If you missed Day 2 (or Day 1) of the FLW Building Conservancy Conference, download the podcast recap by clicking this link below....
I've also posted some photos from the day's events mentioned as well...
The S.C. Johnson Company Research Tower (1944):
Wingspread (1937), the last great Frank Lloyd Wright designed Prairie House:
The Edgar Tafel designed Robert Albert House (1939-1940):
The Frank Lloyd Wright designed Thomas Hardy House (1905):
Tomorrow, we'll be back with more daily blog coverage of Day 3 and another podcast recap. Enjoy!
Photos copyright PrairieMod
While I can see the prairie theme at work in Wingspread I don't really think that's the big story -- "last of the prairie houses." That's too nostalgic and retrospective to capture the genius of the house. It looks forward, not backwards. It's not the last of some endangered species -- it is a step in the continual evolution of Wright's vision. As he is designing this house he is already working on the early usonian houses and elements of these appear at Wingspread: the geometric floor cushions and footstools, the trapezoidal cutouts, no leaded glass...and the amazing black-and-white accents of the living room cushions. Wingspread is an amazing building but I think it belongs to the second period of Wright's career -- his resurgence of creativity in the 1930s -- more than to the earlier prairie house arts and crafts style. It can be of the prairie, on the prairie and still not be "prairie."
Posted by: tomb raider | Oct 13, 2007 at 10:20 PM
Extremely astute observations!
Wingspread is absolutely a seminal, transitional work for Frank Lloyd Wright. His gift was definitely to look forward, while conscientiously looking inward at the same time. We especially like your final "prairie" summary thought.
Thanks for your feedback--as always, we appreciate it!
Posted by: PrairieMod | Oct 14, 2007 at 12:46 AM