Issue 259 June 23rd 2021

The Headlines

Hardy Homecomings

Mark Hertzberg's blog, Wright in Racine gives us the stories of two people who grew up in Frank Lloyd Wright’s Thomas P. Hardy House in Racine, Wisconsin and a man who had the house on his paper route in the 1970s visiting the house in May 2021. Dave Archer, Anne Sporer Ruetz, and Paul Alan Perez share their pictures and memories of how the Hardy House and Frank Lloyd Wright have influenced many aspects of their lives.

"The Archers lived in the house until 1957, when they moved to Florida. Archer was back in Racine and visited the house May 28 for the first time in more than 40 years. He last saw the house, from outside, around 1980, on his way to Bozeman, Montana to go fishing. Archer was joined on his recent visit by Anne Sporer Ruetz, who grew up in the house from 1938-1947. Her parents had bought the house from the bank after Hardy lost the house in a court fight following its sale at sheriff’s auction in 1937. The last time she saw Dave, she said, he was just 8 years old. Our hosts were Curt and Mallory Szymczak who live there now. They were married in the house two years ago. Curt’s late uncle, Gene Szymczak, rehabilitated the house after buying it in 2012. " Click here. for the rest of the stories.

Paul Hendrickson On Frank Lloyd Wright

In this YouTube segment, Paul Hendrickson, author of Plagued by Fire: The Dreams and Furies of Frank Lloyd Wright, discusses how his book was “made” through his use of the unparalleled collections of the Library of Congress. According to Hendrickson, Wright was plagued by fire both literally and metaphorically throughout his life. View the interview here.

Atlanta Residence By Frank Lloyd Wright Apprentice Robert Miller Green

Dwell magazine features the Atlanta, Georgia residence, built in 1974 by architect Robert Green, seeking a new owner for $749,000.

In the late 1950s Robert Miller Green, after dropping out of Georgia Tech, sent his portfolio on a whim to Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s desert retreat and school in Scottsdale, Arizona. His hope was that it would make it to the desk of the renowned architect. Soon thereafter, Green, at the age of 23, received an invite to visit Wright, who was 90 at the time. Though neither of them knew it, Green would become Wright’s final apprentice.

Wright died six months into Green’s fellowship at Taliesin West, prompting Green to move back to his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. He quickly got to work, starting what would become a 40-year career in architecture.

The former apprentice "established himself as the closest thing to Wright [Atlanta] has produced—in a state with no buildings by the American icon," reads a post by Atlanta magazine. Today, his works can be found in and around the city, with one dwelling having recently hit the market.

Measuring over 2,600 square feet, the dwelling has been meticulously cared for over the decades, with much of its original character intact. "One of my favorite features of the home is the multifaceted cedar ceiling in the main room, which continues uninterrupted through the remainder of the interiors," says the current owner. "The massive stone fireplace, which anchors the house and serves as a backsplash in the kitchen, is both striking and impressive." In addition to spacious, free-flowing living spaces, the home also offers three bedrooms, two baths, and a glazed sunroom. View the photos here.

Meet The People Who Collect Modernist Houses

Some people collect comics, some people collect stamps, some people collect baseball cards. But a few very wealthy people collect houses—especially architecturally significant houses. A recent article in the Financial Times highlights a few of these (often male) collector. Included are Ron Burkle, who was a one-time owner of Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic Ennis House (1924) in Los Angeles, and Lord Peter Palumbo, who currently owns Wright's Kentuck Knob in Pennsylvania. Read about all the collectors here.

In Memoriam: Mickey Muennig

We learned via architect Herb Greene over the weekend that organic architect Mickey Muennig passed away peacefully in his sleep on June 10th in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

After going to Bartlesville to study with architect Bruce Goff at his Price Tower studio, Mickey settled in Big Sur, CA in the 1960s and went on to have a storied architectural career in the region that included building a circular glassed-in conical shaped structure resting on a low circular stone wall. Learn more about Mickey's life and career here.

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