All of us here at PrairieMod wish you the best for 2007. Let's hope it will be a year filled with positive steps toward a more green and sustainable future. On that note, we felt it would be appropriate to link to our friends at Inhabitat and their list of Top 10 Green Design of 2006 as a way to inspire all of us. See you next year!
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December 2006
Wright + PreFab
Old school is the new school. That's one of our favorite sayings here at PrairieMod. Why? Because the PrairieMod Squad realized awhile ago that some of the ideas that seem so cutting-edge to us today really have roots in ideas from artists and designers from over a hundred years (or more) ago. Take prefabs for instance. They are all-the-rage right now. It seems you can't open a magazine or cruise the weblogs without hearing about the "new" prefab craze. But do you know who one of the first people to design prefab homes was? If you guessed Frank Lloyd Wright, gold star.
The MeBox: A "Punchy" Way to Organize
As a new year rolls around, we've been prepping for the annual "clean-up" around the office. The usual storage boxes just don't seem to do it for us design types. In comes the MeBox via Graphic Thought Facility, found exclusively at Design Within Reach.
At one end of the MeBox is a grid of perforated discs. You can punch out the discs to expose a contrasting color. If you keep punching out the holes you can create a number, a letter or a symbol to help identify what is inside. Sure beats the plain old brown or white bankers box!
Images courtesy of DWR
Google Book Search
If you haven't heard, Google has a beta search tool that allows you to view samples of books...some of which are out-of-print. I came across this via Hewn & Hammered. Check out some of your favorite topics or titles. For example, Frank Lloyd Wright, Green & Greene or a Palm Springs Weekend.
Image copyright 2006 Google
Prairie Skyscraper Exhibit
Want to start the new year off right? Well, you can by visiting the new exhibit that will be opening at The Chicago Architecture Foundation. Titled Prairie Skyscraper: Frank Lloyd Wright's Price Tower, it will run January 18th through April 29th. As stated on CAF's website:
The exhibit was organized in celebration of the 50th anniversary of this masterpiece by the Price Tower Arts Center in cooperation with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation in Scottsdale, Arizona. “We are thrilled that the Chicago Architecture Foundation will host an exhibit that celebrates this milestone work by Frank Lloyd Wright,” says Lynn Osmond, Chicago Architecture Foundation President and CEO.“The city where the skyscraper was born is also the city of Wright’s early architectural legacy. It is fitting that Chicago should experience the joining of the two through this exhibition.”
If you're able to make it to the opening from on January 18th, there will also be a free lecture given by Wright expert and author, Anthony Alofsin. You can check out all the details and find info on how to RSVP to the opening by following this link. See you there!
Image copyright 2005 Jeff Millies, Hedrich Blessing
Nash Vegas & Highbrow Furniture
Yesterday, I received an alumni magazine from my Alma Mater in good ole Nashville, Tennessee. I then ended up having a dream about being back in school and hanging out at all my old haunts with friends I haven't seen in years. Regrettably, one place that was never on my list is Highbrow Furniture. Oddly enough, I randomly came across their website today while looking for something completely different. Nash Vegas seems to be calling me back, away from my Sweet Home Chicago.
I am ashamed to admit that I've never been to, seen, nor heard of Highbrow Furniture during the 6 years I lived in Tennessee. Especially, since I had a apartment a few blocks away. From what I've read online, this fine retailer specializes in mid-century furniture and is an authorized dealer for Herman Miller. Two handy aspects to their website are the Under $300 list and the Most Popular list.
I hope you enjoy perusing their offerings as much as I did!
Image copyright 2006 Highbrow Furniture
Top 100 Americans
I was wandering around Borders this holiday season, when I picked up the December issue of The Atlantic, whose feature story was the "100 Most Influential Figures in American History." Naturally, I was intrigued to see where some familiar American architects would end up on the list.
• Number 59: Louis H. Sullivan
• Number 76: Frank Lloyd Wright
Not too shabby, though I'm sure there are arguments to be made about where many of the people fell on this list and who was left off entirely. You can view the entire list by following this link--we'd love to know what you think about it!
Image copyright The Atlantic
Edible Sullivan
As a last thought for this 2006 holiday season, we'll leave you with the best gingerbread house we've seen in awhile. Some brave soul took it upon themselves to recreate Louis Sullivan's Pilgrim Baptist Church, which sadly succumbed to fire earlier this year. It's a fitting tribute to this year of Sullivan celebration. If anyone has any other cool PrairieMod inspired gingerbread houses they'd like to share, let us know!
Gingerbread house image copyright 2006 geekgrrl++
It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
The PrairieMod Squad wishes all of our readers Happy Holidays. As a special holiday treat, we thought we'd link up to the Flickr page of photographer Hypno+Raygun. He's taken some pretty sweet photos of Springfield, Illinois' Susan Lawrence Dana House all decked out for Christmas. Enjoy!
Image copyright 2006 Hypno+Raygun
Flashy Cards
Even if time's run out for holiday shopping this year, you can get the jump on next year by picking up one of the coolest products we've come across lately. Forget "A is for Apple" according to Greg Chinn, "B is for Bauhaus" is where it's at. Greg is the designer of Modern Alphabet Flashcards, a Mod way to educate your little ones on everything hip and fresh. For the young or the young at heart, these 26 well-designed, "flashy" cards showcase such alphabetical gems as:
• D is for Dada
• G is for Googie
• U is for Usonian (of course, our favorite)
You can pick up a pack of cards via Paypal at Greg's website, or at one of the retailers listed in his "locations" section. C is for Cool!
Images copyright Greg Chinn
PrairieMod Podcast #8: Listen to the New Format with The PrairieMod Squad
In this edition: A Micro Compact Home, the controversial Massaro/Chahroudi House, Optima's CamelView Village, plus an interview with independent filmmaker Jonathan Kloberdanz regarding his new documentary The Fellowship of Frank Lloyd Wright.
Be sure to tell us your thoughts regarding topics we've discussed in this edition, plus what you think about the new format. Send feedback to mail@prairiemod.com or leave an audio comment at 610-643-3160 (we'll include your written or audio comment in PrairieMod Podcast #9).
Happy Holidays everyone!!!
Image of The Fellowship of Frank Lloyd Wright copyright 2006 BelowZeroDigital.com
Brad Ascalon, Creative Designer
I found out about Brad Ascalon's work via JoshSpear.com and was thrilled to see some refreshing conceptual designs for furniture. Perhaps Useful & Beautiful?
While the Sutra Chaise is sleek and enticing, I was personally drawn to the Tivola Chair & the February Table (see all three respectively below).
Check out all of Brad's designs at www.bradascalon.com.
Images copyright 2006 BradAscalon.com
PrairieMod Podcast: New Format
If you haven't listened to one of our podcasts yet, you'll definitely have to check out the new format we're launching on December 23rd, 2006. The centerpiece of the show will be a "round-table" discussion with members of The PrairieMod Squad talking about all things related to architecture and design, plus phone interviews with some very cool people. Do not miss this!
Don't have an iPod (or lesser mp3 player)? Don't know how to subscribe to a podcast? No worries! All you need to do is click the link that will appear in the posting on December 23rd, which looks like this sample image below....
Once you click the link, the mp3 file will begin playing in your web browser or default audio media player (QuickTime or Windows Media Player). Just make sure you have speakers, built-in or otherwise.
Perfectly PrairieMod Product
We heard about the ceramic work of Diana Fayt from our friends at Design*Sponge and are completely smitten! Diana's beautiful vases, bowls, cups and saucers are exquisitely decorated with natural themes like flowers, bees and birds. The colors and forms are also very organic and soothing. We especially love her "canteen vases" pictured above. Check out her site for more details and on how to order some of these pieces of perfectly PrairieMod pottery!
Images copyright Diana Fayt
How To Save The World: Plan B 2.0
One of the radio shows that I listen to from time to time is on Chicago Public Radio called Worldview. It frequently covers a range of global topics including political, social and environmental. I was able to catch part of today's show where host Jerome McDonnell was speaking to Lester Brown about his plan to save the world.
Now this sounds like a pretty audacious claim, but if you download Mr. Brown's free book, Plan B 2.0, Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble you'll see exactly what Lester's thoughts and ideas are. Some of the topics covered include:
• Using wind power and wind farms to supplement and replace an over dependence on oil
• Meeting Nature's Water Needs
• Farming in the City
• Ecolabeling: Voting With Our Wallets
Plus many more topics of interest. I would suggest if you have a little time over the holiday, download Mr. Brown's book and see how we need to put this Plan into action.
Image copyright Lester Brown
What Modernism Is & Should Be
South Carolina's The State has an interesting article about the Frank Lloyd Wright & The House Beautiful Exhibit that is currently on exhibit at The Columbia Museum of Art. In the article, four architects discuss Wright’s philosophy, personality and impact, and how well the show accomplishes its aim. While I don't completely agree with everything these individuals say, they did have some insights that are certainly worthwhile. I really liked the quote below,which touches on Frank Lloyd Wright's "modern architecture", aka Organic Architecture.
Architect, Tom Savory: “It shows that modernism can be, and what the best modernism is — warm and detailed and inviting. That’s incredibly important in Columbia. People walk out on the street and see buildings that are called ‘modern architecture’ and people say they don’t like them. But they’re not modern architecture”.
Image copyright 2006 Rich Glickstein/rglickstein@thestate.com
Contemporary Art At Auction
Useful & Beautiful: Bungalow Pets
This post is fitting with December's PrairieMod Monday topic, Useful & Beautiful.
A few months back I did a post about The Modern Dog Haus. Now, all of you Arts & Crafts enthusiasts can partake in the fun and purchase a handcrafted "dining station" for your pet (they also have a doggie bed). I found this while perusing the Winter 2006 issue of American Bungalow. If you're a fan of the Motawi tiles, you can also accessorize your pet bowl with a Dard Hunter tile by Motawi.
P.S. - The Prairie Lounge bed is pretty freakin' sweet!
Image copyright 2006 BungalowPet.com
PrairieMod Monday
Frank Lloyd Wright's statement above, made in an October 1954 issue of House Beautiful, is something that I've been reflecting on a lot this past month. In considering the PrairieMod Principle of "Useful and Beautiful," it occurred to me that many people may not be open to the things we talk about, because they are not familiar with what living in a "useful and beautiful" environment means. Our society values flash over substance; and our societal views on beauty are skewed on everything from personal appearance to our food. Is "Useful and Beautiful" a lost value in America?
Jason Steele, Steele Systems Architecture
Jason Steele is a young architect I met in Scottsdale, AZ during the Exploring Progressive Design conference at Taliesin West. He has an online blog/portfolio that is worth checking out. Plus, there are links to videos of his 3D Architectural renderings on YouTube. See the three links below...
Hillside home in Sunnyslope, AZ
The great thing about Jason is that he has an interest in creating well-designed, modern architecture at an affordable price...something for the average American. That is a big challenge, but we will definitely be following the projects of his firm, Steele Systems.
Jason is currently meeting with investors for a modern hillside home designed to be twice as energy efficient as a typical tract home, construction costs of $50/SF, and build time at around 4 months. He's also been in the rezoning phases for a condo project in Tempe, AZ where he's trying to push high efficiency, on-site energy production.
Image copyright 2006 Jason Steele
Save America's Wright Treasures
A little house on Milwaukee's south side was all but ignored a few years ago. But it recently was thrust into the lime light as one of the distinguished places to receive a Save America's Treasures grant for 2006. What makes it so special?
More Dwell on Design Palm Springs Video
PalmSpringsTV.com has video clips from the Dwell on Design event in Palm Springs. It's almost as good as having gone to the actual event. I suggest the video clip of Alan Hess speaking during the Visions of Utopia session. There are also clips of different homes that were on the architectural tours. Check out the great clip of the cocktail party at John Lautner's Elrod House. Enjoy!
Follow this link if you get lost.
Image copyright 2006 WorldNetCast.com
Life's Model Homes
The New York Times published an article today on the topic of the "ready made" designer house. The question posed was: "You can buy an Armani suit off the rack, so why not a Frank Gehry House?"
William Drummond For Sale
We know it seems like PrairieMod suddenly turned into realtor.com, but there's just been a lot of interesting and important Prairie School homes that have started coming on the market. It gives us a chance to talk about some of the amazing architects responsible for them.
We recently were alerted to the Gordon Abbott House in Hinsdale, Illinois being placed on the market. Designed by William E. Drummond in 1912, it is considered by many to be one of his finest residential commissions. Drummond worked for such famous architectural figures as Louis Sullivan, Daniel Burnham and Frank Lloyd Wright before starting his own private practice. His buildings always stand out as quintessentially "Prairie School" whenever you see them. Whomever is lucky enough to move into the Abbott house will surely enjoy it for years to come!
Image copyright PrairieMod
Sullivan Building Restoration
Louis H. Sullivan designed a series of banks across the Midwest in the twilight of his career before his death in 1924. These banks (known affectionately as his "jewel boxes") are an amazing visual delight, overflowing with Sullivan's trademark terra cotta integral ornamentation.
Luckily, the good people of Algona, Iowa have plans to raise the funds necessary to restore and preserve their local "jewel box," the Henry C. Adams building, built in 1913. You can read the article here. In a year marked by Sullivan celebration and tragedy, it's nice to have a little good news to finish 2006 off.
Image copyright algona.org
Changes to Calatrava's "Drill Bit" Skyscraper
This article is from the Chicago Tribune last week. I've had it in the "hopper" and wanted to get it posted before another day went by. The article discusses the latest changes regarding the new proposed skyscraper in Chicago that is slated to break ground in Q2 2007. Here are some juicy excerpts from the article, which seem to show that this great modern architect is thinking "PrairieMod Lifestyle" with his holistic design...
Renowned Spanish architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava, expressed pleasure that the building's simplified top, in which the tower's twisting curves would culminate in metal fins protruding slightly above the roof, no longer resembles the needle-like spires of the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings, New York's two great Art Deco towers.
"We don't want to imitate something before," Calatrava said.
"I am learning from Chicago," Zurich-based Calatrava added, using his ever-present sketch pad in an attempt to show how his tower recalled the simple silhouettes of the John Hancock Center and Sears Tower, the nation's tallest building.
And as he revealed with a model of the skyscraper, Calatrava has been laying out plans for the area around it, including pedestrian connections beneath Lake Shore Drive to the planned DuSable Park to the east. The model includes one of his signature cable-supported bridges, which would form a link in the lakefront bike path and swing open to allow boats to pass.
"This is a more holistic vision," Calatrava said.
Below is an image from 2005, which demonstrates an earlier concept for the tower.
Images and text copyright 2006 Chicago Tribune
PrairieMod Monday
I’ve recently realized that one of the most difficult “useful and beautiful” things that you can try and shop for is a fireplace screen. I’ve found myself in this situation due to the fact that I’ve been in the ongoing process of renovating my living room/dining area. It’s all coming together rather nicely and I’ve taken great pains to make sure that I’ve paid attention to principles as I’ve been working through its design and execution. Unfortunately, finding useful and beautiful together in the objects that finish a room off can be difficult. Which brings me to my screen situation.
Mahony Up For Sale
We heard through the grapevine that the Marion Mahony designed 4 Millikin Place in Decatur, IL has recently been put on the market. Designed originally for Adolph Mueller as part of the Millikin Place complex, this house has been recently restored and is in immaculate shape (the PrairieMod Squad recently toured the home this last summer and we can attest to its beauty!) Check out the on line listing here and see why Marion Mahony was a Prairie School architectural force in her own right!
Image copyright 2006 PrairieMod
Brad and Angelina at Fallingwater
You know Frank Lloyd Wright is cool when the world's most famous couple celebrate Brad's birthday with a guided tour and a private celebration at Fallingwater. Brad/Angelina, let us know when your coming to Oak Park and we'll make sure to show you the sites!
Image copyright 2006 Cara Armstrong/People.aol.com
Shopping Fitzsu
We saw a cool line of very mod products when we were in Palm Springs at the Dwell on Design Conference. Fitzsu Society has 2 stores (one in LA and one in Pasadena) and a pretty extensive website showcasing all their hip products. So who or what is Fitzsu Society?
Mid-Century Modern in Scottsdale
A good friend from Scottsdale sent me an article about Mid-Century homes and their popularity in the greater Phoenix area. The article mentions Joseph Eichler and Frank Lloyd Wright. If you like homes that are unique in character and were influenced by a true design master, you'll enjoy this easy read.
Image copyright 2006 Suzanne Starr/The Arizona Republic
This "Happiness" Leads to Confusion
I recently finished reading a book whose title really caught my attention. The Architecture of Happiness by Alain de Botton appeared at first to be a nice summation of many ideological points that the PrairieMod lifestyle is based around. However, after reading it, something left me feeling a little less than happy.
This Old {New} House
Found a very cool This Old House magazine online article via HewnAndHammered.com.
A 1400 sq. ft. bungalow in Asheville, NC won the 2006 Griffin Award for preservation. The weird thing is that it's a completely new structure! The home was built by The EcoBuilders, who are a "green building" general contractor. They use classic designs and motifs to create their very modern structures. I have to say that after a quick glance, EcoBuilders a very intriguing portfolio that is a contrast to many modern "eco-homes" we see in the pages of Dwell.
It also looks like they've utilized the time-tested principle of "Bringing the Outside In". Cheers to the PrairieMod Lifestyle in North Carolina!
Image copyright 2006 Deborah Whitlaw-Llewellyn
Richard Nickel's Chicago
If your still searching for that perfect holiday gift for the architecture buff on your list, then might I suggest the new book, Richard Nickel's Chicago. As described on the Prairie Avenue Bookshop site:
"Nickel is remembered for his brave and lonely stand to protect Chicago's significant buildings, and for his dramatic death in the rubble of the Stock Exchange Building. With this book, he will also be remembered for his photography. Erik Larson, the author of DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY, says 'Nickel's photographs must be seen by all, not so much to bemoan lost things, but to prevent such crimes against cityscape from ever occurring again.'"
Richard was instrumental in raising awareness to the plight of Chicago's wanton destruction of its architectural heritage in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Take some time to learn more about this remarkable man and this remarkable book, his story and art will continue to inspire for generations to come.
Image courtesy of pabook.com
Celebrate The Holidays Wright
There's still time to order tickets for this Saturday's Celebrate the Holiday's Wright at the One of a Kind Show and Sale Chicago from 5 to 7pm at the Merchandise Mart. This event promises to be a fun-filled evening with cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and surprise gifts. You can treat yourself or a friend to one-of-a-kind gift boxes, decorated in styles inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's designs. Every box holds a special surprise—trips, dinners, event tickets, jewelry, or possibly art. Surprise gift boxes are $15 for one or $25 for two and benefit the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust (which oversees the Oak Park Home & Studio and Robie House.) Take advantage of a special Wright Package: BUY 4 ADVANCE TICKETS and receive 2 FREE gift boxes. For tickets, call 708.848.3440 or visit www.wrightplus.org. See you there!
PrairieMod Monday
The topic of this month’s PrairieMod Monday columns will focus on the Principle of “Useful and Beautiful.” Often, finding these two concepts paired together in the objects we live with, the homes we live in, and the places we visit is sporadic at best. Yet, in an increasingly busy and troubled world, the ability to infuse as many of the everyday objects and experiences we have with beauty has become a profound necessity. But doesn’t the old saying go “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder?” Does this automatically mean that such a generally accepted concept as relative as “beauty” will defy ever having any concreteness applied to it?
PrairieMod Podcast #7: Dwell on Design Palm Springs, Day 3
Day 3's podcast is a brief rundown of the architectural tours that we're offered as part of the Dwell on Design event. One of the sites we saw was the Kaufmann House (not Fallingwater), which is pictured in the photo above.
PrairieMod Podcast #6: Dwell on Design Palm Springs, Day 2
Dwell on Design Palm Springs, Day 2 - Your daily recap...enhanced with audio clips from interviews with author Alan Hess, legendary architectural photographer Julius Shulman and Editor-in-Chief of Dwell Magazine Sam Grawe.
Also, be sure to check out Day 1's podcast recap.
Elrod House Photo courtesy of dwell.com
PrairieMod Podcast #5: Dwell on Design Palm Springs, Day 1
If you've never listened to a podcast before, join the revolution and click the link below to hear a rundown of Day 1 at Dwell Magazine's Dwell on Design Conference in Palm Springs, California. Enjoy!
Pilgrim Baptist Church Donation
It was recently reported that a man wrongly jailed for a crime he didn't commit is donating some of the money he won in settlement with the city of Chicago towards the reconstruction of the Louis Sullivan designed Pilgrim Baptist Church. The Chicago church sadly burned earlier this year, but with donations such as the one donated by LaFonso Rollins, it is hoped the Sullivan beauty can rise from the ashes.
Photo courtesy of HABS
Winter's Here
As you can see, Old Man Winter is doing his best to try and keep the PrairieMod Squad from heading to Palm Springs for the Dwell On Design Conference, but we're bound and determined to get there! We're keeping our fingers crossed that our flight isn't canceled and that we don't get in too late that we miss tonight's activities. Either way, we'll be podcasting what we see and experience when we get there. Stay tuned and wish us luck!
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