Frank Lloyd Wright The Masterworks by Bruce B Pfeiffer

This extraordinary book presents thirty-eight of the most renowned and significant buildings of America's premier architect, from his early Prairie work in Oak Park, Illinois, in the 1890s to his daring creations of the 1940s and 1950s.

 

In entirely new photographs taken especially for this book by two leading architectural photographers under the direction of co-editor David Larkin, such internationally famous buildings as the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Fallingwater and Wright's homes Taliesin, Taliesin West, and the Oak Park Home and Studio are seen afresh, benefiting from the photographers' special access.

 

Several lesser-known residences, such as Auldbrass Plantation in South Carolina, an array of wooden buildings that is Wright's American alternative to antebellum architecture, the William H. Winslow house in River Forest, Illinois, one of the architect's earliest and most surprisingly decorative houses, and the Kenneth Laurent house in Rockford, Illinois, a masterful curvilinear design, are seen in full color and demonstrate dimensions of Wright's work less often seen before. Public buildings, such as the dramatic concrete, glass, and steel Marin County Civic Center and Beth Sholom Synagogue show Wright as engineering virtuoso as well as creative architect. In addition to these existing masterworks, only the most famous of which are open to the public, the book covers buildings that have been demolished, notably the Larkin Company Administration Building, Midway Gardens, and the Imperial Hotel, which are represented here by drawings and rich archival photographs.

 

Each of the buildings is presented from conceptual sketch, plan, or drawing to finished masterwork, and each is accompanied by an in-depth essay detailing the development of the work. Extensive quotes from Wright's writings, unpublished talks, and private letters to the clients give valuable insight into the architect's own thinking about each commission. Never before has Wright's architecture been presented so elaborately in one volume.

 

Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer was an apprentice to Frank Lloyd Wright and is currently a trustee and Director of the Archives for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation in Scottsdale, Arizona. He is the author of Frank Lloyd Wright Drawings and Treasures of Taliesin and editor of the highly praised series The Collected Writings of Frank Lloyd Wright.

 

David Larkin is the co-author and designer of such celebrated illustrated books as Classic America and Shaker and publisher of Barn and Wooden Ship.

 

Paul Rocheleau and Michael Freeman have contributed the new photography included in this book.

Product Details

ISBN:

9780847817153

Binding:

Hardcover

Publication date:

09/01/1993

Publisher:

ST MARTINS PRESS

Pages:

312

Height:

11.33 in.

Width:

11.30 in.

Thickness:

1.14 in.

Grade Range:

General/trade

Number of Units:

1

Copyright Year:

1993

Series Volume:

no. 4

UPC Code:

2800847817155

Editor:

Bruce B. Pfeiffer

Author:

Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer

Author:

Bruce B Pfeiffer

Editor:

David Larkin

Author:

David Larkin