HISTORIAN’S CORNER: June 29
Taliesin Preservation’s historian Keiran Murphy’s weekly round-up of noteworthy FLLW resources.
Photograph from the early 1930s looking at Tan-y-Deri—the home Wright designed in 1907 for his sister and brother-in-law, Jane and Andrew Porter. Located across from Taliesin on the estate, Tan-y-Deri is an example of Wright’s homes for moderate incomes. The home is based on Wright’s “Fireproof House for $5,000” published in Ladies Home Journal in 1907. (Photograph property of the Oak Park Public Library—Gilman Lane Collection.)
TRENDING ONLINE
Less than a decade later, Wright came up with another low-cost home design, named the American System-Built Home (ASBH). There are around a dozen of these homes around the United States. One is known as the Meier House in Iowa. And this website is written by two men restoring, and living in, their dream house the same “ASBH” designed by Wright for the original clients— Delbart and Grace Meier. The website includes the story of the home, how they discovered it, and stories on their various home projects along with ‘before and after’ photographs.
THE TALIESIN FELLOWSHIP/SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
Still practicing architecture, former Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice Vern Swaback was in the Taliesin Fellowship from 1957-1978. In 2018, he discussed with “Architectural Digest” his experience in the fellowship and what he learned working with Wright: architecturaldigest.com/story/
WRIGHT BOOKS TO PUT IN YOUR LIBRARY
Five guides on Wright sites:
“The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, 4th Edition,” by William Allin Storrer. A brief overview of all of Wright’s designs with photographs and floor plans. A pre-cursor to “The Frank Lloyd Wright Companion,” this serves as an atlas if one is on the road.
“The Frank Lloyd Wright Companion,” by William Allin Storrer. Organized chronologically, this features a description of each building explaining its history, construction, and ownership. Interest from Wright fans inspired the decision to republish this volume. Buildings can be searched by state, the name of the client and/or formal titles such as Fallingwater.
“Wright Sites – A Guide to FLLW’s Public Places,” by the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy. Site descriptions, access and contact information for those buildings designed by Wright that are open to the public.
“Frank Lloyd Wright Field Guide, Volume 1-4,” by Thomas Heinz. Each entry includes a photograph, a small map giving the location plus GPS coordinates.
“Frank Lloyd Wright: A Visual Encyclopedia,” by Iain Thomson. Provides an A-Z chronicle of Wright’s life, work, and designs. Available via libraries and and bookstores.
