is a Green and Green house; and this one on the corner is by Bernard Maybeck.�
Wright was bemused, stared out the window, and responded: “Well, you can see where they got their ideas from!�
The rest is history. I wish I could have been there.
Wright story
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Roderick Grant
- Posts: 11815
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 7:48 am
A couple of similar anecdotes: While being limousined to a lecture in Dallas, FLW's host pointed out the Shamrock Hotel as an interesting example of architecture. FLW responded, "I see the sham, where is the rock?" On another occasion, entering Manhattan by way of the Geo Washington Bridge, just before his host could mention the design of the bridge, which he admired greatly, FLW excoriated the design for its insensitivity, leaving the host mute. FLW ... a barrel of laughs!!