The Wright Way
Frank Lloyd Wright's Unbuilt Designs Spark Debate
By Deborah Huso | Online Only | May 11, 2009
Buffalo's Frank Lloyd Wright Boathouse, originally designed in 1905 for a Wisconsin lake
Credit: Frank Lloyd Wright Boathouse
Buffalo, N.Y., has long been a showcase for masterworks by Frank Lloyd Wright; the city is home to both the Darwin Martin House and the often overlooked Graycliff Estate. In recent years, however, "new" Frank Lloyd Wright designs—modern structures constructed from previously unbuilt Wright plans—have sprouted in the city, like the new Frank Lloyd Wright Rowing Boathouse on the Black Rock Canal along the Niagara River.
The boathouse was originally designed in 1905 for a lake in Wisconsin. Almost 10 years ago, members of Buffalo's West Side Rowing Club decided to expand their club, one of the nation's largest, while honoring Wright at the same time. Rowing Club member John Courtin, who previously worked as executive director of the Martin House Restoration Corporation, formed Frank Lloyd Wright's Rowing Boathouse Corporation to build the boathouse in Buffalo. The corporation hired Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice Anthony Puttnam of Anthony Puttnam Architecture in Buffalo to work with Wright's plans, adjust them to meet modern building codes, and interpret the structure's interior design.
Though the boathouse project sparked enormous local interest, some preservationists aren't sure Wright would have wanted his unbuilt plans built posthumously. Among them is Philip Allsopp, president of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. He is one of several experts who grew concerned about "cartoonish" interpretations of Wright's plans, and revised foundation policies in order to halt the licensing of additional Wright plans for new construction. "The buildings Frank Lloyd Wright designed were designed years and years ago," Allsopp explains. "A lot of the detailed design wasn't necessarily done on the drawing boards but by Wright himself, on site."
While Puttnam considers the Rowing Boathouse to be "pretty darned close" to what Wright would have intended, he admits that building a "new" Frank Lloyd Wright structure isn't something to be taken up by just any architect or builder. "It depends on who is executing the design," he says. "Do they read the music well?"
In the case of the Frank Lloyd Wright Rowing Boathouse, supporters feel Puttnam read the music quite well. The $5 million project was completed two years ago, and, while a working boathouse, is open to the public for tours.
Wright originally designed the boathouse for frame and stucco construction, but Buffalo's climate, especially on the water, would have wreaked havoc on a structure assembled with those materials. "We wanted to make as few architectural changes as possible," points out Ted Marks, chairman of Frank Lloyd Wright's Rowing Boathouse Corporation. Working with Marty Knauss of LeHigh Construction Group in Buffalo, the general contractor for the project, he decided that building the boathouse with a steel frame and precast concrete cladding made the most sense. (Wright himself had modified his original plans in the 1930s, and considered building the boathouse out of concrete.)
Puttnam points out that since the structure is a working boathouse, it has to stand up to the abuse of 50-foot-long, eight-man shells being moved in and out. The building also has to tolerate 60- and 70-mile-per-hour winds in winter as well as water that rises as high as 11 feet. "Ice comes right up to the building," points out Puttnam, "and that's a heavy load."
Thanks to the crews' extraordinary efforts, the completed building looks as if it might have been built in the 1930s. The interior, under Puttnam's direction, is contemporaneous with Wright's vision. Even though Wright didn't include the interior in his original plans, Puttnam selected the kind of materials Wright probably would have used, including the famous architect's signature horizontal lines with wood strips on the ceiling and beautiful quarter-sawn red oak doors. On the second floor, there are diamond-paned windows under the cantilevered roof.
Allsopp says he hasn't personally visited the boathouse and cannot comment on its authenticity, but he and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation remain confident in their decision to shut down the program for licensing Wright's plans for contemporary use. "We didn't feel we were doing Wright's principles or his heritage any service with this program," Allsopp explains. "Besides, Frank Lloyd Wright was all about innovation. He admonished the world for copying and told his students to take the principals of the past and interpret them into a structure that means something to us today."
Furthermore, Allsopp adds, the process of policing the proposed "new" Wright buildings was a nightmare for the foundation's archive staff, and selling Wright's plans was never a major income earner for the foundation either. "We'd rather keep Wright's designs as a repository of ideas and not contribute to over-deification of the man," Allsopp says. "We've decided to make our focus maintaining the authenticity of the Wright buildings we already have."
The Guggenheim Museum in New York is hosting a Frank Lloyd Wright exhibition from May 13 through August 23. For more information, visit www.franklloydwright.org.
Images of Frank Lloyd Wright's College Campus
Deborah Huso is a freelance writer based in Virginia.
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Comments
Submitted by Ron Macken at: February 26, 2010
FYI, this policy is under review. Philip Allsopp is no longer the president and there is currently an interim CEO. http://www.franklloydwright.org/fllwf_web_091104/Management.html I personally guess that FLW would love the idea of his influence continuing to the present day.
Submitted by Karen Ann at: February 10, 2010
The Foundation adapts Wright's designs for all kinds of things, from bookmarks to clothing to jewelry, so the argument seems rather specious.
Submitted by Ken at: May 21, 2009
A set of house plans may cost a few hundred dollars, up to a few thousand dollars in some cases, depending on size and complexity, i.e., details. I wasn't sure from the article whether FLW or the FLWF had wanted FLW plans made available to the public; some cases hard to remember intent over time. As mentioned in the article, original FLW plans require modern building codes and site plan review by county or municipal building department. Selection of appropriate building materials was another determination by region, i.e., climate conditions. Whether that would affect the integrity of the interior or exterior architectural features would need to be determined, and rendered, i.e., with a 3D Computer Aided Drafting and Design software at some additional costs. All that would be possible with the original building plans, if and when available. Modern building plans will have a copywright (sp) for that reason; the plans can't deviate by more than a few percentages. The carbon copy comment is valid though. I don't appreciate copies or sequels as much as the originals. Even though GM, Ford, and Chrysler have retro looks with the Camaro, Thunderbird, and Barracuda respectively, the genuine article means more to me. Thanks for input and the interesting article on FLW retro-architecture, and the link to the FLW Lego Architecture series!
Submitted by gonzobukowski at: May 20, 2009
Oddly enough I had just read about new Lego Architecture series of Wright's Fallingwater & Guggenheim: http://www.prairiemod.com/prairiemod/2009/05/frank-lloyd-wright-lego-sets.html#more I guess small scale plastic versions are ok, but full size ones aren't???? They should let folks use the designs and provide guidance on how to best adapt them to current codes.
Submitted by Francisco at: May 20, 2009
Thank u for such an informative article.
Submitted by Shannon R at: May 15, 2009
I think it's wonderful to build FLW's unbuilt designs! I don't know why anyone would want to prohibit that; as long as maybe a set of guidelines were created and abided by. The world can be so ugly, why not let beauty flourish.
Submitted by Mike S at: May 13, 2009
I am a member of the FLW Foundation and don't agree with the suspension of the 'unbuilt' program. In talking to vendors who wish to re-produce even furnishings and fixtures; they (FLWF) can be said to be difficult at best. I am outraged by the prices that they are getting away with too. For example; Light fixtures that could be well produced in China for sale to the average person, cost $700.00 and up for what amounts to a few pounds of bronze and glass. I would say that FLW is already deified and the FLWF has had a mighty hand in it!
Submitted by boathouse fan at: May 12, 2009
A FLLW apprentice once told me that when Mr. Wright was asked very late in life, if he was disappointed that Menona Terrace was not built and unlikely to be built in his life time, his response was " not to worry it will be." If this anecdote is indeed true, and I have no reason to doubt it's veracity, Mr Wright was in favor of posthumous realization nof his designs.