Issue 32 February 15th 2017

Weekly Note

Love is in the air this week of February! So what better Valentine could we possibly give our readers other than a fresh issue of the Wright Society Newsletter in your virtual mailbox! This one's chock-a-block filled with sweet Wright-related news that we hope you enjoy. So unwrap a chocolate and dive into the architecture goodies inside.

As always, Keep Calm and Wright On!

The Headlines

Fargo House Built By Frank Lloyd Wright's Granddaughter Spared...For Now

InForum.com reports that Elizabeth Wright Ingraham's Stern House, which has been at the center of a preservation battle, has been spared for about a year after officials in Fargo, ND decided to push back the construction schedule of a levee that would require its demolition. Follow the link to learn more. Read more.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater Institute Gets Sleek Expansion

Curbed.com reports that Bohlin Cywinski Jackson (BCJ), the Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania-founded architectural practice best known for its iconic designs for Apple stores in New York City, France, and Japan, has completed four new dwellings at High Meadow, the Fallingwater Institute’s home base for its summer residency program. Follow the link to learn more. Read more.

John Randal McDonald House One Step Closer To Higher Calling

The Journal Times reports that the Priests of the Sacred Heart have moved a step closer to being allowed to turn one of Organic Architect John Randal MacDonald's last buildings into a residence and chapel for novices studying to become Roman Catholic clergy. At a recent meeting, the Racine County Economic Development and Land Use and Planning Committee approved a conditional-use permit for the property. Follow the link to learn more. Read more.

Free film Screenings Shed Light On Frank Lloyd Wright’s Legacy

The Frank Lloyd Wright Trust is celebrating the 150th anniversary of Frank Lloyd Wright’s birth with free screenings in March of two award-winning films examining the life and work of the legendary architect.

"Wright 150: Frank Lloyd Wright on Film" is presented in partnership with the Chicago History Museum in their state-of-the-art Robert R. McCormick Theater, featuring movie theater quality and 7.1 surround sound.

"Frank Lloyd Wright: A Film by Ken Burns & Lynn Novick" will be screened Tuesday, March 14; "Magnificent Obsession: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Buildings and Legacy in Japan" on Tuesday, March 21. Both screenings will start at 5:30 p.m. in the Robert R. McCormick Theater, Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago.

Each program will be introduced by Frank Lloyd Wright Trust Curator, David Bagnall.

From the origins of Frank Lloyd Wright’s career in the Chicago area through the creation of his magnificent Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, Ken Burns’ masterful "Frank Lloyd Wright: A Film" beautifully captures the story of America’s greatest architect.

The influence of Japanese aesthetics on Frank Lloyd Wright’s design vision was profound. "Magnificent Obsession: Frank Lloyd Wright's Buildings and Legacy in Japan" is the story of how he repaid that debt with his creation of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo and forged relationships with Japanese architects who went on to alter Japan's cityscapes.

To register for Wright 150: Frank Lloyd Wright on Film, follow the link. Read more.

Signature Events Celebrating Frank Lloyd Wright's 150th

There's no better place to celebrate Frank Lloyd Wright's 150th than at Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin, the architect's beloved home and studio. Luckily, Taliesin Preservation Inc. has a bevvy of cool programs to celebrate Wright! Check them all out by following the link. Read more.

Razin Khan Brings Wright Buildings To Virtual Life

Steve S. recently sent a link to the virtual work of architecture and Frank Lloyd Wright enthusiast, Razin Khan. Khan has a knack for bringing Wright-designed buildings to virtual life and then posts them to his Facebook page. If he is able to get some support, he'd ultimately like to build a digital archive of Mr. Wright's un-realized and demolished work. Follow the link to enjoy some of these virtual Wright wonders. Read more.

V.C. Morris Gift Shop Update

Matthew K. works pretty close to the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed V.C. Morris Gift Shop in San Francisco and occasionally checks up on it. Matthew says it's been dormant ever since Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop Market pop up shop closed, but it looks like a tenant will soon be moving in: Isaia, the Italian menswear company. Matthew didn't see anything posted about an opening date, but he imagines it'll be soon. Thanks for the update, Matthew! When we hear something, we'll let readers know! Learn more about the building by following the link. Read more.

Check Out Wright My Way

Lauren Waninski is a fellow Frank Lloyd Wright enthusiast and recently started chronicling her own Wright-related adventures and photographs taken of various Frank Lloyd Wright sites. Wright On, Lauren! Be sure to check out the site by following the link. Read more.

Enroll Now For Spring Volunteer Training At Frank Lloyd Wright Trust Sites

Frank Lloyd Wright Trust volunteers present world-class historic sites and their neighborhoods to an international audience, cultivate long-lasting relationships and receive ongoing education and training on topics related to history, design and Frank Lloyd Wright.

Enrollment for volunteer training sessions in March and April is now underway for interpreters to lead tours at the Home and Studio and Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District in Oak Park, IL, as well as the Frederick C. Robie House in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood.

Interpreter training is a concentrated program that involves online study, class lectures and workshops leading to certification. Interested individuals must attend an informational orientation and qualify for enrollment.

For those interested in leading tours of the Frederick C. Robie House, 5757 S. Woodlawn Ave., Chicago, training will take place at the museum March 7-23 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, as well as two Saturdays.

For those interested in the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, training will take place at the Wright Home and Studio, 951 Chicago Ave., Oak Park, April 18 to May 4. Training will be on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, as well as two Saturdays.

More information is available by contacting Linda Bonifas-Guzman at lguzman@flwright.org or 312.994.4045 or by following the link. Read more.

It’s #WrightChallenge time!

Head's Up Shutter Bugs! It’s #WrightChallenge time! In the upcoming issue of the Frank Lloyd Wright Quarterly, the legacy of innovation at Taliesin West will be explored. The spaces there inspired Wright and the Taliesin Fellowship to be creative innovators, a legacy that continues today. For this challenge, The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation is asking you to think about a space that makes you feel this way. Use a photo to show them how your space inspires you, challenges you and pushes you to think forward. Here’s what you need to do:

(1) Take a photo that expresses this idea to you and post it to Instagram, Twitter, or on the FLLWF Facebook Page.

(2) Tag Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation (on Facebook) or @WrightTaliesin (on Twitter & Instagram) in your post.

(3) Use the hashtag #WrightChallenge, so they can find it.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation will select 6 winners to include in the issue and each will receive a one-year subscription to the Frank Lloyd Wright Quarterly.

The deadline for submission is today (February 15, 2017), so post your pics to the FLWF's Facebook page ASAP by following the link. Read more.

About

This weekly Wright Society update is brought to you by Eric O'Malley with Bryan and Lisa Kelly from PrairieMod. If you enjoy these free, curated updates—please forward our sign-up page and/or share on Social Media.

If you’d like to submit content to be featured here, please reach out by emailing us at mail[at]wrightsociety.com.