PrairieMod

Nutrition Labels For Homes

JetsonGreen.com reports on a recent white paper released by Michelle Kaufmann Companies titled "Nutrition Labels for Homes: A Way for Homebuyers to Make More Ecological, Economical Decisions" that calls for the equivalent of a nutrition label for homes measuring their environmental performance. Read more about it here.

Images via Jetson Green

Shulman's Palm Springs Modern

A new exhibit at the Heinz Architectural Center at the Carnegie Museum of Art titled "Palm Springs Modern: Photographs by Julius Shulman" will feature almost 100 original photographs of the city's Mid-century architecture, along with dozens of original drawings, including renderings of the famed Kaufmann House designed by architect Richard Neutra. Read more about it here.

Image copyright Julius Shulman/via Heinz Architectural Center website

Show Mies The Money

Apparently, stimulus money promised for upgrading and "greening" buildings is slow in coming—even for the building that served as President-elect Obama's transition office in downtown Chicago, The Mies van der Rohe-designed John C. Kluczynski Federal Building. Read more about it here.

These Great Posters Are Just In Time

What happens when you mix visions of the future with the sensibilities of WPA-era design? These phenomenal posters by Amy Martin. Commissioned by 826LA (a non-profit and very creative education organization) they are the second release in their Federation for the Advancement of Time poster series. See them and order them here.

Image copyright Amy Martin/via 826LA

Wright At "Indian Rock"

Here's some interesting background info on the site that Frank Lloyd Wright (and son Lloyd) were commissioned to design the Huntington Hartford Play Resort for. Read it here.

Image via mediaarchitecture.com

Wright/Right Rehash

Sometimes I wonder if Frank Lloyd Wright's last name hadn't been a homophone for "Right," would armies of journalists keep posing the question of whether or not he was. Here's another example at the Oregon Daily Journal of Commerce.

Image via Wikipedia

Metropolis On Meyer May

We had the privilege of meeting Metropolis Magazine's Mason Currey at the Meyer May House Centennial Symposium hosted by Steelcase a few weeks back. Here's his take on that very cool event over at Metropolis' blog.

Image via Metropolis P/O/V blog

RedBlackBrown And Cool All Over

Stumbled across a cool website called redblackbrown that posted on an equally cool Usonian-esque house design by Tician Papachristou. Check them both out here.

Image copyright redblackbrown.com

Wright's Florida Southern College In Depth

Here's a link to a really in depth article about Frank Lloyd Wright's Florida Southern College, chock full of photos. See it here.

Image via the New York Social Diary

Fall For These Plates

Looking for the right dinnerware to serve on for a Fall Festival? How about these ultra eco-friendly plates by VerTerra made from fallen leaves pressed into an elegant shape using only heat and water. See more here.

Image copyright VerTerra

Papier-Mache Floral Brooches

Craftzine has a great tutorial by Cathy Callahan on how to make Papier-Mache Floral Brooches. Check it out here.

Image copyright Cathy Callahan

Prairie School Mystery

A recent and brief article in the South Bend Tribune discusses the joy of living in a 1917 Prairie School home designed by "a man who studied under Frank Lloyd Wright." A quick look at the very helpful website The Prairie School Traveler to find out who did it yielded no answer. Does anyone know the architect?

Image copyright Becky Emmons

A Little Bit Of Oak Park In Arizona

If you can't go to Oak Park, then bring Oak Park to you! The Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust, stewards of the Oak Park Wright Home and Studio (and Robie House) are offering one of their Froebel Block workshops at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel—the first time outside of the OP. Read all about it here.

Image via Wikipedia

Fold & Stow Kitchen

If you "Live Small," this kitchen might interest you. Piero Esposito of Targa Italia has designed an elegant fold-away kitchen that can condense down to what looks like a fine wood box. Check it out here.

Image via Treehugger.com

Re-Developing Bell Laboratories

The iconic Eero Saarinen-designed Bell Laboratories in New Jersey—once in danger of being demolished—is now having "new urbanism" style re-development planned for it. Read about the proposal here.

Image via Wikipedia

Go Greene!

Design Within Reach is now offering two new officially licensed Frank Lloyd Wright-designed pieces of furniture. Made by Copeland Furniture, the Greene House (Aurora, IL 1912) sofa and recliner are welcome additions to the collection of Wright-related Prairie School pieces already available. See more here.

Image via DWR

2009 Landmarks Illinois Watch List

Nine endangered structures made it on the 2009 Landmarks Illinois' Chicagoland watch list. Included in the list are a whopping 3 Frank Lloyd Wright structures and the modernist home from Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Read more about the list here and see the list here and find out how you can help save these important structures.

Image via Blair Kamin's blog Cityscapes

Biodegradable, Plastic Tin Can Lids

Dezeen, a design magazine, has a sweet post about Jack Bresnahan and his series of biodegradable, plastic lids. Check it out here.

Image copyright Jack Bresnahan

Wanna be Obama's Next Door Neighbor?

5040 South Greenwood Avenue, next door to the Hyde Park residence of President Obama and his family, hit the market over the weekend. Potential buyers will be thoroughly screened and the current owner will only sell to a Republican "if push comes to shove."

Image copyright Sally Ryan for The New York Times

Zuny Hippo

How cute is this little hippo from CB2.

Image copyright CB2

Boathouse Gets A Boost

The newest addition to Buffalo, NY collection of Frank Lloyd Wright-designed buildings, the (Yahara) Boathouse, is getting some state funds to help in covering the costs of construction. Read about it here.

Image via wrightsboathouse.org

Drink Beer, Save The World

PrairieMod readers Donna O. and Jen B. both sent me a link to an article about the Morton Arboretum testing out a new eco-friendly paving material made from recycled beer bottles and other glass. Called "FilterPave", it is about 40 percent porous, so it can trap pollutants that would normally be swept away into drains and streams. Read all about it here.

Junktion

One person's trash is another's treasure, right? This is especially true to the Israeli group called junktion. Formed in 2008, they take throw away items and transform them into unconventional (and often very clever) useful products. Seeing this wood pallet shoe rack made me smile and want to make my own version. See more here.

Image copyright junktion

Fin Finds

MocoLoco reports on the "lighter" side of the recent Habitare Fair, which showcases the latest designs from Finland and abroad. I'm especially taken with the understated elegance of the "Casa" lamp designs by Olga Sjoroos. See more here.

Image via MocoLoco

A Look At Samara

Here's an article from cincinnati.com that looks at a rarity: A Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house still occupied by its original owner. The John E. Christian House (known as "Samara" in West Lafayette, IN) is a treasure to behold and one that you can visit at special times and request. Read more about it here.

Image via cincinnati.com/provided by Samara

Heath Bazaar

Heath Ceramics (along with some of their local artisan friends) will be hosting their first annual Heath Bazaar on Sunday, September 27. One-of-a-kind samples, prototypes, seconds and overstock will all be for sale — all at a discount. Visit their website to find out the details.

Image copyright Heath Ceramics

Floral Inspirations

Floral centerpieces can bring life to any occasion. I'm always looking for new and different ways to display flowers. Check out The Flower Bar's website to see some truly inspirational floral designs.

Image copyright The Flower Bar

Bouquet Wall Art by Alexander Girard

I love this screen print of the Alexander Girard Bouquet available exclusively through Urban Outfitters. Check out the other Girard products available here.

Image copyright Urban Outfitters

Most Popular: Week of 9/7/09

In case you missed them, these were our reader's favorite posts from the week of 9/7/09:

1. Does The Walk Match The Talk?
2. McDonald's Church Gets Super-Sized
3. Crushing On Cork
4. Herb Greene & John Hurtig
5. Meyer May House At 100 Symposium: Day One

Free Hand Written Fonts

Here's some great free handwritten fonts you can download from Tripwire Magazine.

Image copyright Tripwire Magazine. Via How about orange...

Illustrations by Zara Picken

Check out the beautiful work by illustrator Zara Pickens.

On her site she describes her work:
I am influenced by mid-century modern design and have a passion for old paper-based ephemera. I also find inspiration in vast collections, large cities and obscure music.

Image copyright Zara Picken. Via Drawn!

Vote For One Good Chair

The three finalists for the "One Good Chair 2009" competition have been unveiled and you can vote online for your favorite to win. Check out the story behind these designs and pick a seat here.

Image via Treehugger.com

Guggenheim "Cells" Out

Did you catch the new Sprint commercial during Sunday Night Football yesterday featuring CEO Dan Hesse in a certain spiraled NYC landmark? If not, see it here. Have we reached Guggenheim critical mass?

Image via YouTube

John Randal McDonald Reunion

More than 40 admirers and owners of John Randal McDonald homes recently got together to celebrate the memory of the man and his Organic Architecture. Read about it here.

Image copyright Mark Hertzberg

Fall 2009 Wright Lecture Series

PrairieMod reader Scott T. gave me the heads-up on some great Organic Architecture-related lectures coming up this Fall at Monona Terrace in Madison, WI. Read more after the jump...

Restoring Wright In Iowa

Wright on the Park, Inc. and Design Ranch are bringing the story of one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s major designs to Iowa City and it looks like it will be a really exciting event! Read more details after the jump...

Happy Birthday Herb Greene

Today is the 80th birthday of Organic Architect Herb Greene. Find out more about his life and work by following the link. Thanks to Nelson Brackin, President of the Friends of Kebyar for letting us know.

Image via herbgreene.org

Frank Lloyd Wright And The Three Golden Ages

ArchiTech Gallery in Chicago has put together what looks like a really exciting exhibition of original Frank Lloyd Wright drawings, photographs, blueprints and more. More after the jump...

Google The Sun

According to this recent Treehugger.com article, search engine giant, Google, is jumping into the renewable energy pool by attempting to develop a significantly lower-cost solar energy technology. Could solar-derived electricity soon be affordable for regular people? Read more here.

What You Can Do With Bamboo

Bamboo is a pretty amazing plant. Strong, fast growing, anti-bacterial, beautiful—it's truly a wonder material. Check out how Finnish company, Magaru, is using bamboo to make some pretty interesting (and Organic looking) modular furniture and shelving designs. See it here.

Image copyright Magaru/via MocoLoco

Out Of The Shadows: Organic Furniture Design

I stumbled across this 2007 Interior Design Magazine article online about Larry Weinberg and Andy Lin's collection of Organic designed furniture and they lengths they went to find it. Read about it here.

Image copyright Eric Laignel

Was Wright Right?

This article from Arrol Gellner of mysanantonio.com explores some of the same topics that were similarly discussed at the Meyer May Symposium we just attended. Mainly: How do the ideas and work of Frank Lloyd Wright's stand up to the test of time? Read more here.

Image via Wikipedia

A Look At The Brown House

Here's a great little mini-documentary about the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Eric Brown House in Kalamazoo, MI and how it came to be. Watch it here.

Image via veoh.com

What's Outside YOUR Window?

If it's not what you'd like, try Melissa Borrell's "Fantasy Shades." Living in a cramped city studio apartment and longing for something greener? Try "Cherry Blossom" or "Tree Branches" to bring a little nature into your space. Living in the 'burbs but wishing you were in the heart of New York or San Francisco? Melissa has you covered there, too. Shades can be purchased on lineat Supermarket or she can create a custom shade just for you.

Bruce Goff: A Creative Mind

We received some updated news about the forthcoming Bruce Goff exhibit titled "Bruce Goff: A Creative Mind". Read more after the jump... 

Meyer May House At 100 Symposium: Day Two

The PrairieMod Squad is back in Chicago after a day chock full of amazing experiences at the Meyer May House Centennial Symposium, hosted by Steelcase. As part of the event, we enjoyed listening to riveting dialogue between panelists and watching some great short films about Wright and his legacy. We also learned something new about our hosts and the innovations that they are involved in. Learn more after the jump...

Herb Greene & John Hurtig

PrairieMod reader Karlitos sent us a link to some great info about Herb Greene (Bruce Goff student and former employee of John Lautner), his Prairie House and the influence and inspiration of John Hurtig's work on the design.

If you love progressive organic architectural design, you won't want to miss this info with images!

Image by Julius Shulman

Does The Walk Match The Talk?

Have you watched this You Tube video that was posted about a few days ago called "The Way We Live"? It was made by a group called Studio 1032 and has some very relevant and insightful things to say about the state of American architecture and its impact on our lives. However, after I searched for Studio 1032's website, I was a little surprised to find several architectural designs for...Prairie McMansions? It begs the question: does the walk match the talk? Tell me what you think in the comments section below.

Image copyright Studio 1032

Meyer May House At 100 Symposium: Day One

Greetings from Grand Rapids, Michigan! The PrairieMod Squad is here covering the Meyer May House Centennial events hosted by the Steelcase Company (the remarkable stewards of the Prairie School masterpiece.) We had a great first day and thought we'd share some of the things we saw. More after the jump...

Photos from our LA & Palm Springs Shoot

For the past week, Lisa & I have been in SoCal shooting photos for upcoming FanGuide™ Tour & Audio Companion iPhone applications. While we were gone, Eric, Jared & Martrese have been holding down the fort with some amazing posts. We thought it might be nice to post some of the raw images we captured during our trip (Neutra's famed Lovell House in LA-at left).

Enjoy more images after the jump...