Issue 310 June 15th 2022

The Headlines

This Kellogg Doolittle House On Airbnb Is What Dreams Are Made Of

Curiocity features one of the most incredible examples of ‘organic architecture’ ever- the Kellogg Doolittle House by California’s Joshua Tree National Park. This out-of-this-world estate took over two decades to finish, and is available for the first time ever thanks to the whole ‘Airbnb Luxe’ offerings.

According to Kellogg himself, the intent of the 5,200ish sq. ft. home was to create the imagery of a gigantic beast asleep amongst the landscape. Which is also why you see those interconnected ‘ribs’ serving as a roof to the place. Of course, they double as beautiful skylights for the interior, which is mostly adorned with handcrafted furnishings meant to complement to home itself. It’s like Art Nouveau meets modernism. See the photos here.

Renovated George Maher-Designed Kenilworth Home Sold For $2.48 Million

A renovated home designed by noted Prairie Style architect and Kenilworth, Illinois, resident George W. Maher sold last week for just shy of its $2.5 million asking price.

The E.W. Hedrick Jr. House, a five-bedroom, 6,550-square-foot home on a 0.4-acre lot at the corner of Essex Road and Melrose Avenue, has been "artfully reinvented" to combine original architectural elements with the amenities of a newly built house, according to its listing.

The home includes leaded glass windows and cabinets with a tulip motif, solarium, balcony, finished lower level with a home theater, and wine room with bar, the listing said.

Maher (1864-1926) built 40 structures in Kenilworth, according to the Kenilworth Historical Society. They include two of the village's eight National Register of Historic Places listings — the 1907-built Kenilworth Assembly Hall and Maher's own home at 424 Warwick Road, built in 1893.

After moving to Chicago as a young boy, Maher was by the age of 19 working alongside Frank Lloyd Wright as a draftsman in the office of Joseph Silsbee, and by 25 he had started his own firm. According to the Chicago Landmark Commission, he would go on to become of one of the most important Prairie School-style architects of his era, developing what he called "motif-rhythm theory" of design, by which he would apply unifying and organically inspired geometric themes throughout his projects.

While architect Franklin P. Burnham drafted the first plan of Kenilworth — incorporated 1889 — with founder Joseph Sears, Maher took over planning of the village in 1899 and designed the original Sears School, the village's golf clubhouse and its 1923 master plan.

Click here to see the E.W. Hendrick Jr. House and read more.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Vision For Arizona's Capitol

The boxy mid-20th century buildings that house the Arizona Legislature are not particularly remarkable.

The committee rooms can feel cramped.

There is little majesty, or sunlight.

Visitors can be forgiven if they are not particularly impressed.

But it didn't have to be this way.

As Arizona's government set about designing the current capitol, Frank Lloyd Wright put forward his own ideas for a state capitol that would be unlike any other in the country — a desert palace and architectural landmark.

Stuart Graff, president and CEO of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, spoke with AZPM about the plan and why the state never embraced it. Click here to hear the interview.

Foundation Secures $100K For Sullivan Building Restoration

The Licking County Foundation received an Ohio Capital Budget appropriation of $100,000 for 2023-24 for restoration of the historic Louis Sullivan Building in downtown Newark, Ohio. The money will be used for the remaining restoration work on the building’s interior and adjacent annex.

The Louis Sullivan Building in Newark is the sixth of eight small Midwest “jewel box” bank buildings designed by the noted Chicago architect late in his career. The foundation received the building as a gift in 2013 and has been restoring the structure and the adjacent building at 10 W. Main for reuse as the new home of Explore Licking County, the region’s travel and tourism bureau.

The restoration, which began in 2019 with the restoration of the exterior, is expected to be completed in 2023. More here.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fontana Boathouse Tour

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fontana Boathouse Tour is being offered Fri, Jun 24, 10:00 am and 11:30 am. The only rowing boathouse designed by Frank Lloyd Wright was originally designed by Wright in 1905 for the University of Wisconsin. The Boathouse was never built until its construction in 2007 in Buffalo, New York, along the shore of the Black Rock Channel. This was one of Wright’s favorite designs, as evidenced by his inclusion of the Boathouse in his now-famous Wasmuth Portfolio.

Today the boathouse is being used for its original purpose as an active rowing facility, providing a unique opportunity to see one of Wright’s designs being used as originally intended. On the tour, you’ll learn about why it was never constructed in Wisconsin, and how it came to be built in Buffalo.

The tour includes both the exterior and interior of the Boathouse, providing an in-depth look at a masterpiece of Prairie Style design. While on the tour, enjoy the spectacular views of Lake Erie, the Niagara River, and the Canadian shore from the Boathouse – be sure to bring your camera!

General Admission: $10

Children / Student Admission: $5

Explorer Pass Members: FREE

Reservations are required for all tours, including for Explorer Pass members. Walk-ups without reservations cannot be accommodated. Tours are generally limited to a maximum of 15 people per group. More information here.

Landmark Society Returns In-Person With 'House And Garden' Tour

For the first time in over two years, the Landmark Society of Rochester, New York, is bringing back its "House and Garden Tour" in-person. The tours will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 18 and Sunday, June 19.

Attendees will be able to visit the preservation organization's private homes and three private gardens in the East Boulevard and Douglas Road area, including the Frank Lloyd Wright House grounds. The houses include a spectacular Colonial Revival mansion, an amazing carriage house converted to a chic living space, and "jazz age" four square houses with detailed interior finishes.

Tickets must be purchased in advanced (no day of tour sales). Ticket holders must bring proof of vaccination to the event, and masks will be required indoors. Children under 12 will not be admitted.

Tickets are $30 for members and $40 for non-members. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit landmarksociety.org/housetour. To see Cindy Boyer, Director of Public Programs for the Landmark Society, who joined Good Day Rochester to discuss the tour, click here.

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