architecture

  • the Malcolm Willey House

    This absolutely excellent site includes a wealth of information on Frank Lloyd Wright’s Malcolm Willey House, including a virtual tour, history, photo album & plenty more. Don’t miss the terrific timeline that compares the development & existence of the Willey House to Wright’s own life.

  • the Historic Chicago Bungalow Initiative

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    The City of Chicago created the Historic Chicago Bungalow Initiative to combine architectural education, financing resources, marketing and code enforcement in an effort to preserve and restore its rich bungalow tradition. The city’s non-profit Bungalow Association was chartered by the state to administer the initiative, and its many (and very vocal!) members produce a number of events, including bus and walking tours, refinishing workshops and lectures.

    Their excellent Bunaglow of the Month program is also worth checking out, as they document a different home every month through photographs and a short history of the property.

  • FLW criticism

    A short entry on criticism of Frank Lloyd Wright, discussing the basis and application of the generally-accepted label of “genius,” on David Sucher’s City Comforts Blog, which regularly has some very interesting discussions of cities, development, architecture and historic preservation.

  • new & notable books

    book-iconThe past month has been a good one for those of us with a bit to spend on new books; of the various review copies I’ve received and the books I’ve bought and browsed, these are a few of the past month’s highlights. I’m also including a few that won’t see wide distribution until later this month or early November.

  • Experience Wright This Fall

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    When it comes to Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture nothing takes the place of visiting in person and experiencing his environments first hand. I will never forget the first time I visited Fallingwater after years of studying photos and models. It’s the scale of the buildings that is most striking. I maintain that any Wright building you have seen in pictures is about 60% the size you think it is.

  • Two Tours

    GamblefrontdoorWhen I lived in Berkeley, there was a big storm one night. The next day I noticed that a huge branch had fallen off one of my favorite oak trees in a place called Live Oak Park. City workers were cutting up the beautiful piece of wood, which was at least 5 feet in diameter at the widest point, into cross sections using a chainsaw. It seemed a waste of such a great piece of wood. I asked them if I could have a few sections, they said sure, so I loaded a few chunks into my truck.

  • E. Fay Jones

    e-f-jonesE. Fay Jones, FAIA died yesterday at his home in Fayetteville, Arkansas at age 83.

    Born in 1921, Euine Fay Jones studied architecture at the University of Arkansas and at the University of Houston. He apprenticed under Frank Llloyd Wright in the Taliesin fellowship before starting his own Fayetteville practice. He was the recipient of the AIA Gold Medal in 1990. Jones was probably best known for his elevating chapels assembled out of numerous thin pieces of wood, such as the Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas and the Pinecote Pavilion at the Crosby Arboretum in Picayune, Mississippi.

    A good biography with links to books and other sites is available in his Wikipedia entry.