The Stunning Homes of Frank Lloyd Wright, American Visionary. (houses, construction, plan)
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Visionary, but all of his buildings were notorious for leaking. It always seemed ridiculous to me how he got such a glowing reputation when he couldn't manage to design a structure that kept the rain out - the most basic requirement in architecture.
Leaks? The Larkin Administration Building had some, which were fixed as leaks tend to be. Otherwise I do not think his buildings were known to have more leaks than the norm.
Some people make a big deal whenever a building like Falling Water needs work. Well duhhhh!! Its old. Old buildings, indeed all buildings, need work from time to time.
Yes Wright went overbudget. Obviously, finances were not his forte anymore than being a good family man.
Visionary, but all of his buildings were notorious for leaking. It always seemed ridiculous to me how he got such a glowing reputation when he couldn't manage to design a structure that kept the rain out - the most basic requirement in architecture.
there was a letter written to him about her leaking house during rain storms. His response: "why would you leave a peice of artwork out in the rain?" lol
I've been to several houses and to Taliesin West. I was taken with how shoddy the workmanship is.. really kind of tacky...and the furniture looks SO uncomfortable. But the thing is, Wright was brilliant at using natural materials that seem to grow from the landscape, and also to create interiors that, although small and having low ceilings, they feel intimate and cozy rather than cramped.
If anyone is close to PA, I hear that there is a third FLW house being moved near to Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob.
I've been to several houses and to Taliesin West. I was taken with how shoddy the workmanship is.. really kind of tacky...and the furniture looks SO uncomfortable. But the thing is, Wright was brilliant at using natural materials that seem to grow from the landscape, and also to create interiors that, although small and having low ceilings, they feel intimate and cozy rather than cramped.
If anyone is close to PA, I hear that there is a third FLW house being moved near to Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob.
You have to take in the prospective of the homes during that time. They were closed off, each room separate from each other. They were small and overloaded with furniture, there was no thought into how the house faced, how the house flowed. So when you look at FWL's houses, you have the beginning of the transition to where we are in more modern times in terms of design and style.
he gave us the open feel, the comfortable flow. The larger windows and the facing the house with views.
For what it's worth.....been to every place in the slide show excluding the CA. properties. Rented and spent the night at one of his places in Oak Park. His home in Oak park,self and guided tour and the open house tour of his projects in Oak Park which happens once every 5 years or so. Been to Taliesin West and Taliesin East twice. Kentuc Knob twice,Falling Water 4 times, Johnson Wax and other buildings in Racine Wis. twice...you get the picture.
FLW was an architect; not a builder or general contractor. If you don't understand the difference between the two you need to read up a bit. FLW's projects were built by local contracters,using local labor and whenever possible local building materials. He visited the construction sites from time to time but for the most part the local general contractors were on their own with a set of provided drawings.
The famous Fallingwater is an excellent example . A review of initial design paperwork points out that a junior engineer working for FLW underestimated the load of the second cantelevered terrace upon the first level terrace. And as we all know the sagging has only recently been corrected. It's also true however that during the structure survey Xrays of the terraces perimeter vertical walls showthey DO NOT have the structural steel members inside the poured concrete that the provided engineering drawings called for !!!!. It turns out the local general contractor thought the massive "hidden" steel members were overkill and thus eliminated them !!
The workmanship at Taliesin East was noted and is partly true. It must be pointed out however that the property was a never ending "work in progress" built by the students !, not carpenters,masons etc. Even after the fire the rebuilding etc was again carried out by students as part of their hands on learning. It was not built by highly skilled artisans.
The fact that some local laborer didn't know how to properly flash a chimmney hardly disqualifies any of FLW's brilliant work.
For what it's worth.....been to every place in the slide show excluding the CA. properties. Rented and spent the night at one of his places in Oak Park. His home in Oak park,self and guided tour and the open house tour of his projects in Oak Park which happens once every 5 years or so. Been to Taliesin West and Taliesin East twice. Kentuc Knob twice,Falling Water 4 times, Johnson Wax and other buildings in Racine Wis. twice...you get the picture.
FLW was an architect; not a builder or general contractor. If you don't understand the difference between the two you need to read up a bit. FLW's projects were built by local contracters,using local labor and whenever possible local building materials. He visited the construction sites from time to time but for the most part the local general contractors were on their own with a set of provided drawings.
The famous Fallingwater is an excellent example . A review of initial design paperwork points out that a junior engineer working for FLW underestimated the load of the second cantelevered terrace upon the first level terrace. And as we all know the sagging has only recently been corrected. It's also true however that during the structure survey Xrays of the terraces perimeter vertical walls showthey DO NOT have the structural steel members inside the poured concrete that the provided engineering drawings called for !!!!. It turns out the local general contractor thought the massive "hidden" steel members were overkill and thus eliminated them !!
The workmanship at Taliesin East was noted and is partly true. It must be pointed out however that the property was a never ending "work in progress" built by the students !, not carpenters,masons etc. Even after the fire the rebuilding etc was again carried out by students as part of their hands on learning. It was not built by highly skilled artisans.
The fact that some local laborer didn't know how to properly flash a chimmney hardly disqualifies any of FLW's brilliant work.
to add to this. As a designer we dont get to see the changes done to a plan in field. If they are structural changes we must be notified as well as the structural engineer that designed the structure. So, you may end up with a room that has been changed, or a fireplace that has changed walls. lol
If I remember right, the Frank Loyd Wright school is still located in Taliesin. Extremly exclusive school to get into and study.
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Flw
