Issue 151 May 29th 2019

The Headlines

New Owner of Booth Cottage Files For Demolition Permit

Distressing news comes from the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy about the recently sold Booth Cottage in Glencoe, IL. Through information obtained in a Freedom of Information Act request, they have learned that the new owner of Cottage has officially filed an application for a demolition permit. The Village of Glencoe has indicated that the demolition permit application is incomplete. When completed, a 180-day demolition delay period will be triggered due to the home's honorary landmark status. The FLWBC has drawn local and national media attention to this advocacy case and fielded many calls as they and their local partners continue working to find a preservation solution for the cottage. Read more about this upsetting situation here and be sure to become a member of the FLWBC to support their efforts in trying to save this and other Wright structures.

Laurent House Wins Grant For Visitors Center

The Laurent House Foundation has won a $250,000 state grant to help establish a visitors center that will provide space for parking, offices, tour staging, displays of artifacts, and washrooms. It is among 13 organizations to get a share of $1.4 million in Tourism Attraction Grants from the Office of Tourism in the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity. It is the first time since 2015 the state has given out the grants, with the money disbursed over two years. Read more here.

"Wright In New York" Now Available

Award-winning architect, author, exhibition curator, and teacher, Dr. Anthony Alofsin, FAIA, informs us that his new book on Frank Lloyd Wright is now available!

Wright and New York tells the story of how New York rescued Wright in the late 1920s and early 1930s from the doldrums of his career. In doing so it reveals much about Wright, his circle of friends and colleagues, and the whirl of New York at the end of the Jazz Age. To learn more about hte book and to order your copy, follow the link.

Wright and Like Coming Soon!

Wright in Wisconsin's annual architectural tour, Wright and Like, will take place on Saturday June 8th (which also happens to be Wright's 152 birthday). This year's event will be a driving tour of the Two Rivers area, the highlight of which is the Bernard Schwartz House (aka "Stillbend.") Read and see more about this Usonian wonder here and then be sure to get your tickets today!

Frank Lloyd Wright: Timeless

For years, Spoke Art gallery, based in San Francisco and New York City, has invited artists of all mediums, from all over the world, to find inspiration in pop culture and cult classics including everything from Star Wars and Lord of the Rings to Bob’s Burgers. Their latest show focuses on the work of a figure of immense cultural significance and influence: Frank Lloyd Wright.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and Spoke Art gallery have joined forces to host a pop-up art exhibition, “Frank Lloyd Wright: Timeless,” at Wright’s lauded winter home, Taliesin West in Scottsdale, from June 14 – June 16.

The show features work from over a dozen international artists including Steve Thomas from Minnesota, George Townley from the United Kingdom; Max Dalton from Argentina; Martin Ansin from Uruguay; Nico Delort from France; Matt Taylor from the United Kingdom; Alison King from Phoenix. Learn more about it here.

Wright-Inspired "Bark-itecture"

Seems like Wright's influence extends to all things architectural—even for Fido. Created by company Hammacher Schlemmer, this MCM Canine Passive Solar Condominium exhibits some serious Usonian flair. This custom dog house uses a passive solar design, which means that when sunlight strikes this dog house, the integrated photovoltaic panels can reflect or absorb the solar radiation, cooling it down or warming it up, so your pet stays comfy. Check out more here.

Restoring Taliesin West's Board Room

In a recent entry on The Whirling Arrow, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Taliesin West Preservation Manager Emily Butler dissects the process of the preservation of Taliesin West’s Board Room, and how the team is utilizing innovative technologies to embrace the Board Room’s rich history, as well as uncover new details of the historic space. Read all about it here.

Don't Miss Touring Millikin Place Houses

The twentieth annual meeting of the Walter Burley Griffin Society of America will be held this coming weekend of June 1st and 2nd in Decatur, Illinois on Saturday, with an optional extension on Sunday to Springfield, Illinois. The morning sessions on Saturday will take place at Millikin University, with afternoon tours of the Prairie School houses at Millikin Place. More info here.

If you attend, be sure to check out a special exhibit sponsored by the OA+D Archives that is located in the lower gallery at Millikin University's Kirkland Fine Arts Center. The exhibit focuses on the interior design and décor of the E.P. Irving House, including a reproduction of one of the home's original pieces of furniture. It will be up until the end of June, so don't miss it!

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