For sale: Sturges House - Brentwood, CA
Funny you should say that, because I saw a door in the basement that was almost perfectly positioned to provide access to that cavity from below ...HOJO wrote:Still looking for how to change the lightbulbs behind the brick openings (ahead the dining-table) ??
I'll bet Roderick has the answer ...
Docent, Hollyhock House - Hollywood, CA
Humble student of the Master
"Youth is a circumstance you can't do anything about. The trick is to grow up without getting old." - Frank Lloyd Wright
Humble student of the Master
"Youth is a circumstance you can't do anything about. The trick is to grow up without getting old." - Frank Lloyd Wright
I'm sorry this thread has had to do without a plan drawing until now.
drawing published in "The Natural House"
This sheet, reproduced in Monograph 6 (p 158), shows a "heating flue" behind the brick screen over the dining table. The passage to the left of the fireplace is labeled "Basement flue."
Are there really light bulbs behind the screen ?
SDR
drawing published in "The Natural House"
This sheet, reproduced in Monograph 6 (p 158), shows a "heating flue" behind the brick screen over the dining table. The passage to the left of the fireplace is labeled "Basement flue."
Are there really light bulbs behind the screen ?
SDR
SDR wrote:The passage to the left of the fireplace is labeled "Basement flue."
This shot of the basement, looking to the southwest, or from workspace towards front door. shows an iron door mounted in the concrete - the end of the "Basement flue", I presume. Got kicked out of the room before I could fully investigate - especially that ooze coming out of the near door. Half expect a body back there.
I didn't shoot any pics of the screen specific, but this blowup would appear to be bulb-free.SDR wrote:Are there really light bulbs behind the screen ?
Docent, Hollyhock House - Hollywood, CA
Humble student of the Master
"Youth is a circumstance you can't do anything about. The trick is to grow up without getting old." - Frank Lloyd Wright
Humble student of the Master
"Youth is a circumstance you can't do anything about. The trick is to grow up without getting old." - Frank Lloyd Wright
There are indeed light bulbs behind the brick screen. See:
https://lamodern.com/frank-lloyd-wright ... residence/
High to reach up from the cellar through the 'heating flue' (behind the wooden door) to change the light bulbs?
And could there be some 'falling water' or 'falling ooze' behind the brick screen?
https://lamodern.com/frank-lloyd-wright ... residence/
High to reach up from the cellar through the 'heating flue' (behind the wooden door) to change the light bulbs?
And could there be some 'falling water' or 'falling ooze' behind the brick screen?
Staring at Stan's big photo above, it seems to me that a hand and forearm might fit through the openings. Note that the three rows of openings are each taller
than a standard brick course; the bricks between the holes are on edge, not laid flat. If the lamps are just below the lowest row of openings, as they appear to
be in Grant Mudford's photo, it might be possible to reach them. Surely there's some means of access; perhaps the simplest answer is the right one, this time ?
SDR
than a standard brick course; the bricks between the holes are on edge, not laid flat. If the lamps are just below the lowest row of openings, as they appear to
be in Grant Mudford's photo, it might be possible to reach them. Surely there's some means of access; perhaps the simplest answer is the right one, this time ?
SDR
-
Roderick Grant
- Posts: 11815
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 7:48 am
Maybe a hand might fit through the openings to change the light bulbs, but how to install the sockets remains a problem.
The three rows of openings look only taller because of the absent horizontal joints: the standard brick courses continue left and right of the openings.
What's the effectiveness or meaning of similar lights behind similar brick openings in Palmer, Lloyd Lewis or Walter house?
BTW: the non-clickable, not enlargeable photo (bath) in the Gallery of Images by Grant Mumford is this one: https://lamodern.com/wp-content/uploads ... 1/s8-2.jpg
The three rows of openings look only taller because of the absent horizontal joints: the standard brick courses continue left and right of the openings.
What's the effectiveness or meaning of similar lights behind similar brick openings in Palmer, Lloyd Lewis or Walter house?
BTW: the non-clickable, not enlargeable photo (bath) in the Gallery of Images by Grant Mumford is this one: https://lamodern.com/wp-content/uploads ... 1/s8-2.jpg
"Forest, that sounds most reasonable. Turn all the rest of the lights off during the night, and how effective would such a light be? Not very."
Is that a typo, Roderick ? With all the other lights off, the screen lighting would be the only light source and would be very noticeable. It isn't task lighting; it's
mood lighting -- isn't it ? And a nifty night-light for those late-night raids on the refrigerator ? Perhaps I misunderstand your comment.
The lights behind wood grilles in the soffits of the Robie house living and dining rooms would have had similar effect and use, I would think.
How -- and why -- would a photographer, or his stylist, have fixed temporary light fixtures in that chase; for the benefit of a single photograph ? Sorry --
I don't buy it. Once the fixtures had been installed and wired, likely from below, during construction or perhaps later (by John Lautner ?), the only
need for access would be to change lamps -- as in the other cases cited.
HOJO, I don't know how to explain it, as the courses are consistent throughout -- but it is easy to see that the short bricks in the screen itself
are taller than the bricks in the continuous course above and below each opening, in the close-up photo posted by Stan.
SDR
Is that a typo, Roderick ? With all the other lights off, the screen lighting would be the only light source and would be very noticeable. It isn't task lighting; it's
mood lighting -- isn't it ? And a nifty night-light for those late-night raids on the refrigerator ? Perhaps I misunderstand your comment.
The lights behind wood grilles in the soffits of the Robie house living and dining rooms would have had similar effect and use, I would think.
How -- and why -- would a photographer, or his stylist, have fixed temporary light fixtures in that chase; for the benefit of a single photograph ? Sorry --
I don't buy it. Once the fixtures had been installed and wired, likely from below, during construction or perhaps later (by John Lautner ?), the only
need for access would be to change lamps -- as in the other cases cited.
HOJO, I don't know how to explain it, as the courses are consistent throughout -- but it is easy to see that the short bricks in the screen itself
are taller than the bricks in the continuous course above and below each opening, in the close-up photo posted by Stan.
SDR
The Zimmerman House has a similar illuminated brick screen (called a "brick grille" on the plans) at the end of the entrance gallery, adjacent to the fireplace. It extends from floor to ceiling. Multi-colored glass nuggets (lump cullet) from Corning Glass rest within each square void, as specified by Wright during construction.
The only access is directly through the openings--and they are small. The curators have been known to enlist their kids to change the bulbs when necessary. It is said that Mrs. Zimmerman didn't like to light the screen because of how difficult it is to change the bulbs. Openings at floor level make it possible to dispose of the inevitable breakage.
It looks to me like the screen at Sturges is illuminated from below. Perhaps a single row of bulbs just underneath the bottom row of bricks? Accessed the same way as at Zimmerman?
At Palmer, the translucent white panels are removable--and difficult to replace. Thus the owners request that guests not light the columns.
As to the "why" of any of these lighting features (neither Zimmerman nor Palmer are particularly functional as night lights because of their locations), well... could it be just for the delight? They are warm and endearing. In the case of Zimmerman, the glowing primary-colored glass offers an uplifting counterpoint to the matte finishes and earthen palette of the interior. It is a fan-favorite moment on the tours.
The only access is directly through the openings--and they are small. The curators have been known to enlist their kids to change the bulbs when necessary. It is said that Mrs. Zimmerman didn't like to light the screen because of how difficult it is to change the bulbs. Openings at floor level make it possible to dispose of the inevitable breakage.
It looks to me like the screen at Sturges is illuminated from below. Perhaps a single row of bulbs just underneath the bottom row of bricks? Accessed the same way as at Zimmerman?
At Palmer, the translucent white panels are removable--and difficult to replace. Thus the owners request that guests not light the columns.
As to the "why" of any of these lighting features (neither Zimmerman nor Palmer are particularly functional as night lights because of their locations), well... could it be just for the delight? They are warm and endearing. In the case of Zimmerman, the glowing primary-colored glass offers an uplifting counterpoint to the matte finishes and earthen palette of the interior. It is a fan-favorite moment on the tours.