history of contemporary architecture - 18. Frank-Lloyd-Wright الشكر للدكتورة مجد الحمود

1. FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
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Modernism in the United States
• The Main Iconic Buildings
• Falling Water
• John Wax Factor
• The Guggenheim Museum
• The Price Tower

2. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright:
• He came from Mid-west in U.S.A.
• He was influenced by the Pereira lands that he used to live in, and he was
influenced by the Japanese architecture.
• The site and surroundings are important aspects of the design.
• He broke the box in American.
• Interplay of Horizontality and verticality: Use of Fire place and Chimneys, extending
architecture by cantilevers, and low pitched roofs that are contrasted with vertical
chimneys.
• The pitched space extends the inside with the outside and breaks the barriers of the
relationship between the inside and the outside.
• Asymmetrical design.
• A lot of social agendas in his work: He wanted to provide houses that are affordable
to all.
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

3. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Mies Van der Rohe in the US
Criticized in his international work by :
1- Traditionalists : because he was very functional in his design
2- Social radicals : because of indulging in irrelevant luxury .
Frank Lloyd Wright in the US
Against standardization and mass production
Cared little about the urgencies of the present social and technological
problems of the modern world like industrialization and overcrowding , etc .
Anti-classical and anti_European approach – followed organic ideal as
sign of American cultural independence .
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

4. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
INTRODUCTION
Sought a new architecture that
• Reflects the American democratic experience.
• Based not on failing European and foreign models (
such as Greek , Egyptian and Renaissance style )
• Important principle : there is a core truth to life
beyond historical circumstances – something
organic .
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

5. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Depression Period 1920’s- 1930’s
In the 1920s, Wright was in debt-Depression damaged his
few remaining commission leads.
At age 62 , he created the Taliesin Fellowship. For which
enthusiastic young architecture students each paid 650$ a
year to help Wright with his work.
For the first 23 students, there was little architectural
drawing and much manual labor . Such as waiting labels ,
gardening and repairing old.
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

6. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright:
Frank’s architecture is featured by:
• Humanizing the International Style (Movement)
• Sensitivity to the site
• Extension to the outside
• Breaking the box
• Rich natural material
• Light treatment
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7. Examples of his work:
Winslow House, Chicago, 1893-4
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8. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Home in the Prairie, Ladies Home Journal, 1901
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9. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Ward Willits House, close to Chicago, 1902
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10. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
William Martin House, Oak Park, 1903, Prairie House Phase
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11. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Dana House, Springfield, IL, 1902-4
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12. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Larkin Building, Buffalo, 1902-6. It was demolished
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13. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Unity Temple, IL, 1905-8
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14. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Robbie House, Chicago:
• Open Plan
• Chimneys
• Sensitivity to details: Concrete and Glass (Stained Glass)
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15. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Robbie House, Chicago 1908-10
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

16. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Robbie House, Chicago 1908-10
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
Robbie House Dining Area Robbie House Stained Glass

17. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Barnsdall House, Los Angeles - California, 1916-21.
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18. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Ennis House, Los Angeles - California, 1923-4.
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19. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Millard House, Pasadena - California, 1923.
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20. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Freeman House, Los Angeles – California, 1923-4.
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21. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
Ross House, 1909, analyzed and drawn to
show the grid system.
Bamsdall House, 1926,
showing geometry figures in
the plans and the fireplace
relief.

22. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Broadacres City Project
model, 1934-5
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

23. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Falling Water, Pennsylvania, 1934-7
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

24. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Falling Water, Pennsylvania, 1934-7
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

25. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Falling Water,
Pennsylvania,
1934-7
Dialectic between
interior and the
landscape is
resolved through
subtle transition
points – terraces
.
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

26. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Falling Water, Pennsylvania, 1934-7
Focal point : the chimney , like all vertical elements made of freestone .
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

27. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Falling Water, Pennsylvania, 1934-7
The construction is a series of cantilevered balconies and terraces
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

28. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Falling Water, Pennsylvania, 1934-7
Using limestone for all verticals and concrete for all horizontals
Complex play of interlocking spatial penetrations making radical use of
the possibilities of reinforced concrete
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

29. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Falling Water, Pennsylvania, 1934-7
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30. VIDEO
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31. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Johnson Wax
Building, 1936-9.
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

32. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
John Wax Factor, Racine, Wisconsin, 1936-9.
Two new approaches :
1- curves rather than cantilevered
2- inward rather than outward building-ignoring
the existence of outside world

33. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
John Wax Factor, Racine, Wisconsin, 1936-9.
Urban projects provide an inward-turned image with no visual connection
to the exterior as if expressing his rejection to the city.

34. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Extracted theme from the Broadacre city plan.
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
John Wax Factor, Racine, Wisconsin, 1936-9.

35. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
John Wax Factor, Racine, Wisconsin, 1936-9.

36. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Castle-like building- no interacting with surroundings – visually or physically.
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
John Wax Factor, Racine, Wisconsin, 1936-9.

37. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
John Wax Factor, Racine, Wisconsin, 1936-9.
Indirect main entrance

38. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Well scaled ,
luminous
space
articulated by
a grid of
slender
columns in
concrete .
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
John Wax Factor, Racine, Wisconsin, 1936-9.

39. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
But with no ornamentation factor …
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
John Wax Factor, Racine, Wisconsin, 1936-9.

40. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Converging the interior into a forest f pine-tree like structure
Lighting from the ceiling
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
John Wax Factor, Racine, Wisconsin, 1936-9.

41. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Addition of a laboratory tower in
1940’s
The escaped tree
Fused the idea of mushroom
column with the need of the
program-services in the core and
laboratories on cantilevered trays
with intervening balconies on
lesser width
Built within courtyard
Accessed from the office building
No right angles
Problem : it swayed slightly in the
wind
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
John Wax Factor, Racine, Wisconsin, 1936-9.

42. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
A manifesto on the nature
of the tall building concept
odds with the grid frame /
box forms that introduced
by the international style .
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
John Wax Factor, Racine, Wisconsin, 1936-9.

43. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Glass tubing laid out like bricks in a wall composes all the lighting
surfaces .
Light enters the building where the comics used to be . In the interior the
box like structure vanishes completely “ FLW
Using of Pyrex glass.
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
John Wax Factor, Racine, Wisconsin, 1936-9.

44. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Inward looking community which would foster togetherness while
mirroring the hierarchy of the firm.
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
John Wax Factor, Racine, Wisconsin, 1936-9.

45. VIDEO
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

46. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Taliesin West, Arizona, 1938.
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

47. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Rosenbaum House, Alabama, 1939.
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

48. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
Rosenbaum House, Alabama, 1939.
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

49. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
The Price Tower, Oklahoma, 1952-6.
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

50. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
The Price Tower, Oklahoma, 1952-6.
Apartments and offices tower
The only skyscraper designed by Wright – on of only two vertically
oriented Wright structure extant ( The other being the Johnson Wax
Research tower )
Wright proposed a new structure for the skyscraper
Not mechanism But organism
No steel & glass box BUT a tree analogy ( a core with extending
cantilevered trays )
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

51. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
The Price Tower, Oklahoma, 1952-6.
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

52. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
The Price Tower, Oklahoma, 1952-6.
• Different from international style skyscrapers in :
• Analogy : metaphor of a natural vertical
entity – the tree with central trunk and
cantilevered brunches
• Form- not pure box
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

53. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
The Guggenheim Museum, New York, 1943-59.
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

54. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
The Guggenheim Museum,
New York, 1943-59
Wright sought to design a “
total work of art ”
For wright – Architecture is a
mother art.
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

55. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
The Guggenheim Museum, New York, 1943-59
Wright received the commission to build the Solomon R.Guggenheim
Museum in New York City in 1943.
A museum to house Guggenheim’s collection which consisted mainly of
non objective abstracted art – abstract color , line and form.
Wright sought a design which appears as pure geometry : surface ,
volume and space .
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

56. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
The Guggenheim Museum, New
York, 1943-59
Use of circular forms, not circles but
spirals
A visual metaphor for growth and
change in nature
“ Here for the first time architecture
appears plastic , one floor flowing
into another ( more like sculpture )
instead of the usual superimposition
of stratified layers cutting and
butting into each other ” FLW
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

57. Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Heroic Period Breaking Away
Frank Lloyd Wright
The Guggenheim Museum, New York, 1943-59
Similar to Wax Building
Creating inward-looking atrium with stratified horizontal layers
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58. VIDEO
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Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz