Issue 290 January 26th 2022

Special Offer

Listen to Wright Society's Interview Series: The Henry Whiting Sessions

Henry Whiting has led one of the most wonderfully interesting lives enriched by organic architecture. From growing up in a house designed by his great uncle Alden B. Dow; to knowing and befriending many of the great organic architecture luminaries like Bart Prince, John Lautner, and more; to saving and living in Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece, Teater's Knoll.

Now you can appreciate hearing all about this architectural life well-lived as Henry recounts these stories and more. Recorded over seven sessions between Wright Society's Eric O'Malley and Henry Whiting, these recordings represent more than 11 hours of intriguing insights and wonderful anecdotes that anyone interested in organic architecture will definitely want to hear.

You can follow the link to get access to the interview sessions, all we ask is that you make a small payment of your choice—as low as $1.00! However, a suggested $9.99 minimum payment (or more) would be very much appreciated. 😀

Click here to buy these recordings (in digital format only).

The Headlines

Installing Chihuly In The Desert

The WhirlingArrow features Kyle Dockery, Collections Coordinator, recalling his November trip to Arizona to assist in the installation of Chihuly in the Desert. Normally based at Taliesin in Wisconsin, the visit was an opportunity for Kyle to return to Taliesin West for the first time since 2018.

"This November I was honored to spend 3 weeks living and working at Taliesin West to help install our half of the exhibition Chihuly in the Desert. I normally work at Taliesin in Wisconsin, looking after our collection of art and furniture, but had not come down to work in Arizona since October 2018. It was nice to return, see familiar faces, and meet many of the new ones in person." Read the entire article and see the photographs here.

The Great Wright Road Trip Highlights Iconic American Architecture

Sandra MacGregor of Forbes features "The Wright Road Trip", one of North America's best new road trips filled with masterpieces from America's most acclaimed architect.

"On this one-of-a-kind Wright Road Trip that will take you from beautiful Buffalo, New York to the Laurel Highlands of Western Pennsylvania, you’ll experience firsthand the career-spanning breadth of Wright’s genius. You’ll get to know the largest Prairie Style house Wright ever designed at the Darwin D. Martin House, to the epic grandeur of his mid-career masterpiece at Fallingwater, to the burst of brilliance found at Kentuck Knob that was a highlight of Wright’s final years."

Highlights of the Wright Road Trip can be done in as little as 2-3 days, but if you choose to explore the highways and byways, cities and small towns that lie between and within the two regions, you can easily spend 5-6 days experiencing the work of this American master and the region’s distinctive American heritage. Click here for just a taste of what you’ll discover on this unforgettable road trip.

Building Broadacre: Jennifer Gray In Conversation With David Romero

The Whirling Arrow has an article that features architectural historian and curator, Jennifer Gray, speaking with designer David Romero about his research and process when creating a virtual model of Frank Lloyd Wright's ambitious Broadacre City concept.

"In 1935, Frank Lloyd Wright and his apprentices constructed a model of Broadacre City, an ambitious vision for reshaping the entire built environment along decentralized lines. The idea of Broadacre, also expressed through multiple books and drawings, was as much a theory about society as it was an architectural plan, which complicates any attempt to model or visualize it." Today, designer David Romero has taken on this challenge and created a virtual model of Broadacre using advanced computer modeling techniques." Read the article and see the renderings here.

Hope House In Palm Springs Is Nearly As Iconic As Its Former Owner

Bob Hope loved golf and the California desert—so much so that he spent years building what is now known as the Bob and Dolores Hope House: a 24,000-square-foot, 10-bedroom, 13-bath, mushroom-shaped edifice nestled into the rugged hillside of the Santa Rosa Mountains.

The wonderfully unique home was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice John Lautner. Bob and Dolores Hope hired Lautner in part because they admired one of his most widely known works, the Elrod House, which is located on the same street as the Hope House.

Lautner was reportedly less than thrilled with the Hopes’ interior design decisions and distanced himself from the project before it was finished. But in 2016, venture capitalist Ron Burkle purchased the property for $13 million and recently completed a massive restoration in an effort to showcase Lautner’s unrealized original vision.

Now, the house stands as a permanent tribute to both Lautner’s architectural genius and the lasting legacy of its former owner. More here.

Don't Miss Alden B. Dow's "Four Seasons" Film This February

As an avid photographer and film maker, Organic Architect Alden B. Dow was rarely without his cameras and eventually produced an extensive library of over 300 films. Whether it was documenting the construction of one of his own designs, exploring nature’s splendor around his own home or on a trip across the country; Alden B. Dow saw beauty everywhere and captured it.

Movie Sundays continues in 2022 via Zoom. Each movie day will be its own sampler of his total collection highlighting his varied passions and interests. Join us as we explore his cinematic repertoire. Of particular note is “Four Seasons” – A film capturing the beauty of the Home and Studio in all four seasons over a 20-year span. It will be shown February 20, 2022. More details on how to enjoy the films here.

About

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