Reviews (1)

The Bomb
All I could say is that this book changed my knowledge of Frank Lloyd Wright. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Minimal Designs, Maximum Back Pain, and Great Vision!
Most of the 5,000 plus wonderful rooms designed by Frank Lloyd Wright are not open to the public. Even if you could go behind those doors, you often would find that the original furnishings have been moved, replaced, or lost. This book gives you a chance to go where you often cannot go in any other way to see the best original details of furnishings in 50 of the best. Unlike most architects, Mr. Wright designed in such a way that "the rooms inside would dictate the architecture outside." Even inside, he designed all elements of the room, including floor and wall coverings, art glass in many cases, lighting fixtures, furniture, and where everything should be located. He also specified that those who used the rooms should be limited to bringing in only certain types of objects, and for certain locations. For example, ornamental china was allowed on one ledge of the dining room in Robie House.

In working on furnishings, he had a lot of help. Marion Mahoney often finished his designs for furniture and art glass, and saw them through implementation. George Niedecken was often called upon to execute conceptual designs of furniture. Artists helped with sculptures and murals. Artisans crafted many of the items that Mr. Wright sketched.

The furnishings were never meant to be considered separately from the buildings and rooms they were to reside in. Yet this volume can help you appreciate these details that are often tiny in photographs of entire rooms.

I have had the chance to visit many Wright homes and buildings, yet this book greatly expanded my understanding of his work.

This book is primarily focused on furniture, but has a number of important art glass and decorative arts examples.

Mr. Wright designed what have to be the most elegant, minimal chairs . . . and the ones that were probably the most painful to sit in. I had a hard time appreciating the design while thinking about how impractical they are. Well, every genius has limitations . . . and chairs were that for Mr. Wright.

My favorite furniture examples in the book were the print table from the Oak Park house, Robie winged sofa, Coonley desk, and the Johnson Wax desk. Of the art glass, I liked the Roberts window, the Luxfer prism glass, Thomas vestibule, Dana windows, and the Tree of Life window. In the decorative pieces, I enjoyed the pedestal and butterfly lamps, and the glass-faced "golden" mortar.

As you will see from the examples, each one loses a lot by being seen in isolation from the rest of the room. Ms. Maddex does a nice job of describing each item or ensemble in a half-page essay covering the 50 subjects here.

The photography is superb in the 67 illustrations, including 64 full color plates. That's quite important because you will not usually be allowed to photograph these objects, even if you do have the good fortune to see them in a Wright home or public building.

After you finish examining the items you like best, I suggest that you think about what qualities furnishings must have in order to improve the quality of your life. How well does your best furnishing do so now? How can you make that furnishing ease your way into natural living even better?

Relax . . . then, see, touch, and enjoy the beauty all around you!

Frank Lloyd Wright Excelled at Designing Interior Details
Diane Maddex's 50 Favorite Furnishings by Frank Lloyd Wright is a sensual, visual experience. This book has three sections dealing with furniture, art glass and decorative arts. Frank Lloyd Wright excelled at designing the furnishings of the rooms in the famous buildings that he created. The photos show the craftsmanship and pure beauty of the each form. The author has done a admirable job of selecting a wide variety of pieces to share. I hadn't understood that every item that was inside the house was just as important as the exterior design to Frank Lloyd Wright before reading this book. With that sort of attention to details, it is easier for me to understand why Frank Lloyd Wright stands out as a creative genius. I bought this book for inspiration and ideas for decorating a new "Prairie Style" house. Thanks Diane Maddex for helping me dream. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

These new titles in the Building Blocks series showcase four more icons of modern architecture, as portrayed by renowned architectural photographer Ezra Stoller. Two buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright, Fallingwater and Taliesin West, Louis Kahn's Salk Institute, and Mies van der Rohe's Seagram Building are shown in original condition, with original furnishings, as the architects intended them to be seen. Wright's integration of architecture and landscape, Kahn's dramatic yet humane monumentality, and Mies's austere elegance are revealed and preserved in Stoller's classic compositions. Small, elegant, and affordable, each volume presents the photo-graphs that made these structures famous. With 60 rich duotone plates (and 16 color plates for Taliesin West), a brief introduction, and newly drawn plans, sections, and elevations, these books constitute the essential photographic histories of the most important works of modernism. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Superb little book on an exciting & special building
Excellent little book on the "Fallingwater" house by famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed in 1935 ( He also designed Guggenheim Museum ). This little book ( measures 5 X 7 inches )contains 90 pages of which the first 15 pages are text, from page 17 to 82 there're Black&White photographs, the last 8 pages are drawings and plans of the house accompanied by explanations to the images. Photos are by Ezra Stoller and "Fallingwater" ( Pennsylvania - USA ) is undoubtfully the most photogenic private house ever built! All photos are superb, especially the ones showing the waterfall running underneath this superb house!
Drawings and plans are made by floor and give a good idea of the interior dining room, kitchen and terraces!

Ezra Stoller does it again!
Ezra Stoller is an expert in the art of photography. Although Mr. Stoller is not an architect, he shows you the beauty of one of the marvels of great architecture. Falling Water is one of those dream houses, built over a waterfall, but fitting in perfectly with its surroundings. Ezra Stoller captures its magnificence. ... Read more

Book Description

Ask Americans to think of a famous architect and the person they are most likely to name is Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright's work, his reputation, and his long and colorful career have made him an icon of modern American architecture. But despite his status as America's most celebrated architect, his influence throughout an active practice spanning the years 1896 to 1959 is so wide and complex that it has been difficult to grasp fully.

The essays in this book look not at the United States, the context usually associated with Wright, but at countries around the globe. Anthony Alofsin has assembled a superb collection of scholars to examine Wright's importance from Japan to Great Britain, France to Chile, Mexico to Russia, and the Middle East.Interwoven in the essays are stories of champions and critics, rivals and acolytes, books and exhibitions, attitudes toward America and individualism, and the many ways Wright's ideas were brought to the world. Together the essays represent a first look at Wright's impact abroad, some from the perspective of natives of the countries discussed and others from that of informed outsiders.Of special note is Bruno Zevi's firsthand account of traveling with Wright in Italy. Zevi was instrumental in bringing Wright's ideas to Italy and in helping launch the movement for organic architecture. Of unusual interest in light of today's events in Iraq is Mina Marefat's essay on Wright's elaborate designs for a cultural center for the city of Baghdad. The Baghdad projects, which were never realized after the assassination of King Faisal II, were Wright's principal focus in his last decade.

In searching out the little known rather than reexamining the well-established aspects of Frank Lloyd Wright's work, this collection is a rewarding exploration of his vision and influence. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Frank Lloyd Wright you don't know about
This book provides a new perspective on Wright -- who knew he designed a civic and arts complex for Baghdad, Iraq (it was never built)? Or that Fallingwater influenced the design of a wealthy suburb of Mexico City (El Pedregal)? If you think you're tired of Wright and all the Prairie Style images associated with him, read this book and get a fresh take. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Touches the 3 masters topically
Maybe the only book that attempts to compare (rather...state) the big 3. However I think that it degenerates to being a history book that just states facts that are already available in any monograph on each. There is less commentary and more facts. I guess it is a biggeners book to understand who these men were and what projects they did in their lifetime. The only good thing is that this seems to be the only place where you can read about them as a kind of a time-line.....realizing how each one affected the other.

I wish there was a more discussion and comparison/differentiation of the kind of space that these 3 were talking about and a more indepth analysis of their ideologies. Guess we have to wait for someone else to take that risky venture.

Excellent review of three amazing lives.
This book provides the reader not only with deep insight into these three great pillars of the 20th century, but also helps one understand their influence on art as well. One can see the bridge between their buildings and artists like Braque, Rothko, and those associated with De Stijl. I think it is a fine book for those who may not be familiar with these three men. It is highly readable and recommended!

An excellent book to start
This book by Peter Blake is very good if you are just beginning to know about these three iconic architects. It has everything someone who is not an architect could need to know who Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe and Frank Lloyd Wright were. If you want to go deep into the career of these architects, study their lives and works, this is a first step, and a very good one, but only that.

It is well written, entertaining and true. As a teacher, I would recommend it to architecture students as mandatory reading, best if read in the second or third year of their college years.

Even as it is a basic book, I have it on my night table.

NEVER HAS THERE BEEN A BETTER WAY TO UNDERSTAND GENIUS
This book offers a great way to understand 3 of the most amazing men in Architectural history. This book is hard to put down once started. This book is great for anyone who enjoys Architecture as a hobby, and is extremely resourceful for anyone who studies Architecture at a college level. This book in my opinion is a must have.

Super insight into three amazing individuals
An absolutely wonderful read! These men were/are fascinating. Corbu, Mies, and Wright make quite a trio--it is interesting how their lives and works intertwined. They created our world--and that's a fantastic realization! Is "less" really "more"? Find out here! ... Read more

Book Description

A must-have for Wright fans and lovers of architecture and design.This comprehensive guide to the life and times of the man widely considered to be one of the most innovative and influential figures in modern architecture provides an A to Z chronicle of Wright's work, family, friends, and the major events that shaped his career.Over 1,000 stunning color photographs include interior and exterior shots of his most acclaimed architectural masterpieces. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Lovely!
We collect books on FLW's work, and this one is particularly beautiful.

Wonderful photographs-leave you wanting more information
An encyclopedia gives brief information on a subject. This one is no different. Sometimes however, I was left wanting to know the significance of the work. What was it that stood out about Mr. Wright's accomplishment on a particular work. The pictures were very nice but left me craving more information and more detailed pictures of the same house or building. This book is a wonderful start and quick reference with good cross links higlighted in each description. You will be left wanting more information however.

Misses its mark
This could be a valuable book, but its worth is diminished by a fairly large number of mistakes. Buildings are mis-identified. Some photos of Wright's decorative features are printed upside down. Other photos are backwards. Several of the aerial views are dramatic, but others seem to be space fillers. One in particular of Forest Avenue in Oak Park shows no details of the homes except for the roofs. With a bit more care in the choice of prints, the photos could have a far greater impact on the reader's understanding of Wright's design genius.

very nice book
i got it by 30 canadian dollars from a bookstore in toronto? ... Read more

Book Description

Unity Temple: Frank Lloyd Wright and Architecture for Liberal Religion is the first in-depth study of one of the seminal works of America's most renowned twentieth-century architect. Joseph Siry examines Unity Temple in light of Wright's earlier religious architecture, his methods of design, and his innovative construction techniques. Unity Temple is treated as a work of art that embodies both Wright's theory of architecture and liberal religious ideals. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent book about an architectural masterpiece
Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple is an amazingly important work of architecture, completed in 1908 and in need of funding to complete a full restoration.This unparalleled account of the development of the art and architecture of Unity Temple only helps to increase awareness of this essential piece of our cultural heritage.If you have ever visited this building, you know how incredibly beautiful it is.If you love architecture and Wright in particular, you must own this book.

A National Treasure
Unity Temple is a National Treasure and it is treated as such by Mr. Siry. His research is unrivlaed in Wright circles and his writing is clear and concise. All aspects of the design and execution are included and discussedin a complete manner.

One only wishes that there were more, large colorphotographs to parallel the excellent writing. Would there be a secondeiition with them? If one is really interested in the subject and not justthe images, this is the book for you. ... Read more

House & Garden

By explaining Wright's complex geometry in the clearest language (a new tack for architecture criticism), McCarter amply repays a "debt of love." ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Useful not only for reference on his work
This is a great book, not only as a reference for FLW's work, divided into sections of building type, containing hundreds of great photographs and drawings of his works (about 20 on Fallingwater alone), by which you can really get to know his work in detail. Because it's so visually rich, it is also a reference for constrution techniques and details (and, as you know, FLW is a very echletic architect). The text is very well written and covers everything related to each work, like clients' reviews, technical specifications, the story of the building, and so forth. I recommend it to anyone interested in architecture and FLW.

knowledge
the building is beautiful.the columns used in johnson's wax company is mushroom type which give it a nice look and quite stable.in this columns there is no need of beams since the flange is working as beam.it is aesthetically very good.

Great book, different outlook on the man+his work
Oustanding commentary, well researched and insightful. The text here is mighty different from other commentaries on Wright, and feels much more substantive. Ony con: not enough images + some floorplans are reproduced too small to read clearly. - not a photo overview, a study on the man. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Magnificient art
That Frank Lloyd Wright was an artist is of course no surprise -- however, we often forget that, as an architect, he had to have quite an eye and ability for drawing. To be able to commit an idea down on paper is the first, and sometimes most crucial step, in designing a project, particularly when one has to convince another party to pay for it.

This book by Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer, who began as an apprentice with Wright at Talesin West, and directs the FLW archives at the FLW Foundation, is a masterpiece of the artistic design of Frank Lloyd Wright. It has more than 300 illustrations, nearly half of those in full-colour plates, in a wide-page format that makes this a great gift book, coffee-table book, and guide for those serious in the arts. An expert with the craft of draftsmanship as well as creative with flair for the artistic/aesthetic side of his buildings and concepts, these images show an astonishing range through the 300 concept pieces, plans, elevations and perspectives contained herein.

Pfeiffer puts these drawings into different categories:
- Residential Designs
- Religious Structures
- High-Rise Buildings
- Civic & Cultural Centers
- Hotels, Inns & Resorts
- Commercial & Educational Buildings
- Architecture & Engineering
- The Imperial Hotel
- Graphic and Decorative Designs

There are fold-out pages, such as the pages that show Wright's concept for the Mile-High Cantilever Sky-City; such designs are unlikely in today's terrorism-conscious culture. Some projects were never completed, such as this, but others, such as Fallingwater and the Imperial Hotel, were completed. Pfeiffer explores the pictures with history, concept, and Wright's own personal ideas included.

A wonderful book!

great book
I got this book last x mas. I still read and look at it every month. I think it's a great review of a very special person who really knew how to draw !

Amazing !!!!
When I first saw the FallingWater House, I saw that FLW was really an special person. This book shows us that all his masterpieces were just a clue of what he was able to do, of the buildings he could create. In FLW Drawings, you can see many perspectives representing his newest toughts and ideas, and proving that he really would have changed the world of architecture if God had givven him 30 years more (as he used to say). article: João Paulo Salgueiro ... Read more

Reviews (1)

For architectural students & Frank Lloyd Wright enthusiasts
Frank Lloyd Wright And The Prairie School In Wisconsin: An Architectural Touring Guide includes descriptions of forty-seven Wright-designed buildings, as well as thirty-six buildings of other Prairie School architects. Kristin Visser's guidebook will enable visitors to tour more than two dozen buildings, stay in Prairie School bed and breakfast inns, and even rent a Wright-designed cottage. Frank Lloyd Wright And The Prairie School In Wisconsin offers a history of each building, noting special features to observe. There is a brief biography of Frank Lloyd Wright and the other architects whose work is represented, as well as a brief history of the Prairie school. Frank Lloyd Wright And The Prairie School In Wisconsin is enhanced with more than one hundred photographs and practical travel information. James Dennis (professor of art history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the owner of a Wright-designed home) provides an informative introduction. Frank Lloyd Wright And The Prairie School In Wisconsin is "must" reading for architectural students and Frank Lloyd Wright enthusiasts. ... Read more

Book Description

This gorgeous volume celebrates the great houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the world's noted and America's most popular architect.An illustrated introduction provides an overview of design principles and Wright's ideas behind the modern home and is followed by sections on Early Houses, Prairie Houses, 1920's and 1930's Houses, and Usonian Houses.Elegant full-color photographs and an authoritative yet accessible text profile fifty of the best-loved signature homes that the architect created.Written by award-winning author, Diane Maddex, this lush companion to its hugely successful predecessors, Fifty Favorite Rooms by Frank Lloyd Wright and Fifty Favorite Furnishings by Frank Lloyd Wright, offers an approachable look at the architect's definitive decorative style. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"Some small woodblock prints"
An outstanding catalogue of a significant collection overlooked by the earlier specialists who catalogued the Wright collection (and labeled the box containing them "small woodblock prints). Ms. Mirviss brings her vast knowledge and expertise as well as her unfailing artistic eye to this often confusing genre. Stunning illustrations of previously unpublished or rarely seen works enhance the richness and pleasure of this catalogue and complement the text. ... Read more