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Blair Kamin reports that Chicago firm Johnson & Lee will reveal their plans Saturday April 2, 2011 to rebuild Adler & Sullivan's Pilgrim Baptist Church, which was destroyed in 2006 by fire. What is still unknown is how much money is available for the project. Read more here.
Image via chicagotribune.com
After reading and enjoying Randolph C. Henning's historic Taliesin postcards book, it reminded me that I had a historic image of Frank Lloyd Wright's Wisconsin estate.
So, after digging around in boxes for a bit, I rediscovered the photo. It was taken by Charles L. Manson of Wausau, WI, who commissioned a Usonian house from Wright in 1938. It shows a beautiful valley view and in the center, you can just make out Wright's Romeo & Juliet windmill (1896). The photo also had a great letter with it, signed by Eugene Masselink. Enjoy!
Images copyright PrairieMod
PrairieMod reader, John C. sent word yesterday that Harvey Glanzer, former owner of the Malcolm Willey house in Minneapolis, MN and current owner of the A.D. German warehouse in Richland Center, WI, passed away March 13, 2011 at the age of 94. You can read a brief notice here.
Image copyright John Clouse
2011 is an important milestone year for Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright's home in Spring Green, Wisconsin: The 100th anniversary of the home's creation. In the century that has passed, the "Shining Brow" has seen its share of triumphs, tragedies and transformations. Even though there have been many books written about Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin over the years, there is still so much we don't know about what is arguably the Architect's most personal creation. Luckily, Randolph C. Henning has released a new book that helps dispel some of the fog surrounding the iconic building through an unlikely medium: historic postcards. Read more after the jump...
Continue reading "Book Review: Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin, Illustrated By Vintage Postcards" »
Design*Sponge recently featured the subtle and elegantly earthy pillow designs of Plume Textiles (from Chicago!) If you're looking to add some soft textures and natural colored accents to your PrairieMod Pad, then definitely check out the pillows at the Plume Textiles etsy.com shop here.
Image via Plume Textiles
Author, radio personality and Pixar film voice actor, Sarah Vowell, will be at Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple on April 6, 2011 from 7-9:30 pm discussing and signing her book, Unfamiliar Fishes. The event is FREE! More details here.
Image via publicbroadcasting.net
Edward Lifson's Hello Beautiful! blog reveals the identity of the next Lego Architecture series set: The Farnsworth House in Plano, IL. Containing 546 pieces and a book on Mies, the set will be release this April and will grace the shelves and desks of architecture geeks everywhere! Details here and here.
Images via Hello Beautiful!
As Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel gets ready to take the reigns of running the city of Chicago from Mayor Daley, it looks like his first great historic preservation issue could involve Bertram Goldberg's old Prentice Women's Hospital. Northwestern University wants to tear down the Mod building and replace it with a new medical research building. Obviously, anyone who appreciates Modern architecture does not want that to happen. Read more about this looming preservation showdown at Blair Kamin's Cityscapes blog.
Image via Cityscapes blog
Mark Hertzberg sent us word that Osborne Scekic House in Racine, WI has received a 2011 Housing Award from the American Institute of Architects. It was only one of 6 projects in the nation to receive the award in the One/Two Family Custom Housing category. Here's a link to the AIA's press release to read more about it.
Photo copyright Mark Hertzberg
The Society of Architectural Historians: Southern California Chapter is offering a bevvy of exciting architectural events in April and May, including what will be a fantastic tour of the Greene & Greene-designed Lucy Wheeler House. Get all the details and tickets here.
Image via sahscc.org
The John E. Christian Family Memorial Trust, Inc. has reprinted the book, Frank Lloyd Wright’s SAMARA: Winged Seeds of Indiana, by Wallace J. Rogers, PhD. The publication is made possible through a generous grant from North Central Health Services (NCHS) and the support of the Tippecanoe Arts Federation. The book details the story of the Christians and their journey to a Wright designed home as well as details about Wright’s designs and history. The books are available at the Christian House, 1301 Woodland Avenue, West Lafayette, IN and the Friends of the West Lafayette Public Library, 208 W. Columbia Street, West Lafayette, IN. The price is $20.00. Visit the SAMARA website for more details.
Image via samara-house.org
The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Dana House in Springfield, IL is preparing for a $2.5 million major rehabilitation project set to begin next month. Read more about it here.
Image via sj-r.com
The Park Ridge Historical Society presents a program on historic preservation at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 10, when guest speaker Ward Miller lectures on a Preservation Snapshot: the Legacy of Richard Nickel and The Complete Architecture of Adler and Sullivan. This program takes place in the Great Room of the Park Ridge Nonprofit Center, 720 Garden Street and is FREE. More details after the jump...
Marty Hackl sends word and a link to an exciting series of events, sponsored by the Barrington Area Historical Society, all about the life and work of Prairie School architect, John Van Bergen. Check out the events details here.
Image via martyhackl.net
PrairieMod readers are generous folks! Since announcing the effort to raise the funds needed to acquire the album of 50 rare photos featuring the Hillside Home School in Spring Green, Wisconsin, about half the money has been raised. But we're not there yet! We still need more donations to put us over the top and secure this important architectural artifact.
In addition to the sense of satisfaction in helping the cause, a special secret limited edition "thank you" gift from PrairieMod will be sent to every pledger (a tantalizing sneak peek is shown at left...)
Each item will be numbered and signed to commemorate the pledge effort. Be apart of an important effort (and enjoy the swag, too!)
Get all the details and how to pledge here.
Image via PrairieMod
Speaking of this year's Wright & Like tour, if you want a sneak peek at the John Randal McDonald house that is on the tour, read and see more here. Thanks to Paul R. for the link.
Image via jsonline.com/Mark Hoffman
Wright in Wisconsin's annual "Wright & Like" house tour is one of my favorite events of the year. The event takes place June 10-12, 2011 in Milwaukee, and the list of homes on the tour this year looks to be a great one! Read more after the jump...
The set of rare Taliesin photos recently acquired by the Wisconsin Historical Society have all be hi-resolution scanned and are now available online for you to browse. You can even order a copy of your favorite image for your own collection! See them here.
Image via Wisconsin Historical Society
Frank Lloyd Wright client, Margaret Kinney, passed away Thursday, March 24, 2011 at the age of 92. She and Patrick Kinney hired Wright (a distant relative of Mrs. Kinney) to design them a diamond-module Usonian home in Wisconsin (which you can learn more about in this downloadable PDF article). Read about Margaret's fascinating life here. Thanks to Jack H. for the link.
Image via madison.com
Wright in Racine's Mark Hertzberg offers up a review of the new book, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin - Illustrated by Vintage Postcards by Randolph C. Henning. Read the review here and order the book here.
Image via taliesinpreservation.org
Scott T. sends a link to a James Howard Fox-designed home for sale in Highlands, NC. Check it out here.
Image via realtor.com
It's been two weeks since the devastating earthquake and tsunami hit Japan. The news has been mostly grim, with much loss of life and property (not to mention the nuclear crises they are still grappling with).
We did receive some good news from PrairieMod reader Tom K. for anyone interested in Wright's Japanese architecture. Read more after the jump...
Here's a link to an interesting article by Ron McCrea reviewing Randolph C. Henning's new book of historic images of Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin and also covering the recent acquisition of rare Taliesin photos by the Wisconsin Historical Society. Read it here.
Image via taliesinpreservation.org
If you're in Chicago and love collecting history, then don't miss the World's Fair Memorabilia Show this Sunday March 27, 2011 in Elk Grove Village. Details here.
Image via worldsfairshow.com
Here's a link to an interview on Curbed.com with the owners of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Turkel House, a Usonian Automatic in Detroit, MI. If only every historic home had such amazing owners! Read it here.
Image via curbed.com
The effort to raise $10 million to finish restoring the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed D.D. Martin House in Buffalo, NY is receiving a double boost—thanks to grants from a local bank and matching funds from the county. Read about it here and here.
Image via buffalonews.com
Speaking of Blair Kamin (whose lecture at Unity Temple last night was fantastic, BTW)—he has also provided an update to the situation surrounding the controversial glass high-rise tower planned for Oak Park. Seems like the devloper has gotten an extension through December of 2011 to file building permits for the tower, but is having trouble finding financing for the hotel portion of the project. Read more here.
Image via Cityscapes
No, it's not a Nancy Drew book title--instead, Blair Kamin's Cityscapes blog reports on the recent discovery of drawings of an exterior clock design for Louis Sullivan's iconic Carson Pirie Scott & Co. store on State Street in Chicago. Ward Miller, co-author of a new book, The Complete Architecture of Adler and Sullivan, made the discovery and shared his find with Blair. Read and see more here.
Image via Cityscapes
The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy's "Out And About Wright" event on Saturday, April 9, 2011 will give the lucky participants the opportunity to visit five Wright-designed private residences in Northeast Ohio. If you love Usonian architecture, you do not want to miss this! Get all the details for this Midwest Modern event and find out how to reserve your spot here.
Image via FLWBC website
The Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust will begin offering FREE 30 minute tours of the Frank Lloyd Wright re-designed lobby of the Rookery Building at 12 noon on Friday April 1, 2011. Details and more information here. You can also learn more about the FLWPT's new office and organization expansion to the Rookery in their Wright Angles newsletter online here.
Image via GoWright.org
Tour guides for the Wright-designed Stockman House in Mason City, IA are gearing-up for a brand new year and a brand new architectural interpretive center. Here's a link to an article discussing the training of 50 volunteers for the upcoming tour season that will include starting at the Walter Burley Griffin-inspired interpretive center as part of the new routine. Thanks to PrairieMod reader Kevin B. for sending a flurry of links for us to post about!
Image via globegazette.com
The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, in partnership with Taliesin Preservation, Inc., is co-hosting a reception on April 28, 2011 at the Milwaukee Art Museum as part of the centennial celebration of Taliesin. The reception will feature a keynote address by Robert Campbell, a Pulitzer Prize winning architecture critic from The Boston Globe. More details after the jump...
Continue reading "Reception Celebrating Taliesin’s 100th Anniversary" »
We're still early into Spring, but the warmth and flowers of May are just around the corner--and so is The Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust's annual Wright Plus Housewalk. Don't miss this amazing chance to see inside some of the most famous Prairie School homes in the world (including the incomparable Heurtley House!) Details and tickets here.
Image via GoWright.org
Oak Park, IL officials recently announced their interest in expanding the boundaries of the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District in their bucolic village in order to preserve the historic and architectural character the town is known for. However, they'll need to overcome the most formidable obstacle to achieving this desire: Skeptical and regulation-weary Oak Parkers. Read more about it here.
Image via triblocal.com
Chicago Tribune architecture critic, Blair Kamin will be speaking tonight at Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple as part of Unity Temple Restoration Foundation's 2011 Break::the::Box series. Get details and tickets here and see you there!
Image via UTRF
Our friends at Fair Oak Workshops sent us word of a very special way to support the relief effort for the people of Japan hit by the recent devestating earthquake and tsunami. Yoshiko Yamamoto of the Arts & Crafts Press is offering a very special block print to raise funds for the relief effort. Read more after the jump...
Continue reading "Japan Relief Effort Block Print By Yoshiko Yamamoto" »
A series of events have been planned in mid-April celebrating the 85th year of the Neutra architectural practice in Los Angeles, called "The Neutra Practice At 85." The highlight will definitely be a tour of 10 buildings and their interiors, including the Neutra Health House. Details and sign-up here.
Image via neutra.org
Here's a link to an article about Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice, Arnold Roy, and his experiences working with Frank Lloyd Wright. Read it here.
Image via azcentral.com
Mary Louise Schumacher of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel recently had the opportunity to experience Frank Lloyd Wright's Bernard Schwartz House in Two Rivers, Wisconsin. Read about her experience here and plan to rent this amazing house for yourself! Details here.
Image via Mary Louise Schumacher
March 20 is the first day of spring - hurrah! Bankrate suggests these seven affordable ways to welcome sunshine and warmth into your home.
Scott T. sent a link to a 1967 home for sale designed by Dale Holland, a student of E. Fay Jones. Check out details a few more photos here.
Image via 1255wlakeridge.com
Thanks to PrairieMod reader Paul R. who sent a link to an upcoming lecture by Anna Vemer Andrzejewski titled "Midwestern Modernism: 'Wrightification' and Domestic Architecture in Madison, Wisconsin, 1930-1970" at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee 4:30pm, Friday, April 22, 2011. To read more about it and get details on where it will be at, follow the link.
Image via uwm.edu
The Price Tower Arts Center in Bartlesville, OK is hosting a weekend of events to celebrate its inclusion on the United States World Heritage Tentative List. The nominations of historic natural and cultural properties by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will be considered for World Heritage Site status. The current listing includes over 900 properties that are considered the planet’s greatest treasures. The World Heritage Weekend in Bartlesville is set for April 15th and 16th. Read more after the jump...
Continue reading "Price Tower Hosting World Heritage Weekend" »
Oak Park, IL is proud of its historic architecture. However, even the leafy suburb of Chicago has had to deal with tear down threats and McMansion invasions. To help protect the historic fabric of the village, there's a proposal to expand the Frank Lloyd Wright-Prairie School of Architecture Historic District's local boundaries. Read more about it here.
Image via pioneerlocal.com
Recently, a cache of rare Taliesin photos were acquired prior to their dispersal on eBay by a cadre of Frank Lloyd Wright preservationists and organizations. One of these organizations was the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, who recently sent me a press release detailing the story and some new scans of a few the photos for PrairieMod readers to enjoy. Working with other preservation-minded individuals and groups to save Frank Lloyd Wright's legacy for all of us is what the FLWBC does best. Read how they helped do their part to save these fantastic photos after the jump...
Kate Watson-Smyth provides a glimpse into the back story of Charles & Ray Eames' colorful "Hang It All" coat hanger. I love this playful Mod design solution for holding coats--might have to get a couple for the updated Little Red House entryway. Read more here.
Image via independent.co.uk
Curbed.com offers up an architectural history lesson in the wake of the devastating earthquake that recently ravaged Japan. When the island nation was hit by another great quake in 1923, Frank Lloyd Wright's unconventional Imperial Hotel foundation design helped it survive the disaster, while the majority of Tokyo's other buildings were destroyed. Read more about what can be learned from Wright's creative solution to a shaky site here.
Image via curbed.com
Florida Southern College’s honorary chancellor for its 2011 Founders Day Convocation will be H. Fisk Johnson, chairman and chief executive officer of SC Johnson: A Family Company. As CEO of a company whose iconic headquarters in Racine, WI was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, Johnson should feel "Wright" at home among the architect's designs at Florida Southern College in Lakeland. Read a bit more here.
Image via Wikipedia
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