Wright Chat

Mike Burdick · Joined: 13 May 2011 Posts: 4

I realize that Isabel Roberts is very much "past history," since she was FLW's office manager back in the early 1900's. But does anyone know of any sources of information about her? Any pictures? Brendan Gill, in his biography of FLW, mentions that FLW was very close to Isabel Roberts and might have built her house for free!
Thanks.

SDR · Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 8031 Location: San Francisco

Or at least designed it without charge . . . ?

SDR

Laurie Virr · Joined: 25 Jul 2009 Posts: 460

She was a licensed architect, and may have designed the house herself.

FLLW is known to have denigrated the abilities of Walter Burley Griffin, whom he described as 'A draftsman who went to Australia', and William Eugene Drummond, whom he treated appallingly. Similarly with Isobel Roberts, and his descriptions of 'Bookkeeper and 'Office Manager'.

He was a very great architect, but equally insecure in some respects.

SDR · Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 8031 Location: San Francisco

I was utterly ignorant of Ms Roberts' status as an architect. Perhaps she also designed the contemporaneous Davidson, Baker, and/or Steffens residences -- or piggy-backed on them to "bootleg" her own design ?

SDR

Paul Ringstrom · Joined: 17 Sep 2005 Posts: 2223 Location: Mason City, IA

Isabel Roberts
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabel_Roberts

Architectural Practice in Central Florida

As a result of this and of the building slump caused by the First World War, Ida A. Ryan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_Annah_Ryan) moved to Central Florida and began an architecture practice based in Orlando, Florida. She became Orlando's first female architect. In 1918-1919, Frederick H. Trimble employed Ryan as designing architect in his firm.[23]

Soon thereafter Ryan was joined by Isabel Roberts (1871–1955) who had been a designer-draftsman in the Oak Park Studio of Frank Lloyd Wright and the co-owner, with her mother Mary, of the Isabel Roberts House. Ida Annah Ryan and Isabel Roberts formed an architectural practice called “Ryan and Roberts” which was among no more than twelve firms active in Orlando in the 1920s. Their business is listed under the heading “Architects” as "Ryan and Roberts" in the 1926 and in the 1927 Orlando City Directories, at 240 S. Orange St. and the Kenilworth Terrace address. One of only 10 architectural firms listed in 1926, the others including: Frank L. Bodine, Fred E. Field, David Hyer, Murry S. King, George E. Krug, Howard M. Reynolds, Frederick H. Trimble and Percy P. Turner. And one of 12 firms so listed in Orlando in 1927, which included Maurice E. Kressly.[24] Each of these architects are notable and together these firms were supportive colleagues in promoting excellence in the built environment, as one can learn by reading the links to each.

pmahoney · Moderator Joined: 05 Feb 2006 Posts: 70

Roberts sought membership in the Florida chapter of the AIA but was rejected because she did not hold a Florida Architectural License. Wright wrote a glowing letter of support for her license. The letter is available in her AIA file online.
After a formal protest she was listed as a landscape architect on Ryan & Roberts letterhead. I do not believe she ever obtained a professional license.

Laurie Virr · Joined: 25 Jul 2009 Posts: 460

Mr P. Mahoney:

Sir, I bow to your superior knowledge. Being aware of the Orlando listing of Ida A.Ryan and Isobel Roberts as architects, I assumed they were both licensed.

Such a listing of 2 individuals, one an architect, the other an architecture heritage consultant, in Adelaide, South Australia, resulted in the local chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects throwing the book at them. They were required to amend all their signage, reprint their letterhead and envelopes, and alter their listing in the telephone directories.
The 2 people involved worked together, each reliant upon, and enhancing, the input of the other. The joys of bureaucracy.

Did FLLW ever apply for a license in Florida?

ozwrightfan · Joined: 13 Aug 2007 Posts: 151 Location: Sydney Australia

I seem to recall this topic being raised and discussed on another thread some time back, or am I confusing it with someone else?

jim · Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Posts: 216 Location: San Francisco

I saw a provocative documentary film last year:

"In a time when women architects could find little work, Frank Lloyd Wright's studio was an exception. The film 100 Women Architects in the Studio of Frank Lloyd Wright, subtitled "A Girl is a Fellow Here," explores the history of the over 100 women architects, designers and artisans who worked with Wright, creating the foundation for remarkable careers of their own."

The film was funded by the Beverly Willis Foundation and AECOM. You can find it with a brief trailer online.

This film also highlights Isabel Roberts, reporting that she was not a "secretary" to FLLW but an architect herself. As others above have noted, after Oak Park, she moved to Florida and the film shows several of her commissions there (not at all Wrightian). Although the film suggests it, she could not have been the designer of her Oak Park house, based on her later work.
_________________
Jim

SDR · Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 8031 Location: San Francisco

. . . and based on the two or three other houses similar to hers, designed by her employer at about the same time ?

I suppose it's appropriate to call her "architect," in the expanded definition (now so hotly contested by the righteous -- they are upset by the term "software architect," too, perhaps understandably) that was more common at one time.

Doesn't the artist wait for his peers to award him that title ?

SDR

peterm · Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 10:47 pm Post subject:

The trailer to the documentary, "A Girl is a Fellow Here"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY02yEi3nbA

SDR · Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 8031 Location: San Francisco

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverly_Willis

SDR

Roderick Grant · Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 3947

Isabel Roberts got her job in FLW's studio initially because she was the daughter of Charles Roberts, one of FLW's early mentors and a major client of (mostly unbuilt) spec houses. There are no documents at the Oak Park Studio to suggest that she ever did any design work while employed. The rumor that she may have designed her and her mother's house, rather than FLW, comes from "Many Masks," like a lot of other unfounded rumors. Gill also implied that the two had an affair, based in part on what Gill calls a 'Romeo and Juliet' balcony on the back of the house ... a balcony constructed during a major remodeling of the house after Roberts no longer owned it, and not designed by FLW.

I suspect FLW was snarky about William Drummond because Drummond, whose own house was next door to Roberts', was an extraordinary architect, possibly the best of the Oak Park lot. FLW did not like competition.

outside in · Joined: 29 Jul 2006 Posts: 791

I remember reading somewhere that she was very much involved with the design of art glass in the studio - does anyone else remember her role as an art glass designer?

SDR · Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 8031 Location: San Francisco

There's a sentence or two about that in the Wikipedia story -- see link above.

S