Modern Architectural Forms of the Mid Century (Part 2)
In the previous part, Frank Lloyd Wright organic architecture was examined. His philosophy was deeply intertwined with his ideas on society and culture. However, Wright was not the only architect to advocate organic architecture. Below is a list of organic architects:
Vittorio Giorgini (1925–2010)
Eric Lloyd Wright (born 1929)
Kendrick Bangs Kellogg (born 1934)
A good example of organic architecture in a recent construction see:
Nautilus by Javier Senosiain
This is the Thorncrown Chapel near Eureka Springs, Arkansas by E. Fay Jones, an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright. Thorncrown Chapel, made of wood, rises vertically like the forest trees that surround it, with the roof spreading out as if the bowers of a shady tree. Lyrically, organically placed and not out-of-place in its’ natural environment, this chapel informs of the organic impulse.
European Office of Quicksilver, by Patrick Arotcharen is located at St Jean de Luz, France was built of pine and precast elements in an attempt to place the building in its’ environment.
European Office of Quicksilver.
The Wilkinson Residence is located in Portland, OR and was designed by architect Robert Harvey Oshatz.
The Wilkinson Residence (Interior View).
One organic architect especially worthy of mention is Bruce Goff. His designs were original, if not eccentric, but thoroughly organic:
Ruth Ford House, Aurora Illinois.
Bavinger House.
Shin’enKan in Bartlesville, Oklahoma by Goff.
Hopewell Baptist Church in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Dome of Hopewell Baptist Church.
Play Tower in Sooner Park, Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
The Ledbetter House in Norman, Oklahoma by Goff.
Redeemer Lutheran Church, Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
The Pavilion for Japanese Art, Los Angeles, built 6 years after Bruce Goff’s death.
Public Buildings of Frank Lloyd Wright
The commercial or public buildings of Frank Lloyd Wright are daring structures that influenced the design of many buildings around the country. The building to the left is the Guggenheim Museum, probably the best known of his structures, known throughout the world.
The Guggenheim, which is a New York City landmark, was a regrettable location for Wright. He thought that New York was too crowded and had a paucity of merit-able architecture. Started in 1943, the building’s completion in 1959 presented a trail of obstacles as the result of difficult conflicts between Wright, the city and his clients. By the time of the building’s realization, Wright had passed away and did not see the triumphal opening.
The building is the imaginings of a genius. Instead of ferreting viewers through a labyrinth of rooms with an exit the same as the entrance, Wright brought viewers to the top of his upside down pot with a broad base. In a circling spiral, the art viewer gradually descends to the bottom where the full effect of the rotunda awaits. The open center afforded a unique look at different sections simultaneously.
The greatest criticism of Wright’s Guggenheim is that the power of the design overwhelms the art within. Admittedly, some people find this to be the case. Yet the effect lasts temporarily as one consumes the beauty of the building and becomes accustomed to the space. Nevertheless, installations in the rotunda do appear to be somewhat diminished in strength by the amazing surroundings.
The Guggenheim is Modernist, but gloriously rejects the rectilinear International Style. Curvilinear aspects abound, inside and outside. Combined with the white, creamy color and soft texture, the Guggenheim distinguishes itself from the neighboring architecture and has no equal.
S.C. Johnson Administration Building (1939) and Research Tower (1950) in Racine, Wisconsin. The Tower’s rounded corner, square-shaped, mostly glass outer shell, encloses alternating square and circular floors.
Great Workroom of the Johnson Wax Headquarters Building. The dendriform columns called “Lilypads” by Wright conferred an organic feeling of working under a forest canopy with light pouring down between the pads. All the furniture in both the Tower and Administration Building came from Wright designs.
The main entrance to the Administration Building.
The Marin County Courthouse, San Rafael, California 1960.
The outward wings of the Courthouse remind one of the aqueducts of Rome with the arches decreasing in size at each level. Meeting at the central dome, the arches’ design continues around the top of the supporting walls. The design includes a spire, one of Wright’s favorite features.
Interior of Marin County Courthouse.
Exterior view of Marin County Courthouse.
Grady Gammage Auditorium, Tempe, Arizona.
Gammage Auditorium in Tempe, Arizona, on the campus of Arizona State University, was the last public commission of Wright, with groundbreaking in 1962 and completion in 1964. (The auditorium was built posthumously.) Easily recognized as a Frank Lloyd Wright building with its repeating curvilinear forms, this building’s pinkish color mimics the Arizona desert. The repetitive circles above the columns remind the viewer of the stage curtains inside and the copper arches that draws the pedestrian along the ascending stairway, echos the arches on the main building.
Interior view of Grady Gammage Auditorium
Many Frank Lloyd Wright buildings still exist. Obviously, this just wets your appetite. If you would like to do a search and view the various buildings and designs of Frank Lloyd Wright, follow this link for a comprehensive list. Hopefully, the reader understands the nature of Wright design and has gained a cursory knowledge of organic architecture. In Part 3, the International Style becomes the focus. Gropius, Mies van der Rohe and Eichler are a few of the architects coming up in this series.
HBosler
https://www.midcenturymoderngroovy.com
Self-portrait
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