Experience what Christmas was like at the Wright household as you stroll through Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home and Studio Saturday, December 13th and 20th, 9am- 11am. The holiday tours are free and led by young translators to help convey the story of Christmas at the Wrights’ home through the eyes of a child. The Wrights had six children. Hear how they pulled taffy in the kitchen, spied on their father as he fixed gifts, or just steep in the magic of the season in this gorgeous house.
Photos courtesy of Frank Lloyd Wright Trust
Wright was in his early twenties when he bought the land to create his house (and later his studio) and come into his own as an architect. He used it to experiment with new ideas and develop his famed Prairie Style. Mark Campbell, the Home and Studio Daily Operations Manager, says, it was an “idea lab” where so much was created that influenced modern architecture. Wright was known for “breaking the box,” small rooms in Victorian-style houses that had a single function. He brought in large panels of glass which hadn’t been seen before. Wright also allowed nature to be the decoration keeping the interiors plain to offset the foliage seen through the windows.
Remember what it was like to be a child by visiting the Children’s Room. If it’s all you do, it’s worth the tour by itself. While Wright didn’t invent the technique, he utilized compression and release. The hallway leading to the room is narrow and tube-like. Just when you acclimate to the snug space, you pop into the Children’s Room and are struck with the air, the open space, the vaulting ceiling. The wow factor is magnified by the twelve foot Christmas tree, dressed for the time period, that keeps going up but you realize there’s space between the top of the tree and the ceiling. It’s like a scene from the Nutcracker.
He wanted the children to feel like they were up in the trees. Through the windows all you see are the trees as if you were transported to a tree house.
Wright also designed furniture. Some he built into the house to dictate the rooms function. While it may not be the most comfortable furniture, there was a purpose as seen in the dining room. Wright created a room with in a room using the table, chairs and lights. The rectangular light hangs above the rectangular table, casting down a warm glow. The high back chairs create a transparent barrier. The rest of the room is darker creating this intimate space to dine.
The tour is great escape from reality, a thing of dreams. Wright would not necessarily build you the house you wanted, or even discussed with him; he’d build you the house he believed you needed based on what he knew about you.
More information about the tours can be found at flwright.org/programs/Christmas
No comments:
Post a Comment