Issue 116 September 26th 2018

The Headlines

A Tour De Creative Force

If you have not already gotten your copy of the new book "William Wesley Peters: The Evolution of A Creative Force" then you're missing out on discovering one of the most beautiful architecture books of the year.

To know William Wesley Peters was to enjoy him, and one could not overlook the abundance of his enjoyment of life and his enthusiasm for it in every direction. All of this was manifest in his architectural works. The “Box Projects” which he executed with no restrictions on his creativity are infused with all of these manifestations of his enthusiasm and his search for beauty in everything — much of it as a tribute to the enormous effectiveness of his extremely close association with Frank Lloyd Wright.

This very special limited edition large format book published by the OA+D Archives reproduces for the first time Wes's Box Projects in full color and with accompanying contextual essays by the people who knew and worked closely with him. Designed by Taliesin Apprentice, John C. Amarantides, the book is a heartfelt tribute to a giant of a man and icon of Taliesin. Get your limited edition copy here.

National Park Service Awards Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Grant To Restore Taliesin Theatre

Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation announced that the National Park Service, in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts, has awarded $320,000 in Save America’s Treasures grant monies toward the restoration of the Hillside Theatre at Taliesin, near Spring Green.

The Hillside Theatre restoration project is one of only 16 projects funded by the $4.8 million distributed in the Save America’s Treasures program, which supports preservation of nationally-significant historic properties throughout the country. Together with local nonprofit partners, National Park Service Deputy Director P. Daniel Smith said, “each grant will enable a community to save an important piece of history and have a positive impact on the surrounding area.”

“Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hillside Theatre at Taliesin played an important role in the history of Southwest Wisconsin and in the history of America,” said Stuart Graff, Foundation president and CEO. “We’re excited to secure this funding so that the Hillside Theatre can once again play a dynamic role in this community.”

The Foundation is partnering with Taliesin Preservation, Inc. (TPI) on this project. TPI works collaboratively with the Foundation to preserve Taliesin, and conducts tour, educational and cultural programming that provides a greater understanding of Wright’s architecture and ideas. The two organizations are working with local and national foundations, corporations, and private donors to provide over half a million dollars in matching funds for this $867,000 restoration project, which is comprised of three components: elimination of water infiltration, rehabilitation of the lower level of the theatre, and restoration of the Hillside Theatre.

Restoration of the Hillside Theatre and its entry foyer will return the audience and performance spaces to their historic operational capacity, comfort, and beauty. All mechanical and electrical systems will be rehabilitated to support expanded programmatic and seasonal use. Read more.

17 Amazing Day Trips From Chicago

TimeOut Chicago has compiled 17 amazing day trips that start from Chicago. Our favorites include Oak Park, IL where Frank Lloyd Wright's Home and Studio are located, as well as a smattering of other Prairie-style abodes he designed. Also, Kankakee, IL where fans of the famed architect can visit the B. Harley Bradley House built in 1900. These day trips from Chicago are affordable, fun, and diverse. View the trips and specialized itineraries here.

Frank Lloyd Wright Exhibit At The Kalamazoo Valley Museum

A collection of drawings and photographs titled Frank Lloyd Wright: Architecture of the Interior, is on display displayed at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum in Kalamazoo, Michigan until December 9.

The exhibit showcases several of Wright's houses and their interiors. The 28 drawings and photographs show Wright's distinct style and why he is considered one of the greatest of American architects. Frank Lloyd Wright: Architecture of the Interior was organized by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC, in cooperation with The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Scottsdale, AZ.

The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is operated by Kalamazoo Valley Community College and governed by its Board of Trustees. Admission to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum is free. Read more.

Willey House Stories Part 8: A Rug Plan

The Whirling Arrow has Steve Sikora, co-owner of the Malcom Willey House, continuing his exploration of the home and its influence on architecture and society. In this chapter, the patterns that constituted an overall rug motif, created by Wright for floor coverings at the Willey House, are found and the investigation into their relevance for the house is documented. Read it here.

"Alden B. Dow Renovated" Tours Oct. 6

The Alden B. Dow Home and Studio in Midland, Michigan is offering Autumn Reflections tours, "Alden B. Dow Renovated" scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 6. Autumn Reflections is offering two touring options: The Ultimate Home and Studio Tour that features Dow's own home and workplace and The Ultimate Travel Tour, which features three original homes designed by Dow that have been updated and renovated by the current owners to meet today's patterns in living and working.

Each of the three structures has been updated with careful and thoughtful appreciation of the mid-century modern design that made it unique while at the same time infusing the personalities and individual ways of living and working of each owner. Careful planning, updated materials and exceptional craftsmanship are the unifying traits of all three renovations. The renovations of these three homes illustrate Dow's philosophical statement, "As I see it, real housing should be a living, growing part of us and not a sterile machine. Real housing is not a place to hibernate, it is a place for individuals to grow."

Ultimate Travel Tour guests will drive to each structure independently, a change from previous years, and docents will be stationed around the homes to provide information about the structures. More here.

Modernist Architect Albert Ledner’s Lakeview Home For Sale

Curbed New Orleans claims that for architecture fans who wish to invest in a historically significant modernist masterpiece, this may be the deal of the century. The price tag on Albert Ledner’s personal home has decreased by $205,000. The four-bedroom, four-bathroom star-shaped home hit the market in March 2018, four months after Ledner passed away at age 93.

A 1948 graduate of the Tulane School of Architecture, apprentice to Frank Lloyd Wright, World War II veteran, and father of three, Ledner designed buildings in New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans. His playful, eccentric influence on modernist architecture is profound, and it’s embodied by the multi-winged home that he built for himself and his family in 1957. It’s “a house where no two walls were parallel and no ceilings flat,” says Ledner’s daughter Catherine. See it here.

After Hours At Robie House, October 5 And October 12

The Frank Lloyd Wright Trust invites you to Wright’s architectural masterpiece- the Robie House. Enjoy live music, drinks and hors d’oeuvres as you spend an evening with friends after hours in one of the most celebrated examples of 20th century architecture. Be among the first to experience Wright’s emerging vision as you explore the newly restored rooms of the Robie House. Also get a sneak peek at the historic restoration in progress.

Advance tickets are highly recommended. Fridays, October 5 and October 12 at 5 - 8 pm. Robie House, 5757 S. Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago. Admission: $30 Trust members, $35 non-members. More here.

Visitors Enjoyed Summer Night At Emil Bach House After Hours Event

Frank Lloyd Wright enthusiasts enjoyed a late-summer evening of music, architecture and history at the Emil Bach House After Hours event on Thursday, Sept. 13. The event hosted by the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust had volunteers on hand to explain the meticulous two-year restoration as guests wandered through the home. Wine and appetizers were served, and a live band played on the large outdoor grounds that includes a beautiful Japanese Tea House and Gardens.

"It was a great opportunity for people to see the space in a unique, relaxed way," says Christina Ruscitti, director of tour operations and guest experience at the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust. "The event allowed visitors to see the architectural significance of the home and experience how the space can be enjoyed as a rental." The beautifully restored home built in 1915 is Chicago's only Frank Lloyd Wright designed rental property. Read more.

Imperial Hotel exhibit at Millikin University

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Imperial Hotel is considered one of Wright’s crowning achievements, establishing him as a world-renowned architect. The hotel, constructed in Tokyo, Japan back in 1923, was a complex building that took months of planning and displayed many decorative details.

The structure famously survived the Great Kanto Earthquake on Sept. 1, 1923, at the time considered the worst natural disaster ever to strike Japan. However, the original hotel was demolished in the late 1960s.

In celebration of Wright’s monumental construction, Millikin University’s Art Department is bringing original artifacts from the Imperial Hotel to campus as part of an exhibit that will be on display Oct. 1 through Nov. 30, 2018, in the Perkinson Art Gallery.

As part of Millikin’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship scholarship fund, Professor Ed Walker, associate professor of art, and student Stephen Gardner, a senior graphic design major from Illiopolis, Ill., have teamed up to sort through the artifacts and develop the exhibit for this fall.

The majority of artifacts are on loan from the Organic Architecture and Design Archives housed in Chicago, co-founded by Millikin alumnus Eric O' Malley ’97. Read more.

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