Boynton House Development pictures

Macrodex · Post by **Macrodex** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 12:41 pm

http://www.beroarchitecture.com/boynton ... velopment/

pharding · Post by **pharding** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 1:36 pm

The new additions and alterations to FLW's architecture are contrived, bombastic, and poorly designed. That part of the project is utterly dreadful.

DRN · Post by **DRN** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 2:13 pm

Paul, are your concerns rooted in the proximity and size of the new construction, or, the literal interpretation/replication of the original's grammar on such a tight site?

The level of detail and craftsmanship on another project by the firm, a Greene and Greene composite/tribute, is quite good...not sure how it's scale compares with the real deal though.

http://www.beroarchitecture.com/private-residence/

Hopefully the work at Boynton will at least show a similar care with respect to detailing.

Reidy · Post by **Reidy** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 2:30 pm

Are the pergola and garage new designs? The 3-car garage argues that they are.

At least the house will hide them from the street.

Roderick Grant · Post by **Roderick Grant** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 2:39 pm

The garage seems an inevitable compromise for the usual multi-car owners of houses in this price range, but the pergola is a bit much. The real damage to the property, which will never, in all probability, be rectified is the loss of the lot to the south where the gardens were originally located. The big house seems to be hemmed in by the tight constraints of the lot.

It's one thing to build from scratch a house that looks like a classic, quite another to alter an existing masterpiece. The G&G knockoff is good, although the quality of the glass-work is underwhelming. It is not, however, a piece of real history being compromised.

Paul Ringstrom · Post by **Paul Ringstrom** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 3:36 pm

I think it would be proper to withhold final judgement on the Boynton House project until we have seen the completed project in person.

These new owners are obviously trying to be good stewards and do something appropriate and we should laud them for their effort and commitment of resources.

If the "purists" on this Chat Board want to level broadsides against someone let's critique the architect with specific objections not adjectives and let's certainly not abuse the owners who appear to be making a valiant attempt to restore, and make habitable for the next century, a building that would not have lasted another hundred years without their intervention.

JimM · Post by **JimM** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 4:16 pm

Assuming not originally intended, the problem with the "pergola" IMO is that it adds unnecessary clutter to an already constrained (compromised?) composition-no matter how well intended. Perhaps placed unobtrusively along the site boundary as an arbor where the gardens once were. No problem with the garage.... paving blocks, eh.

peterm · Post by **peterm** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 4:34 pm

I agree with Paul R. Who benefits from an adjective thrashing? We should attempt to be specific in our criticism.

I don't find the paving blocks pleasing, but I suppose if someone really needs a three car garage, this is certainly not bad. The pergola is the element which could be troublesome, but I would reserve judgement until we see completed photos...

jim · Post by **jim** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 6:12 pm

I must agree with Paul R. Having been a sponsor and juror on many design competitions I learned right off that I never judge a project without seeing it in the flesh. It also pays to try and understand the architect's intentions. If you Google "Boynton House rehabilitation Bero" you will get a 61 slide presentation of heretofore unpublished historic site plans and photos, conditions analysis, and design concepts for the rehabilitation. I would recommend study of this document. (sorry I don't know how to post that document here).

Even if one finds fault with some of the work, who could not be excited to see the enclosed front porch restored to its original open condition for the first time in something like 96 years! How can we not appreciate the investment to rehabilitate a house that was, literally, falling down.

KevinW · Post by **KevinW** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 6:43 pm

What I think, is that when all is done, we will see that a light tasteful hand of restraint would have been the best solution. Too much enthusiasm will take away from the original thought, or bury it.

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 6:53 pm

http://www.beroarchitecture.com/boyton- ... itation-2/

Thanks, Jim. LOTS of useful information here -- a veritable visual history of Wright's design and the subsequent changes to the property, leading to a new configuration. Highly recommended.

SDR

Macrodex · Post by **Macrodex** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 9:06 pm

I recall in another thread about the development that the pergola is directly influenced by the Westcott house.

pharding · Post by **pharding** » Fri Apr 13, 2012 3:21 am

FLW buildings do not need to be gussied up with new design elements that are foreign to that particular house. In addition the new pergola is grossly out of scale and very clumsy in design. Furthermore it is not really a pergola. It no depth to it. It is just a single row of foreign chunky columns with wood beams between them. Precast concrete columns are completely foreign to the house. Going by memory from a tour several years ago it appears that the rear facade of the house has been reworked. Prior to this "renovation", the house was a pristine example of a large Prairie House. The house cried out for a sensitive "restoration". From these photographs and others it appears that the house got a "faux restoration" that was not particularly skillfully designed or executed. I fully understand the desire to convert FLW Prairie Houses into a pseudo McMansion. However there are ways to meet modern desires through re-purposing rooms and sensitive interventions using established preservation standards. Restoration with fidelity is always better than the erzatz approach.

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Fri Apr 13, 2012 1:40 pm

How's the garage design for Davenport proceeding, Paul ?

SDR

jim · Post by **jim** » Fri Apr 13, 2012 1:54 pm

some photos of the restored front of the house from Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kewing/6065733424/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kewing/6065732104/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kewing/6065182635/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kewing/6065734560/