Taliesin, the shinning brow
In order to keep my creative juices flowing, I like to expose myself to various types of design like architecture, graphics, fine art, music. This weekend, two of my colleagues and I took a day trip to Spring Green, WI to tour Frank L. Wright’s, America’s greatest architect’s house and school of architecture. Located just west from Madison, Taliesin III is the most interesting and very well preserved symbol of Frank L. Wright’s architectural genius.
If you live in Wisconsin this is a must see! Having designed over 1000 residential and commercial structures and completed more than 500 of them, Frank L. Wright is one of the most prolific and influential architects of the 20th century AND he was born, lived and practiced (for the most part) in our backyard! He is known for inspiring the Prairie Style (reflecting the flat land of the Midwest) and the Usonian Style (otherwise knows as “affordable or low cost” housing), developing the theory “Form and Function Are One”, experimenting with the concepts of compression & expansion and much more.
As an interior designer, I have always been drawn by his idea of “the space within the building becomes the reality of the building“. While designing, Frank L. Wright always kept in mind: 1. the natural surrounding of the structure, 2. the materials that are available on the area of the structure and 3. the people the structure is being designed for.
Frank L. Wright encouraged exploration in his home, studio and school. By incorporating numerous entrances and using pop-out rough lime stone on the exterior as well as interior walls (perfect for climbing), he brought energy and childlike fun to the environments.
He disliked direct light (the reason why he would have banned headlights from his imaginative Broadacre City if he had his way). The lighting solutions (whether designed by him or not) were almost always indirect, diffused, dimmed or simply naturally sourced.
Some experts said that Frank L. Wright had made more money as an antique dealer than an architect. His passion and interest in Asian culture and art translated into him constantly buying and trading valuable Japanese artifacts, some of which can be found in Taliesin.
He was the master of human scale and spacial balance. He designed not only the shell of the building, but also the furnishings and the fixtures that fit the unique style of the structure. He even attempted to design a few dresses for the women of the households so that they too reflected the scheme and decor concept. As great of an architect as Wright was, it is probably a good thing that his fashion ideas were never executed.
While touring the house of Frank L. Wright, my friends and I all stopped to ask: “but why?” about the arms-reach height doorknobs installed on doors, closets and cabinets. One could argue that the reason for that was child safety; other theory could be simply the convenience. Perhaps the true reason was to spark a conversation amongst the guests…
Frank L. Wright was born on June 8th, 1867. Yesterday, the world celebrated his 142nd birthday. While touring the Hillside (school of architecture), the dining hall and the library were set up for a formal celebratory dinner in the name of the founder, Frank L. Wright. Despite his “colorful” and controversial personal life, he has always remained passionate about architecture, which he challenged with every project.
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