Frank Lloyd Wright commands a household name rare among architects. His works are so sought after that some of his Japanese fans are planning on moving one to Japan. While Wright’s reputation in Japan rests heavily on durability (his 1923 Imperial Hotel withstood Tokyo’s devastating Great Kanto earthquake), the same can’t be said for his work on this side of the pond. Fallingwater, Wright’s idyllic Pennsylvania masterpiece, gobbled up $11.2M over the course of its 2002 renovation, with much of the cash going to fix faulty structural elements. Edgar Kaufmann Sr., who commissioned that house, reportedly called it “a seven-bucket building” on account of all the leaks.
If this all sounds a bit of a headache, head on over to Twin Rivers, Wis., where Wright’s Bernard Schwartz House now caters to overnight guests with architecture in their bones but a can't-be-bothered approach to at-home repairs. Situated adjacent to—rather than on—a river, it has four bedrooms and 2.5 baths spread over 3,000 square feet. It's no Fallingwater, but the Schwartz House certainly offers a bit more than the typical walk-through tour—and, of course, none of the maintenance.
Frank Lloyd Wright House from Mark Matthews on Vimeo.
· Bernard Schwartz House [Homepage]
· FLWs Textile Block Houses Could Go To Ron Burkle, Japan [Curbed LA]
Loading comments...