Very Frank Lloyd Wright?
November 1, 2016Recently a reader ask for my opinion on a project. We shared numerous images, had email discussions and a phone call. I think we opened several design possibilities worth a discussion here. Follow along with the discussion and add your “two cents” in the comments section. Maybe someone out there has even better ideas than those offered here.
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- Existing House
Existing House – The reader was planning a complete remodel of an existing “Mid Century Modern” house. He sent me images of the existing house, some renderings of what he was planning to do, as well as a really great original booklet with plans of similar house designs from the same historic period which can be found here.
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- Design proposed by reader.
Reader’s Question – His initial question was about the windows. He sent me the proposed design shown above and asked me, in particular, what I thought about the sash windows, including decorative glass and external shutters, that are between the garage door and the chimney in the image. He also asked me for comments on the use of color. I sometimes think that clients need a hook; a way of tacitly enjoining a larger critique. Clearly, I couldn’t begin to think about details like window styles without first examining their context, which in this case involved a two part observation. I thought, “this design is very Frank Lloyd Wright, and it is actually quite nicely done.”
Frank Lloyd Wright: Mid Century Modernist? – The crux of my observation about Wright is in the question about whether or not he can be grouped with the “Mid Century Modernists.” The answer is that it is done all the time, but Wright was more. He was an influencer with deep roots in the historic transition from the Victorian to Modern world. Evidence of this transition can be seen especially in his early work and it is important to this discussion because the design proposed by the reader evokes this link which, I think, justifies the design and provides an answer to his question about the windows.
The Design Process – Before I go into examples, (if you are bored by theories just skip this paragraph) I should offer a disclaimer about the design process in general. Most, if not all, design is a product of selected influences found in the greater environment in which it appears. In short, ideas do not occur in a vacuum. This is not to imply that we remember the source of these inclinations. It only means that we somehow carry various visual impressions around in our psyche and pull them out when needed. This is true with large stylistic movements that show up in the built environment, and especially when considering an architect as well thought of, and with such far reaching influence as had Frank Lloyd Wright. I am pretty sure the reader who designed this remodel gave little thought to the source of his ideas, and, when he finally decide to look, came up with the previously mentioned booklet; providing an example of how the “Modern Movement in Architecture,” which had originated with Wright and others, manifested in commercial track housing looking exactly like the house that the reader was proposing to fix. This was interesting for sure, but of little relevance in view of the proposed design which was good on it’s own merit not a little because it was specifically suggestive of Wright’s early work, whether the reader knew it or not.
Citing the Evidence – I did some research and came up with these examples. They go a long way towards explaining why I thought the readers design was “very” Frank Lloyd Wright. I picked them because they contained elements in common with the proposed design as noted below each image.
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- The Lake Forest house, like our existing example, has a shallow roof pitch and is the only one in the group with a typically “modern vibe.” Not to be overlooked is the massing which is a contrast of strong horizontal and vertical volumes – also in our example design, and large expanses of glass.
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- The Oakpark house still looks Victorian but Wright assimilates the half timberd facade at the gable with his signature modern massing, both of which are present in the readers design.
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- The casement windows in the Oakpark house feature regular rectangular divisions which might suggest a solution to the window problem posed by the reader.
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- Robie House provides a great example of how Wright used decorative glass in a highly stylized manner which was completely coordinated and related to the interior design as part of the building as a cohesive piece of art. This suggests that unless such a level of design can be achieved it would be best for the reader to stick with a more regular approach and revise the windows shown in the proposed design.
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- FLW’s house and studio, like much of his work, demonstrates more modern volumetric massing but otherwise maintains a link with Victorian origins. The classical windows with Tudor style diamond glass suggest a viable solution to the readers window problem.
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- Finally this Oakpark house, although mostly Victorain except for the massing, has simple offset geometry on the glass, which may provide the best solution for the reader’s window design problem so far.
Suggested Revision
Possible Solution – Just to restate the problem – in case you forgot already – the reader asked me to comment on the two sets of sash windows with the decorative glass and external shutters that are shown in his proposed design. Based on the research, and assuming the reader intended to install in the existing openings, I recommended that casement windows be used instead of sash, which are almost never used by Wright and generally not strongly evident in “Mid Century Modern” houses from this era. I further suggested that a simple geometric muntin pattern offset from the mullions like those in the last research example above would work. The reader did not ask me about the garage door, nevertheless I suggested he change it to a simple door with horizontal divisions which I thought worked better than the existing which had fielded panels and “colonial” references.
Artwork by Reader
Let’s Not Forget the Color – Finally the reader sent me this fun bit of artwork and ask me what I thought of the color. The greenish color of the existing tile roof seems unique to this house and, I think, adds personality. The rest of the natural colored materials are working and support the new design. Trim and the garage door are best colored to disappear. Check out Wright’s Studio above. Continuing a bit of green might be used to attract attention to the front door but it is not really necessary.
Special thanks to Angelo Corriea, a builder from our Northern neighbor, who sent me this project, but really didn’t need my help as he created a nice design on his own. Also, for you serious students of design, it might be worth checking out the connections between Frank Lloyd Wright, Henry Hobson Richardson, and Louis Sullivan.
Bridget Gaddis, is a Licensed Architect and LEED-accredited Professional practicing nationally, and locally in the Washington DC area. She holds professional degrees in both Architecture and Interior Design, and with a comprehensive background in commercial retail design, planning and construction has completed projects for such for such well known brands as Chloe, Zegna, and Bvlgari. Her career began in tenant coordination and site planning for two well-known Cleveland developers, followed by six years in store planning for a national retailer. After a move to New York City in 1997, she spent the next years working for architecture firms specializing in retail projects. In 2011 she started her own practice in Alexandria, VA. Ms. Gaddis is the author of two blogs dealing with architectural subjects.
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