Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Honestly I don't see that many houses of any age with side porches unless they also have front porches and so I have no idea why your so angry and obsessed with one guy who was famous for a few houses. i think that documentary was wrong. Wouldn' be the first time.
Most houses in lower middle income downtown areas have front porches but teeny tiny/no lots. They might as well be townhouses. Most houses in suburbia have front porches. The big difference really is lot size. You don't see/talk to your neighbor across a larger lot.
And it was considered moving up in the world to get out of those apts with stoops and get more privacy.
People wanted privacy. They didn't want to see their neighbors. Which is not FLW's fault.
I hate FLW. He ruined centuries of development of the architectural art-form, turning an enduring focus on permenance into boxes devoid of character or beauty. How can a city persue a philosophy of blending into nature when an urban center drives nature out?
And of course commercial interests LOVED it because they could spend way less without all the attention to detail or quality materials. I suppose it was inevitable as population densities grew. And once the barn-door of cheapness was opened, there was and is little economic motivation to reverse the mode. How freakishly expensive would building a Richardson-Romanesque be now?
I guess I long for the character-dense masterpieces that feel like they will stand forever. Even churches have turned into block-gobbling exercises in bland humbleness, even in the business-park I (unfortunately) work in.
OK, I gotta stop my rant now.
I don't blame Frank Lloyd Wright for the destruction of true porches on suburban homes. I blame the auto-oriented nature of suburban homes primarily, and air-conditioning secondarily. Auto-orientation of homes put a garage upfront, usually opening to the front, so the garage become the equivelent of the covered porch.
It's really noticable in older southern California neighborhoods, where people hang out in the garages with the doors open all day. It's functioning as a front porch. Then air-conditioning came along, and in warm climates, houses were no longer designed to be comfortable as forced air solved many problems. Therefore a true porch was just an expense, and it shrunk away until you have the tiny stoop common single family homes designed today.
This was a strange post three years ago. And it's still strange. If you don't like FLW, don't live in one of his houses, don't attend Florida Southern University and don't visit any of the houses that he built.
I have a much more serious problem with what ever ignominious "architect" is mass producing all of the huge and ugly vinyl sided faux Victorians with the paladian windows and granite kitchens.
Don't apologize for admiring FLW, Sheena. He was a giant in the world history of architecture.
Here in Philadelphia we only have FLW building, but it's a masterpiece. One of his very best. Just over the city line in Elkins Park is Temple Beth Sholom in Elkins Park. It is an amazing edifice!
Don't apologize for admiring FLW, Sheena. He was a giant in the world history of architecture.
Here in Philadelphia we only have FLW building, but it's a masterpiece. One of his very best. Just over the city line in Elkins Park is Temple Beth Sholom in Elkins Park. It is an amazing edifice!
Clark Park - isn't there a museum in Israel with a miniature or an image of some sort or the Elkins Park Temple?
I've been there when a friend of mine from college was married. It's beautiful!
Location: East Central Pennsylvania/ Chicago for 6yrs.
2,535 posts, read 3,284,816 times
Reputation: 1483
Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt Carson
I hate FLW. He ruined centuries of development of the architectural art-form, turning an enduring focus on permenance into boxes devoid of character or beauty. How can a city persue a philosophy of blending into nature when an urban center drives nature out?
And of course commercial interests LOVED it because they could spend way less without all the attention to detail or quality materials. I suppose it was inevitable as population densities grew. And once the barn-door of cheapness was opened, there was and is little economic motivation to reverse the mode. How freakishly expensive would building a Richardson-Romanesque be now?
I guess I long for the character-dense masterpieces that feel like they will stand forever. Even churches have turned into block-gobbling exercises in bland humbleness, even in the business-park I (unfortunately) work in.
OK, I gotta stop my rant now.
I honestly don't believe Frank Lloyd Wright CHEAPENED ARCHITECTURE? He inspired Chicago's Vast Bungalow belt of AMERICAN CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW HOUSING FOR THE MASSES. Chicago's Bungalow belt, built between 1910 to 1940. It grew into 1/3 of the city. Not counting the older suburbs with them.
When Eastern cities were building tight plain Blocks of Row Homes for the Masses. Like Philly, Baltimore, DC to Pittsburgh. Chicago went with mostly singles. Cottage homes in the late 1800s to the 1 1/2 story Bungalow.
They had FULL BASEMENTS, CENTRAL HEATING, OAK WOODWORKING THROUGHOUT, AND USE OF STAINED GLASS. The Chicago street Grid had set-back of the homes for a front lawn. A back yard that most chose to build a garage which gave them smaller yards. But still big enough for a Patio and small garden or green space.
Quite QUASI-SUBURBAN WITHOUT THE SPRAWL. THESE NEIGHBORHOODS LOOK GOOD TODAY YET.
When Eastern cities were building tight plain Blocks of Row Homes for the Masses. Like Philly, Baltimore, DC to Pittsburgh. Chicago went with mostly singles. Cottage homes in the late 1800s to the 1 1/2 story Bungalow.
To be fair, most of the row homes were built in Philly before 1905, in the Victorian Era, for working class people who were often immigrants working at very modest wages in factories and mills. This was considered a modern and "progressive" idea in contrast to other cities in the Northeast like Trenton, Newark, New York City, Hartford, Boston .... where low income workers were crowded into tenements. Imagine how forward thinking it was for a poor 19th Century immigrant working in a mill or at the docks or in a brewery to own his own home and have his own yard!
After 1905 or so when the automobile started becoming more affordable, Philly's emerging neighborhoods just outside the historic core of the city, developers were creating Arts & Crafts style bungalows ... usually semi-detached duplexes (called "Twins" here in Philly) and singles as well. The English "Garden City Movement" was fully realized in the Garden Court neighborhood of West Philadelphia.
Location: East Central Pennsylvania/ Chicago for 6yrs.
2,535 posts, read 3,284,816 times
Reputation: 1483
Quote:
Originally Posted by Clark Park
To be fair, most of the row homes were built in Philly before 1905, in the Victorian Era, for working class people who were often immigrants working at very modest wages in factories and mills. This was considered a modern and "progressive" idea in contrast to other cities in the Northeast like Trenton, Newark, New York City, Hartford, Boston .... where low income workers were crowded into tenements. Imagine how forward thinking it was for a poor 19th Century immigrant working in a mill or at the docks or in a brewery to own his own home and have his own yard!
After 1905 or so when the automobile started becoming more affordable, Philly's emerging neighborhoods just outside the historic core of the city, developers were creating Arts & Crafts style bungalows ... usually semi-detached duplexes (called "Twins" here in Philly) and singles as well. The English "Garden City Movement" was fully realized in the Garden Court neighborhood of West Philadelphia.
Well I was a ON TOPIC, to mention Chicago's vast 1/3rd of the City Proper is Frank Lloyd Wright inspired CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW'S. He gets ACUSED HERE OF .... AS IF DECIMATION AMERICAN HOUSING? From front porches to whatever? Chicago already after the Great fire of 1871. Gave new housing front green space. Why Google streetview 360°s Show LOTS OF TREES AND GREEN IN THE LATE 1800 NEIGHBORHOODS.
TO ME WITH CHICAGO? Its Bungalow era did not Change its street grid of green space in front for all, and full alley system. IT ENHANCED IT, with further frontage with a FRONT LAWN and Back yard with room for a garage that later got built in the auto age beginning, that many later got built. Though it then made the yards smaller.
Chicago ALREADY CHOSE NO TENEMENTS LIKE NYC DID, AND FEW ROW VARIETIES. That totally were no longer Built by 1910. When the FIRST BUNGALOW NEIGHBORHOODS FLW INSPIRED BEGAN FROM 1910 to 1940. Then new varieties began. No longer FLW inspired.
As for Philly it CONTINUED SUBDIVIDING BLOCKS TO GET EVEN MORE ROWS IN ON EVEN ALLEY SIZED STREETS in north Philadelphia and other neighborhoods. By the time that that housing was replaced circa 1910, Philly replacement housing was very plain row houses. That can be found in many blocks around "Center City". The yards became very small and more walkways? With the opposite facing block of Rows right there too.
Boston moved to its Triple Decker's from Rows then. Philly continued them till 60% of the city was Rows.
THOUGH I'M GOING OFF TOPIC ON FLW HOUSING and some will say knocking Philly......
As ambitious colonists began to break up the big city blocks of William Penn’s “greene country towne” with secondary streets, alleys, and courts, speculative developers and builders constructed rows of houses that matched varied budgets and taste.
However, Philadelphia’s unique combination of original city planning, expansive geography, and the simultaneous trend of speculative building meant street (or court)-front land was obtainable by builders or modest investors at an easier rate compared to other major urban centers. As a result, Philadelphia’s streets, alleys, and courts were lined with relatively homogenous structures of predictable form and design.
Constructing houses in a row was cost-effective and efficient for builders. It allowed them to replicate a design from only a few plans, consolidate crews and resources at one site, and buy materials in bulk. They shared party walls of row houses also meant less stone or masonry work compared to a free-standing house.
Today developers still utilize the same methods they pioneered. Philly grew into this. The LARGEST ROW HOME Stock in the nation.
This is a overview of Philly. All Row homes here looking toward downtown ⤵
But still other cities LIKE CHICAGO and others.....built Single homes with green space for its masses. Chicago's Bungalow belt as QUASI-SUBURBAN. Paved the way for Suburban sprawl? Though in the city it kept smallish city lots.
This is by Wrigley Field on the left in picture. Though this area pre-dates the Bungalow belt. Here before 1910. ⤵
Sorry. I love FLW.
This was a strange post three years ago. And it's still strange. If you don't like FLW, don't live in one of his houses, don't attend Florida Southern University and don't visit any of the houses that he built.
I have a much more serious problem with what ever ignominious "architect" is mass producing all of the huge and ugly vinyl sided faux Victorians with the paladian windows and granite kitchens.
What's the name of that guy?
^^^^Love that Sheena (couldn't rep).
I too like F.L. Wright. There are several buildings in Chicago that Wright helped design when he
worked with Adler & Sullivan. His studio and many of his homes, during his years in Chicago, are
in Oak Park (suburb of Chicago).
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
