PrairieMod

See Blossom And McArthur Houses

The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy is hosting a special event on May 11, 2013 in which people will be able to tour the George Blossom House (1892) and the Warren McArthur House (1892), both early designs by Frank Lloyd Wright. Don't miss this opportunity to see these Wright "bootleg" designs--get more info here.

Images via FLWBC

Mies-ed It By That Much

As the rivers in the Chicagoland area spilled over their banks this last week, Modern Architecture lovers waited with angst to see whether or not Mies van der Rohe's steel and glass masterpiece, the Farnsworth House (1951) in Plano, IL would succumb to flooding once again. According to the house's website and Lee Bey's blog, it seems like the stilted home's interior may have dodged a bullet this time. I won't rest too easy until all that water goes down. More here.

Image via miesglasshouse.wordpress.com

Vintage Wright And Vintage Wheels

Here's a link to an article about a vintage photo of a vintage Cadillac in front of a vintage Frank Lloyd Wright home. Read more here.

Image via wheels.blogs.nytimes.com

Bach House Buzz Building

There's exciting buzz building about Frank Lloyd Wright's Emil Bach House in Chicago. This little late Prairie gem is undergoing an extensive restoration by Tawani Enterprises, a firm owned by Chicago philanthropist and businessman, Col. JN Pritzker (IL-Retired). The house was commissioned in 1914 by Emil Bach, an early admirer of Wright’s work. The project is scheduled for completion in July, 2013 and will be open for overnight guests and exclusive private events. Check out the restoration progress as it's being documented on the Emil Bach House website here.

Image via blog.emilbachhouse.com

Earth Day Everyday: Live More With Less

Today is Earth Day where you are bombarded with messages and products that are "sustainable." Instead of phoning it in one day a year, try to make even a little difference every day. If everyone tried even a little bit harder to "Live More with Less" we'd all reap the benefits.

Image via earthday.org

Special Events For Marin County Civic Center 50th

As part of the year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Frank Lloyd Wright Marin Civic Center, there are several special events hosted by the Frank Lloyd Wright Civic Center Conservancy to look forward to. Get more details here.

Image via marincounty.org

Stunning Stricker-Designed House For Sale

An absolutely stunning home designed by Taliesin-trained architect Milton Stricker recently hit the market in Kent, Washington for $650,000. Check out the listing with lots of photos here.

Image via estately.com

Wright's Spencer House For Sale

The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Dudley Spencer House (1956) in Wilmington, Delaware is on the market for $1.35 million. See lots of pics and the listing information here.

Image via pattersonschwartz.com

Tyler, TX Goff Building Destroyed

Here's a link to a video showing the destruction of the Bruce Goff-designed Ben Fitzgerald real estate building in Tyler, TX. If you have to look for a silver lining, the grandson of the original client was able to convince the demolition crew to save the tall sign that is supposedly to have been designed by Goff. Read and see more here.

Image via tylerpaper.com

Chicagoland Floods

The Chicagoland area received some pretty heavy rains the last two days which is causing some major flooding. Of concern to architecture lovers is that several important Prairie School homes, including several by Frank Lloyd Wright, are very near the Des Plaines River. Read more here.

Image via oakpark.com

Drawing The Future

Here's a link to an article about the new exhibit “Drawing the Future: Chicago Architecture on the International Stage, 1900-1925" at the Block Museum at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. A portion of the exhibit examines the work of Walter Burley and Marion Mahony Griffin before, during and after the famed 1912 Canberra design competition (which was won thanks to both of their immense talents). Read more here.

Image via idealcity.org.au

Irving House For Sale

Frank Lloyd Wright's (with help from Marion Mahony) Edward P. Irving Residence (1910) in Decatur, IL is on the market for the approachable price of $649,000. I've been in this home on a few occasions and it is stunning. Hopefully some new stewards can take good care this Prairie gem. Check out the listing with photos galore here.

Image via homesight.net

Dine In Prairie Style

If you've always wanted to dine surounded by the beauty of Frank Lloyd Wright's finest Prairie home, then here's your chance. Experience the Dana-Thomas House in the grand manner of Susan Lawrence Dana and as Frank Lloyd Wright intended. There are a few seats still left for this special dinner on Saturday, May 4, 2013. The cost for this once-in-a-lifetime experience is $300 per person. For reservations and more info call 217.788.9452.

Photo © RT McDonald 2012

Russian Cylindrical Home In Danger

Nelson B. sends word that Russian avant-garde architect Konstantin Melnikov’s famed 1929 cylindrical home in Moscow is in danger of collapsing. Read more about it here.

Image via Architizer

Goff's Tulsa Building Sold

PrairieMod reader Zachary Matthews sent news to us that Bruce Goff's Tulsa Club Building has sold to local businessman, Josh Barrett, president of Vesta Properties, for $460,000. Barrett states he plans a mixed-use development in the building with a combination of commercial and residential properties. Let's hope this important building can be brought back to some of its former glory. More here.

Image via tulsaworld.com

Goff Building To Be Demolished For Car Wash

Troubling news out of Tyler, TX: Bruce Goff's only work in the town, the Ben Fitzgerald real estate building, is set to be demolished as early as today to make way for a car wash. Even though concerned locals want it to be saved, there's no protection for the building and its owners aren't keen on saving it. Does the world really need another car wash? Read more about this imminent loss here.

Image via tylerpaper.com

Michigan Modern Symposium: Design That Shaped America

Mark your calendars: The Michigan Modern Symposium will take place June 13-16, 2013 and features an amazing line-up of tours, lectures, and other events that Mod-lovers will want to experience. Check out the booklet of events here for all the details. Take note—conference registration is limited to 500 participants, so register early or be sorry!

Image via michiganmodern.org

More Rookery For Sale

Speaking of pieces of the Rookery Building for sale--in looking for info regarding the elevator transom for sale at Urban Remains, I came across the news that the Leslie Hindman auctioneers is selling the Adams Street staircase from the northeast corner of the famed Rookery Building as a private sale.

As stated at the auction house's website: "The six flights of the original staircase will be sold individually by flight and are comprised of cast iron and marble elements including: balustrades, baseboards, beam covers, columns, column covers, fascias, handrails, landing beams, landing tees, marble slabs, marble walls, newel posts, risers, stringers, treads and wainscoting. The stairway was carefully dismantled, tagged, numbered and removed during the renovation and restoration of the Rookery in March of 1990, over 100 years after the building was erected by the Chicago architectural team of Burnham and Root. Following this grand-scale restoration process, the building’s owner, L. Thomas Baldwin III, presented the stairway as a gift to the University Museum at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The sale of the staircase will benefit the University Museum."

At this rate, will anything be left at the Rookery? Read more here.

Images via lesliehindman.com

Rookery Elevator Panel For Sale

Urban Remains in Chicago recently added a rare elevator door transom from the interior Rookery Building for sale on its website. The metal piece dates from the 1930s renovation by William Drummond and features etched Art Deco motifs and winged animals designed by Annette Byrne. Not sure why it still isn't at the Rookery in downtown Chicago. No price is listed, but I can guess it's got several zeros at the end of it. More here.

Image via Urban Remains

Chicago's Fire Sale

11 vacant firehouses are set to be sold off by the city of Chicago, with officials saying any proposed use (single family home, retail, museum) will be considered regardless of zoning. Read more about it here.

Image via dnainfo.com

Frank Lloyd Wright: Taker

Adam Grant, author of the book Give and Take, recently wrote a piece for the Huffington Post about how power can reveal or amplify the true nature of a person. His example is Frank Lloyd Wright, who he characterizes as a natural "Taker," whose tendencies became more apparent when he received fame and power. Read more here.

Image via Amazon.com

"Wood" You Like To Know The Time?

Interested in a wearing a stylish wood watch that also happens to replenish forests? Then check out the WeWood timepiece which will have a tree planted for each sold as part of a partnership between organizations, American Forests and Trees for the Future. More here.

Image via we-wood.us

Currier Museum Of Art Acquires A Little Wright Chair

The Currier Museum of Art recently aquired and put on display a rare armchair designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1902-3 for the first Little House in Peoria, IL. Read more about it here.

Image via artdaily.org

armchair designed for the Francis W. Little House in Peoria, IL

More Information: http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=61916#.UWtX9xkWEt4[/url]
Copyright © artdaily.org

armchair designed for the Francis W. Little House in Peoria, IL

More Information: http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=61916#.UWtX9xkWEt4[/url]
Copyright © artdaily.org

armchair designed for the Francis W. Little House in Peoria, IL

More Information: http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=61916#.UWtX9xkWEt4[/url]
Copyright © artdaily.org

A Look Inside Wright's Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church

Mark Hertzberg recently had the privilege of being invited to photograph the interior of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Check out his amazing photos here of this Wright interior seldom seen by the public.

Image copyright Mark Hertzberg

Hoffman Showroom: A Last Look

Back in January, PrairieMod pal, Zachary Matthews sent some photos of the recently vacated Hoffman Auto Showroom to share with readers. After its recent demolition, Zachary found a few more detail shots from his visit and sent them along. See them all after the jump...

More On Hoffman Showroom Demolition

The shock of the demolition of The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Hoffman Auto Showroom in New York City earlier this week is starting to hit people and more reaction is coming out from preservation groups and individuals. The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy has posted an official statement about the loss, as well as a statement of importance written by architectural scholar David DeLong. Crain's New York has also posted an article with some of the New York reaction. Follow the links to read each. The only way to avoid senseless losses like this in the future is to support preservation organizations like the FLWBC and act proactively to save remaining sites.

Image credit: Matt Chaban/Crain's New York

Renovating Goff's Riverside Studio

Zachary Matthews sends a link to a Newson6.com story about the campaign to raise $4 million to renovate the Bruce Goff-designed Riverside Studio (1928) in Tulsa, OK which is now known as the Tulsa Spotlight Theater. Hopefully that amount includes recreating the Olinka Hrdy murals and Alfonso Iannelli fountain. More here.

Image via newson6.com

Gale House Guestbook For Sale

In other book news...here's a very odd Etsy.com find: the original guestbook from the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Mrs. Thomas H. Gale House (1909) in Oak Park, IL. Leather bound with a wicker inlay and a Scottish Print on the cover, the entire book is handwritten calligraphy with each page decorated with phrases, quotes, and scripture. If you like it it will set you back $500.00! Check out more on this unique item here.

Image via Etsy.com

Chasing Frank Lloyd Wright

Speaking of Wright-related books, Chasing Frank Lloyd Wright written by architect Conrad Brown is now available. It's a memoir of Brown's life and experiences working with Bruce Goff, becoming an architect, and finally catching up with Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West, just four months before his death. The book has over 90 color vintage photos taken by Brown at the time of works by Wright, Goff and others. There are also anecdotes of Mr. Wright: "It's all here, take what you need." spoken to him while waving his cane across the horizon with one hand and holding on to the young apprentice's bare, skinny arm with the other. Get more info and order your copy here.

Image via Amazon.com

Growing Up Wright

Here's s a link to an article at BrightonPittsfordPost.com about author Kim Bixler's experiences growing up in the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Boynton House in Rochester, NY. Read it here. You can order her book here.

image via brightonpittsfordpost.com

A Look At Sullivan's Martin Ryerson Mausoleum

The excellent blog, DesignSlinger recently featured the Louis Sullivan-designed Martin Ryerson Mausoleum, located in Chicago's Graceland Cemetery. Read and see more here.

Image via designslinger.com

Paolo Soleri: Architect Of Counterculture

The New York Times' Fred A. Bernstein writes about the life and legacy of architect and Eco-visionary Paolo Soleri after the news of his passing on Tuesday. Read it here.

Image via the NYT

Lloyd Wright's Dorland House For Sale

Lloyd Wright's Dorland House (1950) in Altadena, CA is on the market for $945,000. Read more about it here and see the listing here.

Image via Zillow.com

Lost Wright: More Info On The Hoffman Auto Showroom Demolition

More information comes out about the loss of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hoffman Auto Showroom at 430 Park Avenue in New York City, which was completely gutted during March 29- April 3. Although altered twice over the years, when it was destroyed it still retained the central and distinctive Wright-designed elements of the spiral ramp and turntable. PrairieMod contacted the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy to provide some aditional information regarding what was being done to try and save this site in the months prior to its sudden demolition and for some reaction to its loss. Read more after the jump...

Get Your Googie On

Nelson Brackin sends a link to a YouTube video in which architect Victor Newlove, of Armet Davis Newlove and Associates, speaks about the term "Googie," the early history of his firm, and their design of whimsical restaurants such as Norms. See it here.

Image via YouTube

In Memoriam: Paolo Soleri

News reaches us that architect, artist and philosopher Paolo Soleri passed away Tuesday morning at the age of 93. The day has meaning since this Taliesin-trained architect died on the same day that his mentor, Frank Lloyd Wright did 54 years earlier. Read more about Paolo's life and legacy here.

Image via bizjournals.com

54 Years Ago Today...

Today marks the 54th anniversary of Frank Lloyd Wright's passing. He was almost 92 when he passed and his legacy shines on in the inspirational works and words that he left behind. It's amazing how one creative person can have such a remarkable impact on so many lives. Help keep that legacy alive by becoming a member of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, or any of the many individual sites that promote Wright's legacy.

Image via PrairieMod

Lake Forest Home's Early Wright Link

Chicago Magazine recently posted on the sale of a Lake Forest, IL house designed by Robert Roloson, Jr., who was a direct descendant of early Frank Lloyd Wright client, Robert W. Roloson. Read more about it here.

Image via chicagomag.com

Cityscapes Flooring

I'm digging these super cool geometric floor tiles made of 100% wool felt. The bad news is that they are just prototypes and the creators are looking for a company to partner with to manufacture these. FLOR--call these guys! More here.

Image via allt.sk

Wright's NYC Auto Showroom Demolition

I stumbled across a disturbing news article this evening from commercialobserver.com that stated the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Max Hoffman Auto Showroom in New York City is currently being demolished(!) following the departure of the Mercedes-Benz dealership in January. Hopefully a reader near New York City can confirm this horrible news. We'll follow this story as more details emerge. Read more here.

Image via Zachary Matthews

Maher Furniture At Auction

Leslie Hindman's upcoming 20th Century Design auction on May 1, 2013 has quite a bit of architecture-related items of interest—and a few that are worrisome. Among the latter is 20 pieces of furniture from the George W. Maher-designed Magerstadt House in the Kenwood neighborhood of Chicago. The house sold last May for a hefty sum to new owners. I'm not certain that this furniture was part of that sale and is now being sold off, or if it was separated from the house previously and is now coming back to the market. Either way, it's a shame this integrally-designed furniture is not with the house it was only ever intended for. See all of the furniture pieces here.

Image via liveauctioneers.com

From A Winged Seed: Samara And Frank Lloyd Wright's Indiana Architecture

Linda Eales sent word that Scott W. Perkins, a national expert on Frank Lloyd Wright's work, will be speaking about Wright's SAMARA in West Lafayette, IN and how it relates to the architect’s other Indiana structures. The lecture takes place on Thursday, April 11, 2013 at 5:30 p.m. at the Indiana Landmarks Center (1201 Central Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46202) and is supported by the Cornelius and Anna O’Brien Lecture Series Concerning Historic Preservation. The event is FREE but you need to RSVP online at samaralecture.eventbrite.com or call 317-639-4534.

Image via samara-house.org

Hardy House Restoration Update

Mark Hertzberg has posted another update at Wright in Racine about the amazing restoration work underway at the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Hardy House in Racine, WI. Read and see more photos here. If you want to experience this iconic Wright work in person, then don't miss the April 27, 2013 tour, which benefits Frank Lloyd Wright Wisconsin. Tours are limited to 90 people, by reservation for specific time slots between 9:30 and 2:30 p.m. Reservations are accepted by telephone only, at 608-287-0339. More details here.

Image copyright Mark Hertzberg

Marion Mahony Griffin Recognized

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the view from the summit of Mt. Ainslie across the capital city of Canberra will be named after Marion Mahony Griffin, whose beautiful rendering of a similar view helped secure the Griffin's as the winning architects in the 1912 competition to design the city's master plan. Read more about it here.

Image via smh.com.au

Mod Houses That Will Kill Your Children

The blog projectophile.com posted a warning to anyone who loves both Mid-Century Modern homes and their children: Don't mix the two. Floating stairs, open ledges, Nature-inspired death traps...the list of ways your toddlers will expire goes on and on. Read this hilariously tongue-in-cheek blog entry here.

Image via projectophile.com

Join-Up: Chicago Art Deco Society

It took me a long time, but I finally stopped procrastinating and joined the Chicago Art Deco Society this week. I've known about CADS for some time as a fantastic not for profit organization devoted to preserving all things Deco. They also put out a really great color magazine that is a must have for any Art Deco enthusiast. I encourage PrairieMod readers to join to also support their preservation and education efforts (and to get another great publication for your enjoyment!) More info and become a member here.

Image via CADS

Looking For A Sweet Usonian Dining Set?

If you're in the market for Usonian furniture for your PrairieMod pad, then move fast and snap-up this one-of-a-kind Frank Lloyd Wright meets R.M. Schindler set of dining table and chairs that's been posted on Craigslist. Details and more pics here.

Image via Craigslist

A New Season At Heath

Heath Ceramics recently announced their new seasonal palette for Spring 2013, which includes bright blues and a cool green. Check out the full collection of spring beauties here.

Image via Heath Ceramics

MCM Gem For Sale In Glendale

Curbed LA posts a look at a well-preserved MCM post and beam gem by USC-trained architect Denver Markwith Jr. on the market for the first time and located in Glendale's Verdugo Woodlands.Check out the photos and more info here.

Image via curbed LA

Speak Out Against Logan Square Billboards

Andrew Schneider sends word of a new petition he started at change.org to stop the installation of billboards on Chicago's Logan Square. The decision will be made soon by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks. If you're interested in saving the character of this historic neighborhood then follow the link and virtually "sign" the petition. Help here.

Image via change.org