Issue 369 August 2nd 2023

The Headlines

Relative Of Frank Lloyd Wright Shares Family Stories In New Book

In 1976, a Vinton, Iowa resident authored her book, "Grandpa Wright." Using some of the information from her great grandmother Lizzie Wright Heller's memoir. Growing up in Belle Plaine, Hope Sankot Rogers' fondest memories were of the time she spent with her Grandma Lizzie.

Recently Hope authorized Wright scholars Jason Loper and Michael Schreiber to republish her book on their website. The book entitled, "The Architect's Father: A reconsideration of William Cary Wright, the father of Frank Lloyd Wright." can be found on their site, "This American House." The book has been published and available for you to read, free of charge.

Frank Lloyd Wright, as you recall, was a famous architect who designed over 1,000 buildings. But where did Frank Lloyd Wright come from? Who were his parents? His father William Cary Wright was a composer, teacher of music, poet, minister, lawyer and doctor. He also taught Frank to play music. Frank Lloyd Wright once said, "Never miss the idea that architecture and music belong together. They are practically one."

Hope, the grandniece of Frank Lloyd Wright, was also familiar with her grandfather's musical works. Her Grandma Lizzie began teaching her at age 5 from the "Golden Monitor" music theory book which had been written specifically for a musical conservatory in Madison, Wisconsin. Hope continued to play his music throughout her life, on her studio grand piano.

In 1940 Hope's grandma Lizzie asked her to type the manuscript of her life story, which Lizzie began writing in 1929. Both Hope and her daughter Mary Rogers have been keepers of the family artifacts for most of their lives. The two have donated numerous items to the State Historical Society of Iowa's branch in Iowa City. The collection includes photos of the family including a rare daguerreotype of William with his first wife, Permelia, from whom Lizzie was descended. Upon the passing of Permelia, William remarried and Frank Lloyd Wright, was born six years later to William and his second wife. Other donations to the society include Williams' original music, a copy of Lizzie's Memoirs, and three collections of William Wright's musical compositions.

A separate donation was made by Mary in 2018, to "Wright on the Park" in Mason City where the last Frank Lloyd Wright hotel is located. A large photo of Frank's father William and sheet music are displayed.

Celebrating Frank Lloyd Wright's Gas Station

Beauty, art and design can take many forms. Case in point is the latest subject of KARE11 drone series KARE in the Air.

Frank Lloyd Wright believed that automobiles were the ultimate freedom, fueling the curiosity and travel desires of Americans. He designed a service station in 1927 with the aim of constructing it in Buffalo, NY., but it didn't actually take shape until 30 years later when it was built for a client he built a home for in Cloquet. Atlas Obscura says R. W. Lindholm was in the petroleum business as owner of Best Oil, so Wright thought it would be a good fit. The gas station opened in 1958, one year before the architect's death.

The station had, and still has a futuristic vibe that includes an observation deck where employees could watch and wait for customers in comfort. It is currently owned and operated by Minnesota native Andrew Volna, who purchased the business from Lindholm’s grandchildren in 2018. It is on the National Historic Register.

Wright at Twilight

Enjoy the iconic Pope-Leighey House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, at twilight on September 22 from 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM! Sit back with complimentary snacks and a glass of wine, or bring your own picnic dinner, as you watch the changing light bring out the beautiful architectural details of the house. Play games in the yard, listen to jazz music, and tour the house at your leisure as the sun slowly sets. Tickets are $25, with one drink included in the price of your ticket.

Imperial Hotel And Frank Lloyd Wright Trust Celebrate Centennial Of Wright's Imperial Hotel (1923-2023)

Imperial Hotel, Ltd. and the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust celebrated on July 18 the 100th anniversary of Wright's 1923 Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, with a private dedication of cherry trees planted in the courtyard of Frank Lloyd Wright's Frederick C. Robie House, Chicago, a UNESCO World Heritage site. An inscription plaque reads: "These cherry trees celebrate 100 years of our shared cultural heritage. The Wright Imperial Hotel Centennial 1923-2023. Imperial Hotel, Ltd., Tokyo, Frank Lloyd Wright Trust, Chicago."

Mr. Rahm Emanuel, United States Ambassador to Japan and former Mayor of Chicago, sent a message to mark the occasion. "One of Chicago's chief cultural contributions worldwide is architecture. I was proud to support the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust and Robie House as Chicago's first UNESCO World Heritage site. Wright's legacy is captured in the brilliance of what he built, but also in the ability to inspire ingenuity that transcended countries, namely the United States and Japan. Given Frank Lloyd Wright's great gift to bridge two cultures, two nations, and two peoples, it's fitting that the Imperial Hotel and Frank Lloyd Wright Trust celebrate the centennial of Wright's Imperial at Robie House."

Ms. Celeste Adams, Trust President, stated, "Wright's lifelong fascination with Japanese art and culture began in Chicago where he first encountered Japanese architecture at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Jackson Park, a mile from the site of Robie House."

The Japan pavilion at the World's Columbian Exposition was inspired by the Phoenix Hall of Byodo-in, a Buddhist temple in Uji near Kyoto. In 1905, Wright traveled outside the U.S. for the first time, spending three months in Japan. In 1908, Wright received the commission for Robie House, completed in 1910.

While several of his prior buildings are influenced by Japanese architecture, Robie House has the most striking affinity, often observed by Japanese visitors. During 1913, a conversation began between Frank Lloyd Wright and Aisaku Hayashi, Manager of the Imperial Hotel. On March 17, 1916, Wright formally accepted the commission for a modern hotel to replace the original Imperial Hotel, which had opened in 1890.

Wright lived in Japan intermittently during the design and construction of the Imperial Hotel, which opened on September 1, 1923, the day of the Great Kanto Earthquake. The Imperial Hotel survived, and Wright considered it his masterpiece. After the Imperial Hotel project, Wright never again returned to Japan, but the 30-year span from his 1893 encounter with Japanese architecture in Chicago to the 1923 opening of the Imperial Hotel engendered lasting friendships and professional relationships spanning generations.

Wright's Imperial became a center for social and cross-cultural exchange. In this spirit, Imperial Hotel, Ltd. and the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust celebrate the power of architecture and the value of cultural heritage as a foundation for enduring international friendship.

Mr. Hideya Sadayasu, President of Imperial Hotel, Ltd., stated, "This year, the Imperial Hotel honors the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. We are pleased to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Wright's Imperial at the iconic Robie House in Chicago, the city where Wright established his reputation and home to a majority of his extant works. We hope that the cherry trees we planted with the Trust will grow for many years to come, in honor of Wright's achievements in Japan and the United States."

OA+D Celebrates Wright's Imperial Hotel With New Publications

The Organic Architecture + Design Archives recently announced that the next issue of their flagship publication, The Journal of Organic Architecture + Design, is slated to come out in the month of September — in time to mark the 100th anniversary of Frank Lloyd Wright's Imperial Hotel.

Kathryn Smith — noted architectural historian and an expert on Wright's lost hotel — curates the publication by exploring "100 Objects For 100 Years," as selected from the vast amount of material held in the OA+D Archives collections.

This mega-sized issue will feature 120 pages showcasing these special 100 objects — some never-before-published — as well as text by Kathryn Smith that explores the Hotel in detail from its opening in 1923, during its decades of use, and ultimately its loss in 1967-68. If you're a fan of the Imperial Hotel and Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture, this is an issue you will not want to miss.

PRE-ORDERS for this landmark issues are now available HERE. However, if you want to be one of the first to receive this anniversary issue (and ensure you don't miss any other upcoming issues of our flagship publication) be sure to renew your subscription today by following the LINK.

As a special anniversary surprise, OA+D also announced that they will be releasing an additional limited edition special publication, The Jewel of the Orient: The Imperial Hotel.

In summer 1923, before Frank Lloyd Wright’s completed Imperial Hotel officially opened to the public, the management published a comprehensive illustrated 32-page booklet describing the new building and extolling its virtues. It was, using contemporary language, a marketing tool aimed to attract hotel guests and people of influence. This remarkable publication, out of print for the better part of a century, describes Wright’s building in great detail including many photographs that “go behind the scenes” and are unique to this booklet. A rare collector’s item that is now available as a reprint for the first time in 100 years.

This commemorative publication with a new Introduction by Kathryn Smith has been produced by the Organic Architecture and Design Archives to mark the 100th anniversary of the opening of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan, on September 1, 1923.

It will be printed in a limited edition of 500 copies with the purpose of furthering knowledge and preserving the past for future generations.

NOTE: As a special publication, this item is not included as part of the normal journal subscription plan, so be sure to PRE-ORDER your copy HERE. Since it's a limited print run, once this publication is gone, it's gone!

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