Wright Chat

[Jeff Myers]

Thanks SDR. I wondered if that said Powder Room, I noted that 5 times in my notes. Thanks for Clarifying what I tried my best to make sense of it all.

I had the Zoom in on the screen with a Magnifying glass,worked well just a bit.

Jeff
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JAT
Jeff T

[SDR]

Right -- with the limitation of my scan, and the further limitation of the screen raster (pixels), it would not have been possible to do better. It sure is fun finding these random notes. I can't recall seeing client notes on a Taliesin sheet -- though there must be other examples ?

Apparently, the plan was not condensed by two modules, as proposed by Mr Fawcett. He may have missed the fact that the plan as drawn has an odd number of full modules at the two glass walls -- enabling a symmetrical array of fixed and operating doors. You don't mess with the Architecture. . .!

S

[KevinW]

What neither plan show is where the laundry room ended up, which was in the utility room behind the kitchen. I believe it was in the late 1980's or early 1990's, the laundry room was moved to where it is now which is in the second boys bedroom, slightly remodeled by Bob. Laundry room counter tops are Micarta Chinese red.

The kitchen was indeed enlarged to it present size. The storrer drawing does show a few minor errors. The guest bedroom has just one set of french doors, not two, the water heater closet in the gallery is not shown, the bathroom that the girls shared has a tub, not just a shower, and the side door between the kitchen and playroom is missing, just shows a void, and the built in sofa, shows and additional "leg" where the built in tv and stereo cabinet are, the sofa actually stops at the casework.
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KevinW

[KevinW]

Well Done SDR, I recieved a call from Bucks daughter confirming that you are correct. And that is Buck's hand written notes on the drawing. At that stage of the design, the Fawcetts were concerned with cost. They very much wanted to build the house, and Buck was considering ways to perhaps make it more affordable.
It is my opinion that this is just another example of Wrights eagerness to please a client. Maybe he mellowed in old age. I think in many way Wright met his match with Buck Fawcett. Buck shared some of Wrights traits, and I always thought of Buck as larger that life. He was confident, and very intellegent. I could see Wright admiring someone like Buck, and the results are proof of Architect listening to client, and client trusting the Architect.
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KevinW

[SDR]

That is the kind of relationship for which the architect waits and hopes, knowing that his best work will result -- in a superior building, and an enduring friendship -- while he endures many a year of lesser relationships, and compromised results, perhaps ?

S

[KevinW]

For your viewing pleasure....more Fawcett house pics have been posted to my Flicker site, including pics of the workshop and toolshed.

Tomorrow I will be uploading several pictures of some of Bob Beharka's buildings in the area, and more interior pics of Fawcett.
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KevinW

[Roderick Grant]

What's the story behind what appears to be a traditional torii gate in the garden?

[KevinW]

I dont know of any story regarding the Torii gate. But, it is located before a stone path that leads to the Japanese garden and koi pond. Fresno landscape Architect Jim Kamimoto designed much of the landscape here, although Buck had a large influence on the design too.
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KevinW

[SDR]

I was amused and delighted to see, from the green-colored aerial photo in the middle of page 3 of mLmAGG's Flicker images (see above), that the house is situated at the intersection of two lanes which meet at something close to a 60-degree angle -- surely a sympatico setting for this triangle-module house. This landscape geometry is not readily appreciated from the ground. . .and must be an extremely rare if not unique occurrence in Wright's work ?

SDR

[KevinW]

There is a belief that the perf design is an abstraction of the building site.
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KevinW

[SDR]

Hmm . . . I'm not sure I see that.






[Can anyone detect the single apparent error in this drawing ?]






SDR

[Jeff Myers]

In an Abstract way it does.
On the same subject note does anyone notice that Seth Peterson's perf actually is the shape of the sloping roof? Am I pointing out the obvious?
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JAT
Jeff T

[KevinW]

I have posted a few more pics of the Fawcett house, the more utilitarian rooms, such as the second boys bedroom that was remodeled by Bob Beharka to be the laundry room, and the utility room behind the kitchen. Even these rooms are beautiful.
Also tonite was the seasons first cool evening so we built a little fire in the fire pit by the pool, there are a few pics of the evening glow..


Kevin
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KevinW

[peterm]

I see palm trees all of time here in L.A., and honestly most of the time they just look messy, dirty and out of place. But those trees next to that house in that particular spot are magical: the feeling of a cool oasis in the desert of Central California. It looks so calm and peaceful.

You must be having a blast!

You're right, even the utilitarian spaces are beautiful...

[KevinW]

PeterM
About a month ago the palms were trimmed of the dried hanging palm fronds and do look beautifully healthy, although a few were untrimmed due to owls nesting in them. Gotta keep the owls happy!
Yes, indeed we are having a blast, a great place to live, and work!
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KevinW