Issue Apr 10th 2024  April 10th 2024

Frank Lloyd Wright Trust Plans Learning Center Expansion

The Oak Park Historic Preservation Commission in Illinois approved March 14 the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust’s plans for a new learning center on Chicago Avenue.

The planned center will consist of a new, contemporary building designed by architect John Ronan that will include a Reception Hall, Pavilion and Studio. An Art Resource Center will be housed in the repurposed historic building at 925 Chicago Ave., which will also include a Frank Lloyd Wright Reading Room and Archive.

Susie Trexler, urban planner in historic preservation for the village said the HPC was positive about the plan.

“The commission spoke very favorably about the trust’s proposed learning center,” Trexler said. “The commission expressed a lot of excitement both about the design and purpose as a learning center.”

Celeste Adams, president and CEO of the Trust, said that the design for the center had been developed during the past three years and noted that the Trust has planned to announce the design this year to coincide with the Trust’s 50th anniversary.

“It’s a critical moment for us to look back in gratitude to the many people who built and grew the Trust as we also look forward to a new generation who will make their own contributions. We want the next generation to be part of Wright’s living legacy.”

The center will offer interactive programming, creative studio classes for all ages and access to learning resources.

“As we conduct preservation of Wright’s buildings, we are constantly reminded of his innovation in design,” Adams said. “His studio was his laboratory – a place of creativity. This is the spirit of the new Learning Center, a balanced combination of innovation and preservation.”

Adams added that not only will the center further the mission of the Trust, but it will also expand its reach.

“Traditionally, the building has been seen as a tourist destination,” she said of the Home and Studio. “We want to engage the community, open our site and welcome them in.”

The center will be built behind existing buildings that are part of the Home and Studio campus. These other buildings are also getting facelifts as part of the plan to create a campus around the home and studio.

Work has already begun on 931 Chicago Ave., the John Blair and Anna Wright House, which has been going through a refurbishment so that it more closely resembles what it looked like when Wright lived in Oak Park. When finished, the building will house staff and will not be open to the public.

The 925 Chicago Ave. building has already had an exterior remodeling. Site work on the back of the house and interior are underway now to prepare the house for public access as the Art Resource Center for the Trust.

The newly built Learning Center building will include 4,370 square feet of interior space, which will be ADA accessible and include a guest reception desk, 36-foot-long audio-visual programming screen, public restrooms and catering support.

Outdoors, there will be 2,033 square feet of terraces, with adjacent outdoor courtyards, walkways and patio areas measuring 2,420 square feet. Eighteen new trees will be planted and there will be a fountain on the terrace.

“The proposed building is set back from the street helping it to become part of the block,” said Lou Garapolo, chair of the HPC. “It, however, has what could be a wonderful courtyard that welcomes the visitor in for what could be a delightful experience.”

Adams called the design “environmentally friendly,” and said it will provide ample natural light and views of the surrounding park-like setting. She said the combination of indoor and outdoor learning spaces will allow the Trust to greatly expand its educational offerings to people of all ages.

The new center will allow for more summer camp offerings for school children and longer sessions of camp days, in addition to work experience in art, architecture and design for high school students. The popular 4th grade experience will be enhanced with workshops in the new space.

The Trust also envisions the space hosting two artist-in-residency programs a year. Guest artists – whether architects, visual artists, designers or sculptors – will be on site to draw inspiration from the site and work with students to create their own projects.

The Trust has formed a Community Education Advisory Committee made up of local educators from Oak Park, River Forest, and Austin, as well as trust members and leaders from the local arts community to weigh in on future programming for the center.

Adams said that the construction timeline for the center will be dependent on fundraising efforts. Calling this the “most significant capital effort of the Trust in 50 years,” Adams said that in the beginning of the planning stages, several years ago, initial cost estimates were in the $5 million-$10 million range. She said current estimates are at the high end of that range.

Fundraising is just beginning, but she added, “We are pleased to have the support of several major donors at this time.”

Adams said she is excited about what the center means for the Trust and for the community.

“What’s wonderful about this expansion plan is its expanded return to the community,” she said.

Click for more details: oakpark.com  

The Gardens And Landscapes Of Frank Lloyd Wright

Much is known about the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, arguably one of the most famous American architects, but much less is known about his gardens and landscapes. The Garden Conservancy’s Symposium on Wright hopes to change that.

“Perhaps no architect has been more written about than Frank Lloyd Wright, but his designs for gardens remain less studied and understood, despite how important landscape and nature were to his thinking,” wrote Horatio Joyce, Director of Public Programs & Education, in an email to the Buzz.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Garden Symposium on April 13 and 14, 2024 presented at The Ebell of Los Angeles Theater in Los Angeles, is the first-of-its-kind, two-day, in-person event that will examine how Wright and other early 20th-century architects responded to the Southern California landscape and how they invite us to think about contemporary issues in gardening today.

The symposium will feature landscape architects, historians, curators, and stewards of Frank Lloyd Wright-designed houses. The event will be of interest to all gardeners, designers, architects, and students who are passionate about history and design and what they can teach us about gardening today.

Saturday, April 13 Symposium at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre, Los Angeles, CA 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tickets: $50 students | $150 Members | $175 General

Sunday, April 14 Guided Garden Tours of Hollyhock House and Schindler House 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Attendees will have the opportunity to tour Hollyhock House (1916-21), a residence originally designed by Wright as “half house and half garden.”

The Conservancy is also offering tours of the personal residence and garden designed by Wright’s protégé, Rudolph M. Schindler, where indoor and outdoor spaces are seamlessly integrated. Both tours will be guided by expert curators who will share their insights about the original design and preservation of the sites. Tickets to the LA Garden Tours are $30 per person, per tour.

Click for more details: larchmontbuzz.com  

Hollyhock House Blooms With An Ikebana Installation

Spring has sprung at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House in Los Angeles, where a new installation featuring Ikebana, a Japanese practice of flower arrangements, has reanimated the landmark home. Ravi GuneWardena: Ikebana for Hollyhock House decorates Wright’s interiors with expressive flower arrangements.

An ode to California, Hollyhock House is Los Angeles’s only UNESCO World Heritage site and the renowned architect’s first commission in the city. Built simultaneously with Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel, Wright’s Hollyhock House carries Japanese art and design influences throughout the site, setting the perfect stage for the Japanese flower arranging art.

“The placement of an ikebana arrangement can inform and define the work itself. The light and space of Hollyhock House appear to have been designed with this art form in mind,” architect and ikebana practitioner Ravi GuneWardena said in a statement. He mastered the art under the tutelage of Haruko Takeichi in the Sogetsu School of Ikebana, and has worked to expand the visibility of ikebana as a contemporary art.

GuneWardena’s floral arrangements reference those of Aline Barnsdall, Hollyhock House’s original resident during the 1920s, paying homage to her use of placement, mass, and scale. The arrangements display a mix of influences, including the centuries-old traditional ikebana practices, and the more modern approach of the Sogetsu School that challenges tradition through innovative materials to celebrate freedom of individual expression. Through this, GuneWardena engages with Wright’s gesamtkunstwerk interiors, setting the flower arrangements as new focal points in dialogue with Wright’s holistic site, where art and architecture coexist as one.

The vibrant dried flower arrangements play with scale, some arrangements catch the eye with its long vertical composition of light materials, juxtaposed against the more ornate artworks in the house. In the house’s more minimal rooms, shorter yet colorful arrangements pop against the muted natural tones of the site’s interiors.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site will also host special events for visitors to engage with the installation. From April 18 to 20, the site will house a limited exhibition of works by the Sogetsu School of Ikebana, featuring 30 fresh-flower arrangements with the season’s finest blooms. On April 20, free ikebana demonstrations will be presented to the public by four high-ranking Sogetsu masters at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre.

GuneWardena’s dried arrangements installation will be off-view during the special events, but will be available for the public viewing through fall 2024.

Click for more details: archpaper.com  

What’s The Deal With Wright’s Richard Lloyd Jones House in Tulsa?

With a nearly half-price discount, a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is back on the market.

The 10,405-square-foot manse was designed in 1929 by the famed architect for his cousin, Richard Lloyd Jones. It was listed last spring for $7,995,000 with Rob Allen, of Sage Sotheby’s International Realty.

But a buyer didn’t materialize, so the home was slated to be put up for auction, with starting bids expected to range from $1,500,000-$3,250,000.

However, the seller ended up taking the home off the block before the Dec. 14 auction date.

Now, it’s back on the market with a $4.5 million price tag. The residence is known as both the Lloyd Jones House or Westhope. And even with the reduced price, it’s still Tulsa’s third-most expensive single family home for sale.

So, will anyone go for the architectural gem this time around?

“At $4.5 million, it is far more within the Tulsa comparables,” Allen says, adding that pricing is tricky. “It’s not like looking at other 10,000-square-foot homes in Tulsa. Who would be in the market for a Frank Lloyd Wright house? You try to compare it to other architecturally significant homes.”

In 2021, local developer Stuart Price snapped up the five-bedroom, four-bath home for $2.5 million. Then he embarked on a major restoration.

“When he bought it, it was in a state of disrepair,” Allen says of Price. “A lot of the windows were fogged, the textile blocks were faded, chipped or peeling, and had mildew growing on the side. The concrete floors were covered in carpet. It took a substantial amount of effort to revise the property. Whoever buys it needs to be a steward.”

Price also added a new roof and, even in a downpour, it never leaks. The outdoor pool was also revived. A five-car garage is included in the listing, too.

John Waters, preservation programs manager with the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, last saw the interior in 2018.

“It was definitely needing TLC when Stuart bought it, there’s no question,” he says. “It looks like he’s addressed a number of things.”

Waters calls the house an anomaly.

“The Los Angeles textiles have a similar use of the blocks, whereas Lloyd Jones has the alternating window-block pattern,” he notes. “Spatially, it’s a fairly unique house, with the large rooms and the tall central space with a living room and clerestory [windows]. The specific way it’s done there is pretty unique.”

In 1972, the property was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

While Price had planned to live there, circumstances changed and he put it on the market instead.

“He’s really loved owning the property and fixing it up and hosting events there,” Allen says. “Now he’s ready for someone else to take over and be a steward for the property.”

Click for more details: realtor.com  

Cunningham's "Wing" Home In California Lists For $10.5M

Just north of San Diego, in Rancho Santa Fe, California, a twisting, avant-garde helix of a house has listed for $10.5 million — featuring prime architectural pedigree.

The spiraling creation of award-winning organic architect Wallace E. Cunningham is seeking a new owner.

Just north of San Diego, in the census-designated place of Rancho Santa Fe, a twisting, avant-garde helix of a house has hit the market for $10.5 million.

Known as the "Wing," the 5,800-plus-square-foot estate was the first independent commission constructed by Cunningham, who was tapped for the project even before he completed his studies as a student at the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture (formally at) Taliesin West, according to Robb Report.

The S-shaped house — which rather looks like a snail when viewed aerially — was completed in 1982 and spans 4.4 acres set behind gates, at the end of a secluded cul-de-sac and down a long driveway.

Constructed mostly of steel, concrete and glass, the abode is meant to blend in with the surrounding land, harmonizing and curving to the area’s preexisting nature.

“This home is literally a piece of living art. Why buy a painting when you can buy a home that has the same effect?” said Matthew Altman, who shares the listing with Josh Altman and Jason Saks from The Altman Brothers Teams team at Douglas Elliman.

In all, the primary house has three bedrooms, a one-bathroom guest suite with a private entrance, and is built to surround a zero-edge pool, “a shimmering marvel that mirrors the bold architecture,” as the listing describes.

There’s also a secondary building on the grounds with three bedrooms, its own kitchen and a full bath.

As well, there’s a three-car garage, a private nature trail and extensive landscaping.

Click for more details: nypost.com  

Spring Offerings At Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation is rolling out a calendar of engaging spring and summer programming for visitors to experience Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home and studio in Scottsdale, Arizona, through educational opportunities and cultural events, including wellness programs, film viewings, interactive workshops, theater performances and more.

Established in 1938 as a winter camp for Wright and his apprentices as they traveled from Taliesin — his primary home and studio in Wisconsin — each winter, Taliesin West evolved alongside the growing fellowship program to serve as a hub for innovation, as well as an arts and culture destination for those who resided there. Today, under the stewardship of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Taliesin West continues to captivate over 100,000 visitors annually, offering a glimpse into the genius of one of America’s most iconic architects.

In addition to regular tour offerings, such as the Highlights Audio Tour and In-Depth Guided Tour, here are a few highlights of events at Taliesin West this season.

Discovery Day | May 25 | 10 a.m.–4 p.m. | $5 per adult, free for kids 12 and under

Uncover the exciting world of art, architecture and nature at Discovery Day. Learn all about the work and impact of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation while exploring the grounds and spaces at your own pace, from performances to participatory activities led by various foundation departments, ask-me stations and crafts for the family.

Sunsets and Sips | Twice monthly on Thursdays through May 16 | 6–8 p.m. April & May | $35–$40 per ticket | $31.50–$36 per member

Delight in stunning city vistas as you relax and socialize with a drink in hand at Taliesin West’s most popular program. Stroll through tranquil outdoor paths and discover two interior spaces, which vary for each happy hour session.

Wellness By Design | Select Saturdays through May | 9 a.m. | $25 per adult, $17 per student, $22.50 per member

Through guided mindfulness activities, experience the impact of Frank Lloyd Wright’s organic architecture and design. Try yoga or sound bathing this season, all led by local wellness experts, and bring harmony and balance into life.

Friday Night Films | March 29, April 26, May 31 | $15 per adult, $13.50 per member

Catch a classic film in a timeless space. Weekly film viewings were an essential part of life at this National Historic Landmark, and special rooms were created just for these screenings. Screen old Hollywood favorites in the Cabaret Theater and discover why film was so essential to life at Taliesin West.

TW LIVE | April 20 | 6–8 p.m. | $40 per adult, $28 per student, $36 per member

Experience the enchantment of art at Taliesin West, where historic spaces resonate with captivating performances by top Valley musicians. Witness the magical fusion of music and architecture, exploring themes of experimentation, adaptation and collaboration.

In Conversation: Virtual | April 18, May 23 | 10–11 a.m. | $25 per adult, $17 per student, $22.50 per member

In Conversation brings together a speaker who shares their passion for their topic with a host and audience in a casual and interactive format. For those who can’t make it to Taliesin West, the online offerings provide the opportunity to listen to conversations on a wide range of subjects and to submit questions to the speaker.

Homeschool Explorations | Tuesdays and Thursdays through April | 9:30–11 a.m. | $15 per homeschool student

Explore nature, science, engineering, the arts and architecture. Each lesson focuses on a new concept, and every activity takes inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright’s work, the Sonoran Desert and Taliesin West.

Click for more details: yourvalley.net