Cool link via PallaPalla for all you Chicagoans.
In 1891, three billion board feet of lumber passed through Chicago's thriving lumber market. At that time, Chicago had 481 miles of wood-paved streets!
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February 2007
Wright and Disney
Kudos to Douglas Anders for digging up the links to Disney History blog posts featuring an interesting set of typed notes from a visit Frank Lloyd Wright made to the old Walt Disney Hyperion studio in 1939. Wright apparently brought a screening copy of a Russian cartoon, railed against the ignorance of the masses and lamented the fact that Walt's boys we're not doing something different with their movies and music--he apparently didn't seem to care much for Disney's Fantasia project. It's an interesting read and amazing that two cultural icons like Wright and Walt crossed paths. I guess it is a small world after all!
Update: Hollywood & Wright
We received an email from one of the collaborators of HollywoodlandWright.com that we posted about yesterday and wanted to share with you all a bit more of the story behind the website...
Jory Kruspe (www.analogue.ca) and I have been working on a site- www.garyandrewpoole.com--related to my forthcoming book, a biography of Red Grange, a 1920s football star, Chicago sports legend, and American icon.
We were talking one day about Los Angeles architecture and Frank Lloyd Wright. Kruspe, a Web designer and artist in Ottawa, is a Wright aficionado and he came up with the idea for a FLW site focusing on Wright's homes from the 1920s.
We loved Wright's counter-intuitive notion about concrete--that he wanted to build beautiful buildings from a material he called--"the gutter rot of architecture." We wanted to honor the audacious originality of these dwellings.
I set out on early, clear mornings to take photographs of the homes because the waking-hours- light really showed off the concrete, and I also wanted to give viewers a sense of how the buildings would have appeared in the 1920s, pre-air pollution.
For my Red Grange/book site, we are using period fonts, photographs, film, music, etc. It really looks and sounds cool and it will be an incredibly rich and historically accurate experience. I had the notion that we would follow the same pattern on HollywoodlandWright, but Jory had a different, and better idea. Since the site is dedicated to the brilliance of Wright, Jory felt like over designing the Website would overshadow FLW's buildings. So his idea was to make the experience simple, like a white-walled, track-lit gallery exhibition. We are the curators, stepping back to show off Wright's brilliance.
Thank you for sharing the site with the PrairieMod readers. Keep up the good work.
All the best,
Gary Andrew Pool
Image copyright HollywoodlandWright.com
PrairieMod Monday
It’s no secret that the PrairieMod Squad is in love with books. Last week we explored how the Squad took the opportunity to parlay our love of the printed word into a bona fide exercise in applying the PrairieMod principles, including “Integrate and Unify.” For the last post of the month on this particular principle, we thought we’d examine the all-important finishing touches found in the PrairieMod library.
Hollywood & Wright
The PrairieMod Squad was directed to a very well-done website called HollywoodlandWright.com featuring Frank Lloyd Wright's textile block houses in sunny California. The site is a collabo between web designer Jory Kruspe and journalist Gary Andrew Poole.
The duo has received praise from Design Observer's Michael Bierut - calling it "an elegant look at FLW's work in Los Angeles". Digitalthread called the site "a beautiful and simple minimalist tribute to a set of five LA homes designed by FLW in the 1920's. These designs of his, defined by the concrete brick work, are simply summed up - not with so many words - but with a series of full-screen photographs...the remainder of the interpretation is up to you...".
We think HollywoodlandWright.com is a perfectly "PrairieMod" approach to some of Wright's intriguing and unique architectural works. The simple and intuitive design allows one to absorb the photographic detail without superfluous text or graphics. We hope you like it!
Image copyright 2007 HollywoodlandWright.com
2007 Chicago Bauhaus & Beyond Events
April 13-15, 2007: Chicago Modernism Show
Chicago Bauhaus and Beyond will have a booth at the show, and a special lecture on Sunday, April 15.
April 29, 2007: Keck/Wright Tour
Architecture tour of planned subdivisions by Keck and Wright - Glencoe - Keck homes in Forest Crest, plus Wright Ravine Bluffs area with cocktails at Frank Lloyd Wright's Booth House.
Dates TBA:
• Contemporary Modernism Symposium
• Summer party at a Paul Schweikher home in Highland Park
• Barrington Tour - Weese home and studio, plus homes by Don Erickson, Fay Jones, and Edward Dart
• Lakefront mid-century highrise tours
To become a member of CBB follow this link and sign-up online!
Image copyright CBB
Learning At Fallingwater
Dwell's New Website: New "Green" Homes Feature Section
Aside from noting the news of Dwell's newly launched, content-rich website...they have a very cool section that features green homes from around the globe. One of the many featured homes is the Flatpak House, which appeared in the April/May 2005 issue of Dwell. Also, this tricked-out tree house in Germany is pretty sweet. Have fun scanning through the numerous featured green homes.
Dwell Magazine Launches Expanded Dwell.com
For you fans of Dwell Magazine, this is very sweet...
Michela O’Connor Abrams, President of Dwell, has announced the launch of an extensively updated dwell.com. Offering networking, audio, video and expanded archived content as well as a wealth of resources and information, the site is designed to be a destination for an ever-growing community interested and invested in modern architecture and design.
“Our mission has always been to deepen our connection with the wonderfully engaged community of people who are inspired by modern architecture and design,” says O’Connor Abrams. “Dwell.com offers visitors the opportunity to build upon and benefit from an ongoing dialogue that began with the inception of Dwell magazine in October 2000.”
The expanded site offers the following features:
Image copyright 2007 Dwell
Continue reading "Dwell Magazine Launches Expanded Dwell.com" »
So Long Carson's
Well, yesterday was the end of an era in Chicago---both Carson's and Marshall Field's are now gone. The Flagship Carson Pirie Scott Store on State Street closed it's doors forever and will now move out of its beautifully Louis Sullivan designed building to a new Chicago locale. There was lots of activity and last minute visitations to the store to see it one final time. We'll be interested to hear what the future is for the Stately building on State. We'll keep you posted on the news when we hear it!
Image copyright 2007 Brian Jackson/Sun-Times
Going Green In Chicago
On a recent trip to the Garfield Park Conservatory (which is awesome and will be discussed in a future post), I spied an interesting pamphlet that had a surprising wealth of information. What it turned out to be was the Winter/Spring program schedule for lectures and classes coordinated through the Chicago Center For Green Technology. What is this Center about, you ask?
House Beautiful Exhibit in Midland, Michigan
On March 3rd, 2007 Midland, MI will be the spot where the exhibit Frank Lloyd Wright & The House Beautiful will be put on display for the Midwest. Admission at the door is $8 per adult.
The phrase "house beautiful" was used in the early 20th century to refer to a principle in architectural and social reform where the quality of life could be improved by restyling the design of the material environment. This exhibition presents Wright's passion for creating harmony between the architectural structure and interior design while fulfilling the needs of a modern American lifestyle. It features over 100 original objects including furniture, metal and glass work, textiles, original drawings, publications and other accessories from the collection of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and other public and private collections.
As part of the opening of the exhibit in Midland on March 3rd, Margo Stipe Registrar of the Frank Lloyd Wright Archives will be giving a lecture at 3pm titled Spiritual and Spatial Integration: Japanese Reflections in Frank Lloyd Wright's House Beautiful. Lecture admission is $7 per adult and tickets may be purchased online here. (Attendees may buy FLW House Beautiful tickets at a reduced rate of: $5 adult).
You won't want to miss these events! Also, there are some other wonderful Wright-related exhibits and events going on at The Midland Center for the Arts such as: Hollyhock House and Olive Hill, Shared Vision: Frank Lloyd Wright and Alden B. Dow, Family Discovery Day with Frank Lloyd Wright, and Designing an American Way of Living with Wright scholar Virgina Terry Boyd.
Finally, if you're considering going to Midland for the exhibit and events - be sure to stop by The Alden B. Dow Home & Studio, which we've written about before right here.
Images and text copyright Midland Center for the Arts & FLWF
PrairieMod Monday
As stated in an earlier post today, the PrairieMod Squad has a special place in their hearts for books. So much so, that I elected to build-out an unused room in my house as the official spot for the PrairieMod library. It was an excellent chance to take an under-utilized space and apply some thoughtfulness to its design and function---PrairieMod principles in action! It wasn't easy, though. One of the biggest challenges was confronting how to make an extremely small room multifunctional in its use, with the least amount of wasted space possible. This is where the idea of "Integrate and Unify" became especially useful. For the last two PrairieMod Monday posts this month, we'll look at how this particular principle helped in figuring out how to make a small library not turn into a giant headache.
PrairieMod Podcast #11: Architect/Client Series, Part 1
In this edition: An uncut interview with Mike Rust - part one of a two part series with Architect and Client. We discuss Mike Rust's experiences as a student, mentor and architect at Taliesin; his own architectural practice; plus his process for working with clients like Tony & Janet Collins of Ohio (see a photo of their house below).
Send feedback to mail@prairiemod.com or leave an audio comment at 610-643-3160.
Image copyright Mike Rust Architects
Happy Birthday PrairieMod!
One year ago this month, PrairieMod was born. In celebration of this joyous event, we've decided to give some special birthday gifts to our readers! To make it fun and see who our biggest fans are, the Squad has put together a little PrairieMod scavenger hunt list of questions highlighting obscure factoids found in our past posts. Cruise around the site and find the answers to the questions listed. Email your answers to us by 11:59 PM next Sunday, February 25 and we'll randomly draw 3 winners from the correct list of answers we receive. The winners will each receive a $25 gift card to Borders. Good luck!
Relishing Room & Board
There are a handful of stores that the Squad looks to consistently for inspiration and a steady stream of "PrairieMod Ready" products. One of the stores that appears on this short list is Room & Board. We recently took a field trip to our local branch and poured over the 2007 line-up of products that filled out their showroom. What we saw impressed and delighted us, to say the least. Here's a run down of some of our favorites:
• Hubbard Rocking Chair--not your grandma's rocker! This one is sleek, streamlined and modern.
• Network Bookcase--architecturally elegant and sustainably made of bamboo.
• Sketch Rug--straight out of a Mid-Century Modern sketch pad, this rug complements any PrairieMod interior.
• Atom and Branch Pillows--modern meets natural. We love both the abstract shapes of the Atom pillow and the graphically sophisticated naturalism of the Branch pillow.
• Bubble Pendant Lamp--graphic and classic. Group a few of these suspended shaded lights to a room and then turn them down low to set the "mood."
Overall we were very enthused by the range of well-designed and quality products we saw ready to be "integrated and unified" into any PrairieMod domicile. Check out your local Room & Board today or cruise them on line and find your own "PrairieMod" items to relish.
Photo copyright Room & Board
Design Within Reach Has Your Number
If your as tired of hum-drum house numbers as we are, then check out these new ones offered by Design Within Reach. The collection features five typefaces: Industrial, Classic, Tech, Contemporary and our personal favorite, Neutra. Prices range from $24 to $68 per number. For more info, visit this link. Enjoy!
Image copyright DWR
Decriminalizing Ornament by Alain de Botton
There is a great article on MSN's Open for Design written by Alain de Botton that is a must-read for you deep thinking design/architecture types out there. It is only written as Mr. de Botton can write. The basic gist of the article considers the dictum of "form follows function" moving from ornament being seen as something to use with purpose to ornament being seen as nonfunctional; then a transition back to the prior belief.
"We may be on the verge of rediscovering the real use of decoration: to create beautiful buildings which speak of the values we most need to be reminded of."
Yes, this is some deep stuff. Read the goods right here.
Also, they have a sweet shot of Wright's Marin County Civic Center that was with the article. I've stood in front of those gates and this photo captures the scene perfectly (see image below)...
Image copyright 2007 Microsoft
John Howe on Flickr
Flickr is one of the most innovative and important on line communities that has come out of the Internet revolution. It allows people from all over the world to share photos of their lives and of what they are passionate about in an organized and accessible manner. We love it, because it enables us to see pictures of great architecture we rarely get to see.
Spread The Love
Love for art and architecture was definitely in the air for Valentine's Day. Check out this blog called PORT, which covers Portland area art and news. They also ran a list of 5, theirs is a Valentine for American Architecture. So what tops the list? None other than our very own Frank Lloyd Wright tour de force, Unity Temple. PORT piles on the adulation for one of the most important American architectural treasures we have (and one that needs your help to save!)
Check out the link for the rest of PORT's list and if you feel inspired, feel free to let us know what your top 5 American Architecture Valentine list would be.
Images courtesy of PORT
Love To Love Chicago
We thought in honor of Valentine's Day we would list five of the things we love about Chicago:
1. The Lake--the reason for Chicago. It provides leisure opportunities, cool breezes in the summer and a beautiful backdrop for a world-class skyline.
2. The Museums--from the grand old Field, to the stately Science and Industry, to the exciting Art Institute, plus too many more to name. Chicago is a cultural town like few others.
3. Millennium Park--gotta love "the bean" and the rest of the visual impact this dynamic use of space offers. It's hard to remember the ugly train yards that used to be in its place.
4. The Food--we love to eat in Chi-town! The "City of Big Shoulders" also has a big appetite for the best deep-dish pizza, Italian beef, Polish sausage and hot dogs to be found anywhere.
5. The Architecture--a special place in our hearts is reserved for the architecture of our city--arguably the greatest collection of historically important and artistically significant buildings our country has to offer. The best of the best have left their mark on Chicago over the years and the future looks bright for upcoming architects to do the same.
So there you have it, our PrairieMod Valentine to the Second City...Sweet Home, Chicago!
What Will Become of a Landmark State Street Building in Chicago?
Quite a mix here: A hybrid grocery store/food emporium, Chicago Loop residents, college students, a soon-to-be-closed Carson Pirie Scott & Co. store, a Louis Sullivan landmark and nobody is talking.
Read the details here.
Image copyright 2007 Brian Jackson/Sun-Times
Spring is in the Air
With 4 inches of snow on the ground in Chicago, you'd think the idea of Spring would be a remote concept. But as I cut through a Crate & Barrel at the mall on my way to buy a Valentine's Day gift, I was greeted with a host of bright colored, attractively design products. I was so struck that I stopped to look at several of the plates, vases, pillows, kitchen items, etc. instead of just breezing by. Here's some of the cool items I saw that would coordinate perfectly with any PrairieMod interior:
• Nilsson Dinnerware -- elegant dinnerware that features organic shapes and colors
• Pure Teapot -- very streamlined for the perfectly Zen tea experience
• Stitch Vases -- bright and interestingly textured
• Zuri Pillows -- sublime geometric patterned pillows
This is just a sampling of the broad range of "PrairieMod" appropriate products Crate & Barrel has rolled out for this season. Stop in and see for yourself...who knows, you may walk out with a "Spring" in your step!
images copyright Crate & Barrel
PrairieMod Monday
"PrairieMod" Ties from Cyberoptix
These are some great "PrairieMod" neckties that I came across while browsing Oh My That's Awesome!
The folks over at Cyberoptix create custom made ties made with deconstructed vintage, recycled or other environmentally sustainable materials. Each necktie is hand-silkscreened onto quality, 100% charmeuse silk or microfiber polyester - this new polyester produces a rich, soft fabric resembling silk.
The Poppie design is pretty fresh (pictured below), while the Fern design is quite nice as well.
Image copyright 2007 Cyberoptix
February Free Days at The Art Institute Chicago
If you're into the same kind of things as we are (which is highly likely if you're reading our blog), then you may or may not have heard about February being free everyday thru the 21st at The Art Institute of Chicago!
This reminder courtesy of Apartment Therapy Chicago.
Image snapshot from Apartment Therapy Chicago
Falling For Mr. Wright
Just in time for Valentine's Day, one of our readers sent us a link to an article in the Washington Post about Jim Kimsey's love affair with the newly restored Luis Marden House. Kimsey is the multimillionaire co-founder of AOL, and had built a 21,000 square foot mansion adjacent to the run-down Wright gem. Originally appalled at its neglected appearance, Kimsey decided to save the cinder block Usonian once he learned about its history and significance--in the end, he was smitten. As Kimsey states in the article:
"If I wanted a romantic dinner, I wouldn't do it in my house, which is ostentatious. I would do it in a Frank Lloyd Wright house."
It's an important statement validating the warmth found in a well-designed, principled space versus the disconnected feeling associated with an over-the-top McMansion. You can read more about the restoration on Kimsey's architectural love-affair by clicking this link. Thanks again to our readers who continually share cool and important stories like this!
Photo copyright Max Hirshfeld for the Washington Post
March is Wright-apalooza Month in Chicago!
Okay, so a couple of the events listed here are not in March...but there is so much going on for you FLW freaks out there! Check it out:
Feb 21, 2007 at 12:15pm - Beyond Sprawl: FLW's Utopian Vision for America with Robert Fishman, part of the Chicago Architecture Foundation's Lunchtime Lecture series, free
Feb 22, 2007 at 7pm - The Radical Wright with Tim Whitman, part of Breaking the Box lecture series at Unity Temple, $20 at the door
Mar 7, 2007 at 12:15pm - Taliesin through a Painter's Eye with Genevieve Davis, part of the Chicago Architecture Foundation's Lunchtime Lecture series, free
Mar 21, 2007 at 12:15pm - FLW's Hardy House with Mark Hertzberg, part of the Chicago Architecture Foundation's Lunchtime Lecture series, free
Mar 22, 2007 at 6pm - FLW: Designing an American Way of Living with Virginia Terry Boyd, a Chicago Architecture Foundation Evening Lecture - $15, buy tickets here
Mar 31, 2007 at 2pm - Rock the House with Edward Lifson {host of Hello Beautiful} & Tim Samuelson, part of Breaking the Box lecture series at Unity Temple, $20 at the door
Apr 21, 2007 at 2pm - Fold the Corner with Sidney Robinson, part of Breaking the Box lecture series at Unity Temple, $20 at the door
Image copyright 2007 Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation
A "Flower" Before Spring
We thought we'd give our readers some follow-up info and a better photo of the new Flower in the Crannied Wall sculpture we saw at the New York International Gift Show. Produced by Illinois based Haeger Potteries as part of their line of the official Frank Lloyd Wright Collection of licensed products, each piece is intricately molded, assembled and glazed by hand. The result is an amazing miniature reproduction of the famous 1907 sculpture, Flower in the Crannied Wall, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and executed by sculptor, Richard Bock for the Susan Lawrence-Dana House in Springfield, Illinois. The poem, Flower in the Crannied Wall, by Lord Alfred Tennyson is found inscribed on the back of both the original and the Haeger reproduction -- it's this poem that gives the sculpture its name.
Wright was so fond of this sculpture, that he had a copy (or perhaps the Bock original that the Dana version was cast off of) placed at Taliesin East in Wisconsin. The Taliesin version is still there, but in pretty sad shape and needs to be be saved. To this end, Haeger Potteries has generously offered to donate a portion of each sculpture sale toward the restoration of this Taliesin treasure. Look for your chance to own this wonderful piece of sculpture this Spring and help do your part to save an important piece of Wright decorative work!
Image copyright Haeger Potteries
Go With the Grain
Public Radio's Marketplace segment had a story about a German company called Holznontor that is selling computers made out of wood. This seems pretty fascinating. You can check out the details of the story on the Marketplace website or you can go directly to Holzontor's website (German reading skills are required).
There is also a group of computer "modders" that are doing some really cool things with wood and computers. Check out www.austinmodders.com.
Be sure to browse thru some of these images as well: iPod, redwood CPU.
Images copyright Ethan Lindsey for Marketplace
Pretty Crafty Thing
We've recently been linked by a cool blog called pretty crafty thing that the Mod Squad is diggin'. The blog's focus is on artists and artsy things--well designed and with craftsmanship. The blogger describes her site as:
a new weblog written by a crafty girl. I love all things pretty and handmade - yummy and gorgeous goodies that please and inspire all your senses. I'll bring you delicious independent wares from the most amazing artisans. be prepared for sensory overload.
She also has an on-line retail gallery where the proprietress sells her jewelry line, as well as, other artists wares. Check out the site and start soaking up all the cool crafty things!
Image copyright prettycraftything.com
LivingHomes Introduces New Standard Homes
If you haven't already heard...late last week, Steve Glenn of LivingHomes announced the release of his firm's first standard home, plus a new website at www.livinghomes.net to feature them.
Ray Kappe, FAIA, designed two really great standard homes for LivingHomes. These standard homes allow one to pay a reduced design fee and the design and production time is less than a custom home. Steve also announced that he is really excited to preview their first standard home from David Hertz. If you're interested, you can see these homes at www.livinghomes.net or download and read the release about these homes below...
Download pressRelease_2007.01.23.pdf
Images and text copyright 2007 LivingHomes
Sweet Laser-cut Lamps from Momantai Design
Momantai Design was at the international furniture fair in Cologne. Their new outdoor lamps - specially designed for the fair - can now be ordered. The housing of the lamp is splash-water and dust-proof, plus the cover is made out of 1mm laser-cut stainless steel. The lamp is available in three different designs.
Also worth noting, Momantai Design can also design specific lamps where the decor and size are unique and custom made for places like shops or restaurants. For more information and photos visit www.momantai-design.com.
Images copyright 2007 Momantai Design
PrairieMod Monday
If you have ever heard an orchestra play a symphony, a rock band jam or a rap artist and a DJ, you have experienced unity in action. Every musician playing their instrument in harmony with the others is needed to complete the desired effect. If even one person is out-of-sync, the results can be a total disaster. You should also look at your home as an orchestra ready to play a symphony that will be conducted by you. To succeed, the PrairieMod Principle of "Integrate and Unify" must be applied.
PrairieMod Podcast #10
In this edition of the PrairieMod podcast, we have a casual and uncut interview with architect and former Frank Lloyd Wight apprentice - John Rattenbury. We discuss Frank Lloyd Wright's principles, Organic Architecture, the moderate cost housing challenge and Mr. Rattenbury's two books that he's written.
Send feedback to mail@prairiemod.com or leave an audio comment at 610-643-3160.
What's Neo-Modernism?
I stumbled across an interesting article on the At Home Blog, out of St. Louis, discussing the state of modernism in that city and around the country. It talks about why Modernism got side tracked and what the new resurgence in what the original Modernist philosophy is all about:
Modernism is all about optimism, and about equality - from Russell Wright's teacups to Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian houses, they believed that everyone should have well-designed objects around them, even if they weren't wealthy.
The article goes on to describe what is meant by this “Neo-Modernist” aesthetic, which is:
green to the core, and has the wisdom to know that the only salvation lies in learning how to co-exist peacefully with the flora and fauna that also inhabit this planet. So not only are the materials they use eco-friendly, but they use nature as guide and inspiration for the look and feel of a piece of furniture or a salad plate (note: the original Modernists did this too, in a different way - their houses were designed to fit the landscape, rather than vicey-versey).
Interesting stuff, not only for St. Louis, but for the rest of us as well. You can read the entire article by following this link. Let us know what you think!
Century Studios Special Offer
Every year, Century Studios (makers of beautiful stained glass items) works
with Ephraim Faience Pottery to create a series of limited edition dragonfly vases (the dragonfly being part of the Century Studios logo).
Each vase is
strictly limited, hand numbered, bears the Century Studios &
Ephraim Faience Pottery hallmarks and are
available exclusively from Century Studios. This year's vase is a striking moss green and features dragonflies on the three handles. It is your chance to own an extremely limited edition Ephraim pot and one which is especially lovely. It's a little pricey at around $258.00, but worth it if you have the means. Visit the Century Studios site for more info on the piece and how to order it.
Photo copyright Century Studios
American Art Pottery Association Convention
Mark your calendars for April 25-29. That's the weekend for the American Art Pottery Association's Annual Convention; held this year in Cleveland, Ohio. Every year, art pottery lovers flock to this event to listen to lectures, have their books signed, see special exhibits, and of course, find that missing piece of pottery to add to their collection. Check out the AAPA site for more info and to see what's in store for Cleveland this April.
Images courtesy of AAPA.com
BabyMod Style: Wee Gallery & Pee-Pee Teepee
I can't resist. There are just too many BabyMod things at NYIGF '07 to pass up mentioning. The Wee Gallery items are the coolest and the Pee-Pee Teepee is the most amusing...
Check out Wee Gallery's wall graphic packs for kids:
And the Pee-Pee Teepee for all you parents of infant boys out there:
Images copyright 2007 Wee Gallery & Beba Bean
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