Issue 86 February 28th 2018

The Headlines

Should Buffalo Landmark Other Frank Lloyd Wright Houses?

Long overshadowed by the Darwin Martin House, now in its final stage of a $50 million restoration which is the most comprehensive ever undertaken of a Wright-designed building, two other Frank Lloyd Wright-designed homes in Buffalo will take center stage when the Buffalo Preservation Board will propose designating each a local landmark. Given the historic importance of the William R. Heath House and the Walter V. Davidson House It would seem like a slam-dunk, except for one thing: neither of the owners wants the designation. Read more.

A Look At "Pottery House"

Named "Pottery House," Frank Lloyd Wright’s original conceptual plans were created in 1942 for a home commissioned by El Pasoan Lloyd Burlingham. That home was never originally built, and Wright died in 1959. In 1982, the plans were adapted by Taliesin Architects for a 5,000-square-foot Santa Fe home. The adobe home is long and low, hugging the ridge as it curves across a mountaintop.

The residence design was brought back to life by El Paso businessman Richard Poe, who bought it out of foreclosure in 2015, and by local architect William Helm. The home’s unusual shape is described by Helm as “the deconstruction of several overlapping circles.” It’s a classical form called vesica piscis that resembles a human eye and is traced back to the Greek mathematician Euclid. Read more.

Goff's Pavilion for Japanese Art Closed Temporarily

This fall, the Pavilion for Japanese Art will celebrate its 30th anniversary. The last structure and only major public building executed by organic architect Bruce Goff (1904–1982), the Pavilion for Japanese Art divided critics when it opened on LACMA’s campus on Sept. 25, 1988.

For its 30th birthday, it has been decided to give the Pavilion for Japanese Art the ultimate gift: renewal. While minor cosmetic fixes have been made over the years, the Pavilion is due for a comprehensive makeover. Thanks to a generous grant from the County of Los Angeles, the pavilion will undergo much-needed renovation and repairs, and will be closed to the public beginning Feb. 5, 2018 for approximately two years. Read more.

The Monday After: McKinley Museum Exhibit Goes Inside Wright Homes

The new Keller Gallery will host a new exhibit at the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum in Canton, OH, titled “Frank Lloyd Wright: Architecture of the Interior,” which opens March 2 and will be on display through April 29, 2018.

“The exhibit focuses on the interior spaces and how the interiors fit in to the architecture of each house as a whole,” said Kimberly Kenney, McKinley museum curator, who noted that the exhibit it made up of 10 photographs of the interiors of Wright homes and 19 architectural drawings. “The drawings offer an interesting glimpse into his design process and that’s unique to this exhibit. Read more.

Tower Gala 2018 At The Price Tower Arts Center

The Price Tower Arts Center is having their premier fundraising event of the year March 2, 2018 at 6:30 pm - 11:30 pm. Featuring a night of fun, music, dancing and an amazing menu created by Wright Chef Jimmy Sanabria. There will be a Live and Silent Auction with unique experiences and one-of-a-kind artwork, a Cigar Lounge & Scotch Bar, top-shelf cash bar, Bourbon & Wine Pull, and much more. Dance the night away with an exhilarating live performance by Time Machine Band. Call 918-336-4949 for more information or purchase tickets easily online. Tickets are $175 per person or $1800 for a table. If you are interested in a Corporate Sponsorship Opportunity, please contact Angelina Boungou at aboungou@pricetower.org or 918-336-4949 ext 107. Read more.

The 10 Most Interesting Houses in Cincinnati

On the list of Soapbox Cincinnati's 10 Most Interesting Houses, number 7 is the Boulter House. One of three Frank Lloyd Wright homes in the region, the Boulter House is an outstanding example of Wright’s Usonian residential design.

As with most Wright residences, the common living areas are the largest spaces, although in Usonians, kitchens are tiny and functional rather than gathering places. Built-in shelves, furniture, and storage also helped smaller spaces function efficiently.

The current owners of the Boulter House are working on securing LEED certification for the house by adding energy efficient elements to the historic property. Read more.

Burnham, Wright and Mahony Solve A Problem: The Chicago Grid

For civic leaders in early 20th century Chicago, few issues seemed as vexing for designers as the city's grid, including the era’s groundbreaking architects Daniel Burnham, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Marion Mahony Griffin.

The newly restored Unity Temple provides an inspiring setting for "How do you solve a problem like the Chicago grid: Burnham, Wright, Mahony", a free lecture presented by the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust, 7 p.m., Thursday, March 29, 2018 at Unity Temple, 875 Lake St., Oak Park, Ill.

Author and Assistant Professor in the Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago Shiben Banerji will examine how Burnham, Wright and Mahony each defined the problem of the Chicago grid. He will reveal how reflecting on theories developed in the first half of the 20th century can shape contemporary urban planning. Read more.

Two Fayetteville Properties Moving up Ladder of Historical Recognition

Among the Fayetteville, Arkansas properties being considered for National Register of Historic Places, is "Deepwood House" by architect Herb Fowler. Nestled in the woods of Kessler Mountain, the late architect Herb Fowler and his family lived in the home for 35 years.

Fowler designed "Deepwood House" and its guest house, barn, pump house, and art studio according to information from the state preservation program. Everything was built in the early to mid-1960s.

Fowler, like E. Fay Jones, for whom the University's School of Architecture and Design is named, was among a group of Ozark modernists who revered the work of Frank Lloyd Wright. Fowler's work stood on the principles of organic architecture, using natural materials such as wood and stone, with structures melding into a landscape. Read more.

Heath Ceramics Celebrates 70 Years of Modern Design

This year Heath Ceramics celebrates 70 Years of modern design. Early on, Edith Heath's work was being carried by Neiman Marcus, Marshall Field’s, Bullock’s and, perhaps most importantly, New York City’s America House, a retail gallery founded by Aileen Osborn Webb. It was there that Frank Lloyd Wright first spotted Heath’s pottery, which he selected as the dinnerware of choice in his later career.

Edith, along with her husband Brian, eventually founded Heath Ceramics in 1948. Over the next 50 years, the factory would produce as many as 90 different dinnerware shapes and almost 50 glazes. By 1993, after a series of health issues, the Heaths stepped away for the most part, leaving the studio in the hands of its well-trained employees.

A decade later, enter industrial designers Catherine Bailey and Robin Petravic, who felt something was missing from their own design experiences. With Edith’s blessing the pair acquired the enduring brand in 2003, and while this year marks the couple’s 15th anniversary as Heath’s stewards, it’s also the iconic studio’s 70th anniversary. Read more.

In Memoriam: Virginia Lovness

Original Wright client, Virginia Lovness died February 16 at age 93 in Stillwater, Minnesota. Well known for the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed homes she built by hand with her husband Don, she laid stone and raked joints on the "Studio" in 1956. Then helped build a second Wright design known as the the "Cottage" in 1973. As close friends of Mr. Wright's widow, Virginia and Don became part of the Taliesin inner circle, regularly taking part in activities at both the Wisconsin and Scottsdale Wright estates. Their Wright homes were the subject of hundreds of books and magazines and they often lectured at Wright symposiums. Read more.

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