AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK HERTZBERG, AUTHOR OF FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S SC JOHNSON RESEARCH TOWER
When it opened in 1950, Frank Lloyd Wright's SC Johnson Research Tower in Racine, Wisconsin, instantly became an icon of modern architecture. Rising like a giant sequoia on the prairie, The fifteen-story skyscraper is the only existing example of Wright's ambitious taproot design and a marvel of engineering. H. F. Johnson Jr., president of the SC Johnson & Son Company, commissioned Wright in 1943 to design a new research and development space that would foster inspiration and spark innovative new products for the company. Frank Lloyd Wright accepted the challenge and his remarkable vertical creation became the perfect consort for the streamlined Administration Building nearby. Although it received critical acclaim and stands as a monument of architectural ingenuity, it was ultimately closed by the SC Johnson Company 31 years after it opened, due to several factors of impracticality. It has been well-maintained, but closed to people and the public ever since.
Luckily, Frank Lloyd Wright's SC Johnson Research Tower, by author, professional photographer and blogger Mark Hertzberg is an unprecedented exploration of this enigmatic structure by America's most acclaimed architect. PrairieMod took the opportunity to interview Mr. Hertzberg about the building, the book and his experience writing it.
Eric: The two books you've previously written cover the Racine, Wisconsin work of Frank Lloyd Wright in great detail and wonderful images. How did you decide to do a new book entirely on the SC Johnson Wax Research Tower?
Mark: I realized the potential for the book when I was putting together an illustrated talk about the Research Tower, like my Wright in Racine and Hardy House talks. Some 4,500 people tour the Administration Building every year, and invariably wonder about the Tower.
The idea for the talk grew out of a comment at a staff meeting for tour guides for the SC Johnson Administration Building. Many of the guides had never been inside the Tower, and they were eager to see my photos of the interior. The process of developing the talk led me to the SCJ archives, where I was generously given permission to use construction photos. Once the Keynote or PowerPoint presentation took form, I saw the potential for a book.
Eric: Was it difficult to write a book about a building owned by a huge international corporation like the SC Johnson Company?
Mark: No, not at all, While SCJ is, indeed, a "huge international corporation," they are very much "a family company," as stressed in their advertising. They are a strong part of the Racine community, and I have been privileged to form a good working relationship with the company, friendships with some family members, and most important, to be able to gain their trust. Some of the relationships have been developed through my work as photo editor of the Racine Journal Times, and others through my Wright research and writing.
Eric: You're well-known for your beautiful photographic work of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings. Was there a particular challenge in photographing the Research Tower?
Mark: I was last able to photograph the interior in 2007. I had only an hour in the Tower. It was a hot summer day and we could not use the elevator so we climbed the stairs to 7 Mezz (the 14th floor) and worked our way down. There was no air conditioning. I shot madly, leaning on the motor drive as I walked around each floor and then hit the stairs to get to the next floor. I did not have the understanding of the building I gained from researching the book (two years later) so I am sure I missed some things that I would notice today.
Eric: Were there any surprising facts or stories you learned about the Research Tower from writing your book?
Mark: One of the most interesting things was learning of Wright's decision to move the entrance to the Tower from the base of the core to another building, some 40 yards away, more than two years into construction, and just seven months before the Tower opened. Wright wrote that enclosing the core in the glass to house the reception area would take away from the drama of the core's design. The contractor was not pleased with this last-minute change!
Eric: Your book is unique in that it shows recent interior photos of the Research Tower, a building that is currently vacant and completely closed to public tours. Are there any long-term plans to re-purpose this important building or make it accessible on even a limited basis?
Mark: I won't tell—you have to read the book! The book ends on an optimistic note with Fisk Johnson's recognition of the importance of the Tower. Its opening would depend on resolving the conflict between its design and current building codes.
Eric: Are there any other projects on the horizon that you are working on or excited about?
Mark: Sometimes the future holds surprises. The idea for the book came out of something unexpected, only in late July, 2009. Pomegranate accepted the proposal in late August or September. The manuscript and photos were due February 2, for publication in September. So, one never knows what might pop up. I am looking forward to now finishing a book with a very unique perspective of the criminal justice system. I have been working on it for five years, and put it on hold while working on the Tower book. I hope to finish it this fall. Unlike the Wright books which were not written until Pomegranate and I worked out proposals, I will not shop for publishers until it is finished. pm
:: Order the book on Pomegranate's website
:: Mark Hertzberg's other books: Wright In Racine and Frank Lloyd Wright's Hardy House
:: Mark Hertzberg's Wright In Racine blog
:: Visiting SC Johnson Company in Racine, Wisconsin
Book cover courtesy of Pomegranate. Author photo by Cindy Hertzberg. All other photos copyright Mark Hertzberg.
Eric O'Malley is a co-founder and contributor to PrairieMod. He lives with his wife in the Little Red House, a Mid-Century Modern ranch in suburban Chicago. You can email him at eric@prairiemod.com.
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