This summer
Chicago Architecture Today
enjoyed an opportunity to sit down with the management of
one the nation's most prolific construction firms McHugh
Construction, Inc. based right here in Chicago.
Since its founding in 1897,
James McHugh Construction Co. has earned its reputation as a
builder of landmark, one-of-a-kind structures.
Chicago’s history is McHugh’s
own: many of the area’s top landmarks bear McHugh’s imprint,
including Marina City with its striking corncob shape and
the world-class Arlington Park racetrack, completed in a
record 21 months. More recent contributions to Chicago’s
distinct milieu include the new Goodman Theatre, the
striking angles of the Notebaert Nature Museum, the swank
Hotel Monaco and Hotel Allegro, and the new high-rise
neighborhood of Lakeshore East. Little Village and York
Community high schools demonstrate equal commitment to
innovation and tradition in education.
In this interview, we were
treated to not only a bit more of the firm's history,
current projects and procedures, and perspective on the
economy as it pertains to the construction industry. This is
part one of two on-site interviews.
*
* *
Spotlight
on Friends
An Exclusive with Roger G. Hill II CEO /
Chairman
Gettys Hospitality & Design
Development
By Erik Munck
On assignment for Chicago Architecture
Today
Erik: I understand
you were a hotel administration major at Cornell University.
How did you become interested in hotel design?
Roger: I went to the
hotel school to get a good understanding of how hotel
operations worked. I had an internship at Bear Sterns and
wanted to eventually work for them performing research on
which hotel stock to buy. However, I soon realized that
there were a lot of hotels that had been built in the 80's
for the wrong reasons. In 1986, tax laws were changed
dramatically where prior to that you could use the lost
money invested in real estate as a tax shelter. That made
owning a hotel that much more difficult in that it had to
make complete economic sense [from the onset of any
project]. When Andrew, Ari, Julius, [the three other Cornell
students who helped found Gettys] and I met, we came to the
consensus that there could be an interesting opportunity to
utilize our interest in finance and the way that hotels run,
and couple that with a strong understanding of how to help
an owner make the right decisions for renovations or new
construction. There was also a faculty member at school
named Keith Halbert who taught in the Properties Department.
He understood our thinking about how to potentially create a
design business that could be business-focused, and we ran
with that idea. In short, it was coming across an
[influential] professor that really got us interested in
design in addition to possessing an understanding that there
was a need in the marketplace for people who understood good
design and good hotel business.
Erik: I am also
aware that you attended the prairie school in Racine
Wisconsin which was built by Frank Lloyd Wright’s firm. Did
this help influence your interest in design?
Roger: I would say
without question that it did. Architecturally it was a
really stimulating environment to work in, and I feel that
helped me at a young age subliminally to begin to understand
the importance of good design. The Prairie School shows that
you don’t have to spend a lot of money to make a place look
good, a belief which we pride ourselves on here at Gettys.
The school has some great details in relationship to being
environmentally sensitive, like overhangs which keep the
summer sun from coming in a building. It can get pretty cold
in the Midwest, and there are some terrific ways to let
natural light inside. One thing that came through was that
it was a place that you really felt good coming to.
Erik: Why start
Gettys in Chicago?
Roger: We started
Gettys here in Chicago because when we started the business
in 1988 there were already a number of really
well-recognized hotel interiors firms in LA and New York,
and not many here. Also this is a central location, which we
knew from a travel perspective would help us be competitive,
and certainly as time has gone on it’s been a wonderful
location for us to be in relationship to international
travel. Not that we had that vision back then, but it’s
proven to reinforce that it was a good decision. Hyatt was
also here and has always been a good customer of ours. Other
than the weather it’s been a fantastic place to be.
Erik: How has the
current economic status affected the types of projects that
Gettys has taken on now?
Roger: One of the
things that is unique about us is that we have always been
excited to work on projects at many different price points,
whereas some of our competition will only do resorts,
luxury, or upper up scale projects. Having done a range of
projects, we are in a better position than some other firms
which are only focused on the high-end or new construction
markets. It is helping us tremendously that we are currently
working on both renovations and new construction, and not
many clients would feel good about a firm being able to work
in a multitude of different environments, but our philosophy
is spend a dollar and make it look like two, no matter the
project. This current economic environment has been very
challenging, but luckily for us it has been less challenging
because of the fact that we can work in this broad design
platform.
Erik: Would you
like to continue with foreign projects?
Roger: Absolutely.
Getting back to our cornerstone of creating value and
reducing risk for the people that we serve, that mantra
applies extremely well globally. Now that we have offices in
Hong Kong and Dubai, it’s much easier for our team to be
there to support them [international clients], and thanks to
technology we can very efficiently work as one global
organization. It’s stimulating from an entrepreneur’s
perspective, as you want to continue to grow and learn, and
it is exciting to learn about new cultures. Fortunately for
us we’ve also had the opportunity to do business in these
new places, as much of our competition which only does work
in the U.S. has had a more challenging time. We [ the U.S.]
are at the epicenter of this financial calamity, and are
probably going to be in it for the longest period of time.
Erik: Do you have
a favorite type of project? For example: Local, new
construction, renovation, international?
Roger: I would say
projects where we can add the most value for a client from
inception to completion, no matter which project type you
just mentioned. If we can sit down with someone and really
understand what their objectives are from a design and
business perspective and help them come up with a plan and
then help execute it, that by far is the project type that
is the most exciting and rewarding, and which we can be the
most invested in. Providing the start-to-end value is the
easiest for us, and the most stimulating.
Erik: Do you have
any favorite projects which Gettys has completed?
Roger: Some of our
most meaningful projects were the smallest ones we had when
we were starting out, and I still have great affection for
them because people had enough confidence in us to give us a
chance to do them. I’ll never forget us renovating the Hyatt
Regency Chicago or the Radisson in Indianapolis. It is
really rewarding taking on those early projects and not
letting our clients down, and now twenty years later still
working with those same clients.
Erik: What was one
of the hardest projects you have been involved in?
Roger: Always the
most challenging but rewarding projects are those with
extremely aggressive timelines. We once did a model room in
two weeks for the Radisson Lexington hotel in New York City,
which would normally take a month to design and at least
another month to build out. You try to control three things
in a project: The time it takes, the budget and the scope.
If you don’t have control of at least two, it can be tricky,
but those projects with tight budgets and a need for speed
are also the most exciting.
Erik: What makes
Gettys stand out from the rest?
Roger: I’d like to
think it’s the culture we’ve tried to create. We treat each
other fairly, and have an open door policy for those who
want to learn and be involved in as many presentations as
they’d like. We also encourage people to take risks, and
want everyone at Gettys to feel the entrepreneurial
environment themselves. We couple that with trying to
attract the best people in each of the areas we are trying
to work in. Here we are a team, and consequently work within
the pronoun nomenclature of ‘We’ and ‘Our.’ I think that’s
unusual in the creative industry, which is so driven by ego.
We all share the successes and the failures; fortunately
over the last 20 years we’ve had a lot more successes than
failures. Furthermore, the majority of our clients are
people who also respect what we bring, and don’t look at us
as a commodity but can understand us and help us get the
most value out of a project.
Erik: What do you
think is the biggest difference in the hotel industry now
and when you started this company in 1988?
Roger: The biggest
difference, which we could not be more proud of because we’d
like to feel like we were an influence, is that now people
really recognize the power of great design. Twenty years ago
people’s expectations for good design both residentially and
in the hotel industry were much lower. If a guest wanted to
really experience terrific design he or she had to go to a
luxury or upper/ upscale hotels, whereas now terrific design
solutions can be found in the select service market as well.
Moreover, hotel rooms were homogenized within brands; even
two of the same brand hotels in different countries would be
the same. It has always been our understanding that there
should be a sense of place within a hotel. The brand will
ensure that guests will have the kind of experience that he
or she is expecting at that type of hotel, and there is no
reason that we should not be able to think locally to
develop a design solution. Technology is also playing a more
important roles, and with good design becoming more
affordable, I think design will get better and better.
For more information on the
Gettys Group, contact them at
Gettys.com
*
* *
Spotlight
on Friends
Chicago Architecture Foundation
Bookshop & Tour Center
Our Spotlight
on Friends series highlights organizations and businesses
within the Chicagoland community which contribute to the
city's unique architectural legacy.
The CAF Bookshop & Tour Center located at 224 South Michigan
Avenue is one of Chicago's most treasured resources. At a
recent interview, we explored the multi-faceted offerings
found there from architecturally-related merchandise to the
newly-constructed much lauded model city.
Ross Renjilian - Interview
Contributing reporters: Alex Tsparis,
Kyle Thomas
*
* *
Spotlight
on Friends
The Prairie Avenue Bookshop
Our Spotlight
on Friends series highlights organizations and businesses
within the Chicagoland community which contribute to the
city's unique architectural legacy. The Prairie Avenue
Bookshop located on the edge of the Loop on Wabash Ave is
one those special places many may not be aware of. In this
video segment, we hope to whet your appetite to take an
opportunity to sample the excellent selections of
architecturally-related material you'll find there.
Contributing reporters: Alex
Tsparis - Editing, Video
Kyle Thomas - Interview
*
* *
An Exclusive with Mike
Maurer, AIA Principal Gettys Group, Inc.
Green Hotel Design: Chicago's
Felix Hotel
by Erik Munck, Project
Assist., Chicago Architecture Today
Going green is easier than
people think, even in the hospitality industry. At least it
is when you take an innovative hospitality design firm and
have them renovate a historic hotel in one of the greenest
cities in the U.S. The Hotel Felix is the $27 million newly
developed boutique hotel that once was the Hotel Wacker,
located in downtown Chicago and expected to be the city’s
first LEED Silver hotel. Gettys Group, Inc. supplied the
interior and architectural design, procurement, and project
management services. I was fortunate enough to talk to Mike
Maurer, AIA and Principal with Gettys, about the steps they
took to secure LEED Silver status, and the unique way in
which hotels are affected by, and in turn affect,
sustainable building practices.
A hotel functions very
differently than other buildings and operates on its own
standards. Therefore, hotels need their own rating system,
explains Mr. Maurer. The amount of use and quick turnaround,
as well as need for high visibility are just some issues
designers must face. Furthermore, hotels are broadening
their functions, incorporating more conference centers,
spas, and newer technologies. Luckily, one of Mr. Maurer’s
associates is one of 16 architects working with the USGBC to
develop a much needed LEED Hotel category.
Sustainability is becoming
more important in the hospitality industry and is used to
attract clientele; a case in point when numerous people
checked out of the Lakeshore hotel to stay in the nearby
Felix. Some companies even require their employees to stay
in green hotels. Gettys helped their client, OBG Hotel
Felix, secure LEED status, without compromising their high
standards. Maintaining brand image is one of the hardest
parts of making a hotel sustainable, recalls Mr. Maurer.
Using less water can sacrifice the powerful showers adored
by guests, and the need for high indoor air quality means a
lot of duct work, which one does not want exposed in a
high-end hotel. However, in typical Gettys fashion, they
made it simple, and gave the clients the information
required to evaluate each LEED point. Allowing the client to
make informed decisions is the key part of the job; a
position held by Mr. Maurer and Gettys.
So what are the areas that
gained the Felix major LEED points? According to Mr. Maurer,
some are no-brainers. The re-use of an existing facility, an
urban environment close to public transport, and reduced
demand for electricity and plumbing, to name a few. In fact,
just by complying with Chicago’s building codes
automatically earns many points, specifically in the energy
use category. As Gettys has their own procurement, they were
able to maintain control over their specifications, and
gained many points in carpeting, certified woods and
recycled products. These of course, were selected with
design as the main priority. “The guests don’t notice what’s
not there,” says Mr. Maurer, revealing the importance of not
constantly reminding guests that they are in a LEED
building. Guests don’t want to feel like they are
sacrificing anything to stay at a hotel. Mr. Maurer
thankfully jokes that green does not mean tons of solar
panels or granola anymore. A high-end hotel can be green and
still have the amenities, comforts, and image one would
expect in a high-end hotel.
So what is the Felix’s
image? Nature provides the inspiration, but does not
dominate. A wide array of earth tones, champagnes, and
bronzes, both rich and neutral make up the palette.
According to Mr. Maurer, color comes from the guests and the
streetscape. Windows on the north show trees and let in the
northern light, the light favored by artists. The elaborate
artwork is the pop.
It is only natural that
hotels are following the green trend. With the popularity of
the Felix and the increasing interest towards sustainable
practices in the hotel industry, it should be easier to live
a green lifestyle, even while traveling.
*
* *
An Exclusive with
Stephen Yas
President, YAS Architecture
LLC
Q. Can you give us a
brief history of YAS Architecture in the Chicagoland area?
R.
We were founded in 1990 from two partners in Evanston, IL
after an 18-year history of working in and with some of
Chicago areas largest firms such as SOM and Lohan
Associates. We have been at our current Chicago location on
south Michigan Avenue since August of 2007.
Q. What is the current
size of your design team, and is this your primary office of
operation? Can you currently foresee growth that would
precipitate future expansion?
R.
We currently have 10 people on staff with a couple of
graduate level interns as well. We are projecting to a staff
level of about 21 team members [to comfortably handle future
growth].
Q. What are the
specific design programs which define YAS Architecture?
R.
We began with the idea of doing commercial projects [and
have since received a number of residential commissions],
but the scope of work breaks down to 50% public work and 50%
private work for developers. So our focus is Architecture,
Interior Design and Urban Design projects.
Q. Talk about your
firm’s philosophy which shapes each project endeavor from
start to finish.
R.
The predominant focus of our design philosophy is
"humanizing" modern architecture. Just because a facility is
modern doesn't mean it has to be cold, unlivable and
uncomfortable. There needs to be a tactile element to a
modern building. We want the people of a particular culture
[or locale] to be able to identify with a building-to
experience sort of a psychological connection. Before
there's a concept there must a spirit. Our goal is find the
spirit of place. When you find that, then you're home,
so-to-speak. What I mean by "spirit" involves the essence of
that culture and humanistic value of a [particular] place.
We must ask, "What is the symbolism of a [certain] local
that people can relate to? For example, we didn't want to
design a Prairie-style public facility in the west suburban
community of Montgomery, IL according to the desires of most
of their city officials because there was no history of that
style in that area.
Basically, a building shouldn't look like it was dropped in
from the United States if you're in another country.
Therefore, consulting with the community can play a large
role in getting project "right." We do expect that a
prospective client will view our portfolio and understand that
we design within the theme of a modern [context].
[Realistically], although we believe that we should design
for "our time" and technology, we know that modern design
can be a tough sell, especially in many suburban
communities.
Q. Tell us a few of the
projects past and/or present in which you have experienced
the greatest sense of accomplishment as you reflect upon its
outcome and client satisfaction.
R.
I gage success
by client satisfaction, especially as it relates to the
realm of functionality. For example, many of our public
projects have attained the status of a becoming a
"prototype" for similar projects by other firms.
Case-in-point was Firestation #3 in Evanston, IL. We
instituted several atypical, yet innovative design concepts
for this facility including a new color scheme, a symbolic
house drying tower, 3 80-foot glass apparatus bays, a
workout room, a great room, study and watch rooms and
private dorm rooms for male and female personnel. Humbly,
the station has become the envy of area fire houses and
we've attained a bit of cult status among the fire house
patrons themselves. This outcome illustrates the need to
talk to the client not just about style but function. Yet,
we never put our value judgments [on what's needed for a
project ahead of our clients. This is accomplished by not
just talking to the decision-makers who are the visionaries,
but we also go to the rank-n-file who'll be living and
working from day-to-day in that facility.
Q. In
light of the present economic downturn, how does that affect
YAS Architecture going forward?
R.
Global Economics. If say the condo market here in the U.S.
is stagnant, we'll go where its thriving. In a broader
sense, we propose a design process and methodology which
functions like an equation to draw out from a client what
the best [solution] would be in a particular context.
[Versatility works to our advantage] as we have the ability
to design almost any kind of project. [Yet], in this down
market, high-end modern is selling [which of course is the
core of our design philosophy]. And we are proud to say that
all of our projects have come in under budget [which speak
positively to our program].
Q.
What is your personal
feeling on the great deal of emphasis being placed upon
green technology today, and what do you think the outlook of
urban architecture will have in store for sustainable
design?
R.
Good architects were doing green design before it became a
buzz word. We work together with our clients to reach a
level of sustainability they're satisfied with and use a
LEED checklist as the client and project calls for it. On a
philosophical but yet functional level, I believe that every
high-rise building should produce more energy than it uses.
For example, our high-rise project in Columbia will provide
more energy than it consumes and in fact, will produce
enough energy to satisfy the needs of the community around
it.
Q. How would you
complete the following sentence: “Architecture design
schools need to better prepare students in…?”
R.
Freehand drawing is becoming a lost art. Students need to
learn how to design without the aid of a computer. CAD
should be used as a tool, but not dictate design, theory or
creativity. Student though processes should be more lateral
than logical. In other words, thinking needs to occur more
out-of-the-box.
Q. In what ways does
YAS Architecture participate in the Chicagoland community?
R. We're doing our best to try
to build a better world one building at a time through
preservation and re-development projects. The end result
being making the community a safer [and more inviting]
place. We also work with the academic community through
architectural educational initiatives and competitive
programs to assist students in taking greater steps to
become a desirable workplace commodity.
*
* *
An Exclusive with Ted Strand
Principal at Solomon
Cordwell Buenz
On
"Green Design" and 340 on The Park
340 on
the Park
Q: Why does SCB feel it was
important to strive for LEED certification in a residential
skyscraper?
A: One of the things I want
to make real clear is giving credit where credit is due, and
that the developer, Related Midwest, was ahead of the curve
(pushing for a green design). They decided in conjunction
with SCB to ring up the idea of sustainability. / This is a
project that was done far in advance of any of green design
incentive programs. SCB and the developer were way ahead of
the curve on this, and in the end they were anticipatory of
what the green market would be and benefited from it.
Q: What were some major
obstacles or design implications necessary to make 340 on
the Park a green building by design.
A: [First of all], LEED is a way of keeping
score through a design process.
Q: So does LEED drive design
decisions?
A: No, I don’t think it
drives design decisions. When it comes to doing a curtain
wall, we made decisions about that curtain wall; we made
decisions about the quality of the glass [and] about the amount
of glass that would be used in there. So, those are all
design decisions that led to achieving certain LEED points,
but it’s a balance that you are trying to strike between
achieving these points and making the building be on
budget. There is a whole range of decisions that you go
through to arrive at the final design, and LEED is one of
the components, so I would not say it is the driver behind
the design.
Q: After Completing 340 on
The Park and being awarded the silver LEED certification, do
you feel that many of your future projects will incorporate
green technologies?
A: Absolutely. Part of our
practice now, is that we ensure that discussion is held with
each and every one of our clients. The notion of achieving
some level of LEED certification is discussed, and that we
educate our clients on LEED and its implications.
Q: What is your personal
feeling on the great deal of emphasis on green technology
today, and what do you think the future of architecture will
have in store for green technology?
A: I think increasingly it
is becoming more mainstream, however what we as a practice
are more interested in is not necessarily ensuring that all
of our buildings are LEED certified. We are more interested
in seeing ways we can reduce energy consumption in a
building, and that is not just getting LEED points, that’s
thinking about a building holistically.
Q:
Having the opportunity to design next to Millennium Park
(one of Chicago’s most favored Green Spaces) is there any
specific elements you pulled from the iconic park, and
anything that you did differently in your later attempts.
A: Clearly, The Legacy is a
building that really capitalizes on those views. The
Heritage is a building that faces parallel to the park,
where as The Legacy turns its axis to be perpendicular to
the park, so the views look out towards the park. With the
Heritage we made every attempt to get units with views
looking over the park, but there are some units that only
have the city view. In the Legacy all the views go out
overlooking the park.
Q: Not just looking at
Millennium Park, SCB primarily operates in the Chicagoland
area, besides business & commerce variables, what do you
derive from the Chicago area’s built environment or its
history of architecture, which inspires or guides your
design principles?
A: Architecture went through
a phase where contextualizing was something that was very
important. The postmodern movement was where everything had
a hat on it, and everything tried to be related to its
context. Instead we focus more on Chicago being the home of
modern architecture with Mies and International School. As a
practice we tend to look at buildings from a reductionist
stand point rather than trying to add layers of fussiness,
we are trying to design buildings so they are pure
expressions of their function so that they are as clean and
as simple, and as modern, from an expression point, as they
can be.
*
* *
Environmental Design
Olathe
East High School
Olathe,
Kansas
Facilitator/Teachers: Barbara Nikoomanesh & Lee Sappingfield
Olathe
East High Schools Environmental Design program is open to
any student who would like to enroll, although it is
targeted towards students with an interest in Architecture,
Interior Design, Industrial Design, Landscape Design,
Engineering, or any other field of Design.
Students spend two hours a day all year in the Environmental
Design classroom. This approach allows students the extra
time they need to learn new technologies and work on their
drawing and design skills.
Principles of Design and drawing concepts are stressed in
this program. Students work on skill development in
observational and perspective drawing, focusing on
composition, value and proportions.
With
technology being another major component of this program,
students are introduced to, and develop skills in Photoshop,
AutoCAD, 3D VIZ, and Final Cut Pro. Students also learn how
to use scanners and digital cameras.
In
order to encourage students to become creative thinkers, we
try to get them to think outside the box. One way we do this
is by presenting assignments as open ended problems. For
example, we presented a "Motion Device Design" problem which
gave students a creative license to design the device using
their own interpretation. Rather than dictating that
students design a device that has to transport someone or
something, students were free to design a kinetic sculpture
or other creative device with displaying motion.
We
presented a "Seating Device Design" problem to the students,
in order to avoid the stereotypical image of a chair that
students would conjure up with the problem of a chair
design. After much research, students came up with their own
original seating device designs, creating pencil drawings,
CAD drawings, 3DVIZ drawings and a prototype.
Current
event articles related to the built environment are
presented to the students in order to heighten their
awareness of current events in the world around them.
Articles on Hurricane Katrina and disaster engineering, the
importance of sustainable design as well as others are
introduced. The students complete written reflections and
discuss their ideas relating to the impact of and possible
solutions to the current events.
In
order to familiarize students with Historical Architecture
in their city and elsewhere, we take Architectural Field
trips. Students compare and contrast modern and historical
structures. Renowned architects and their work are also
introduced. An attempt is made to instill an appreciation
for preservation on these students, making them advocates
for the built environment.
In
order to give the students a feel for what it is like to
work in the real world, we do firm simulations. Each student
has an individual role as well as individual accountability
within their firm. The roles are: The Lead, who coordinates
with team members, makes decisions and oversees the project.
The CAD person, who is the one responsible for doing the CAD
drawings for the project. The Board person, who does the
perspective drawings to compile with the CAD, 3D VIZ, &
digital photos on a presentation board, with an explanation
of the project. The 3D VIZ person, who completes the 3-D VIZ
animation of the project. The Modeler, who creates the
prototype for the project. We rotate positions for each
project through the year, giving students the chance to take
on each roll.
Whenever possible, we try to work with the community to
create Real-World problems for the students to solve and
implement. One example would be the re-design of the
landscaping at Havencroft, one of our district elementary
schools. Students took a field trip to the school to do
sketches, take digital images and interview the principal
about the landscaping that was in place as well as changes
deemed necessary. Safety issues and student traffic patterns
were also investigated. Students then did research on the
native plants, mature sizes of plants and conditions
necessary for the plants to thrive. Outdoor structures that
could be used were also researched. Working collaboratively
with our science department, the students took soil samples
to detect any problems with the soil. Working in a firm
simulation, landscape designs were developed and
presentations were made using pencil drawings, Photoshop,
CAD drawings and PowerPoint. Students made a final
presentation to the principal and landscape committee of the
school. Student landscape designs were implemented later in
the year.
Another
example of a Real-World problem would be the Educational
Learning Toy designs our students did for the students at
the districts Early Childhood Center. Environmental Design
students worked with the young children and interviewed
their teachers to find out what type of limitations the
students had and what skills they needed to develop.
Students researched educational learning toys and worked in
firms to develop their own original educational learning toy
designs and models that were presented to the teachers.
Students are provided with the opportunity to do shadowships
with local architectural, design and engineering firms in
their senior year. As a class, we also take field trips to
firms and jobsites to observe designers in the field.
Visiting artists, architects and designers are also invited
in to the classroom to give presentations to the students.
We have had an architect, sculptor and movie set designer
present to the students. This has proved to be an enriching
situation for the students, because it validates the career
when they can listen to professionals and see the actual
projects they are working on.
Students do reflections on each of their assignments,
critiquing their own work to help them evaluate whether the
objectives and criteria were met. They reflect on solutions,
discuss choices and evaluate the need for change. It is
vital to the learning process that students reflect
throughout the course of designing as well as when the
assignment is complete.
Given
the amount of class time the students have in this program
and the content covered, our students leave with a wealth of
information and experience. Since these are the designers of
the future, the more exposure they have to our built
environment and the issues involved, the better prepared
they will be in the future to develop sustainable designs.
Please
visit the Olathe East Environmental Design website
at:
in the Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, a Preacher’s
Kid?”
Dr. Curtis J. Sartor, Jr. NOMA,
Assoc. AIA, ALA
Professor & Department Chair
Department of Architecture
Judson College
Frank
Lloyd Wright was not a disciple or follower of Jesus Christ;
but, he did pursue an alternative path to defining and
creating Architecture. He created an Organic Architecture,
and the Prairie and Usonian Houses. We view architecture
differently because of this alternative wisdom created by
Wright.
The wisdom of the subversive
sages or teachers is the wisdom of “the road less traveled”.
It was the same with Frank Lloyd Wright. The teachings of
Christ are the narrow way, and “the road less traveled” is
the alternative wisdom of Jesus Christ. Jesus said to his
disciples in John 14: 6, King James Version:
I
am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto The
Father, but by me.
The
way less traveled is life in the Spirit. It is the life that
Jesus himself knew. The life to which Jesus invited his
hearers was the life in the Spirit that he had experienced,
the narrow way, the alternative wisdom. The teachings of
Jesus Christ are that there is a way of being that moves
beyond both the secular and conventional wisdom of the
world. The practical theology of Jesus Christ can be
seen in the Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. There is a
relationship to the environment, humankind, and the
architecture.
THE ARCHITECT and HIS PRAIRIE
HOUSES
Frank
Lloyd Wright rejected the current styles and teachings about
architecture. He was not educated in any of the architecture
programs, but did attend the University of Wisconsin as an
engineering student for a short time. In fact he rejected
College education and preferred being trained in the offices
of Architects. He rejected the conventional teachings about
traditional Architecture. Wright’s views on contemporary
Architecture first received national attention in 1901, when
the Curtis publishing company commissioned several designs
for publication in the Ladies Home Journal. The innovative
houses designed included “A home in a Prairie Town”. Wright
dismissed the concept of the house as a box subdivided into
smaller boxes. This idea was prevalent in the current style
of houses being designed and built by most architects during
that period. Wright eliminated both the basement and attic
in his concept of the house. Servant’s quarters were moved
to the kitchen area, which were well ventilated to provide
an odorless and sanitary work environment. He also replaced
the traditional sash windows with operational casement
windows. This increased the seamless quality of indoor and
outdoor space. He integrated nature and the surroundings in
his prairie house designs. Second floors were often lighted
by continuous bands of clearstory windows overhanging light
colored extended eaves that extended protectively from
low-hipped roofs. Wright’s houses were typically horizontal,
rather than vertically laid out on a cruciform plan. His own
home and studio in Oak Park, Illinois was a laboratory for
his design experiments from 1889 until 1909. Both buildings
were constantly being renovated, expanded, and rearranged.
Oak
Park was a new community outside of Chicago and was the
first community that Wright began his career in as an
Architect. Oak Park was a wooded suburb which was
growing just as rapidly as Chicago. Oak Park’s early
residents were the families of stockbrokers, insurance
executives, bankers, and investors. Oak Park with its
wealthy residents became the forging ground for many of
Wright’s radical or alternative designs.
His
Prairie Houses in Oak Park exemplifies his alternative
wisdom in residential architecture. These homes had
large, free flowing living areas, and were naturally
well-lighted by windows that opened the house to
continuous vistas of the exterior landscaping. The
Prairie houses also had fireplaces that defined the
living areas, and served as a focal point of the family
life. Furnishings were designed specifically for the
house and the clients. The homes were crafted to respect
the beauty of God’s natural materials and natural
landscape. Plantings and outdoor fixtures were designed
for a harmonious integration of unity between site and
architecture. There is
a seamless spiritual connection the viewer and users
senses between site, landscape, art, architecture, and
interiors. The architecture then becomes a very sermonic
work of Art. This quality, in this author’s view,
becomes Wright’s practical theology of Architecture.
Wright’s Prairie Houses had very little connection
with the actual context of the prairie. Its
application was based on Wright’s belief of how a
family should live.
Classic examples of Prairie Styles are: the Ward W.
Willits House in Highland Park, Illinois, the Meyer
May House in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the Robie
House in Chicago, Illinois. In Oak Park, Illinois,
the Prairie houses investigated were: the William E.
Martin built in 1903, the Arthur Heurtley House
built in 1902, and the William G. Frick House built
in 1901. These houses have wide-eave, low roofs,
massive chimneys, open porches, free-flowing living
areas, abundant natural lighting, and garden walls
running out from the house to connect with the site.
The elements of the Prairie Style represented
principles of Wright’s architecture that he was
creating for his family. He believed that these
principles were what America was founded upon.
These principles were also represented in his later
Architecture.
Christ
can be seen symbolically and metaphorically in
Wright’s Architecture through the Prairie style. The
integration and unity of the site, landscape, art,
architecture and interiors represented spiritual
connection humankind should have and a freedom one
should experience. These principles were utopian;
but, also formed what he called an Organic society.
With these principles of an Organic Architecture, he
also created an alternative to the prevalent
Architectural style which was the Art Nouveau, Queen
Anne, or Tudor style.
Frank Lloyd Wright
obviously was profoundly influenced by nature. Many
of his designs while highly ordered and geometric
had their origins in nature. His architecture had
their design justifications in God’s creation. He
frequently compared structural designs to nature and
looked to it for authenticity. A notable example is
the rigid–core
high–rise building, with its floors cantilevered
from a central spine, which he compared to the
branches of a tree extending from its trunk or
relative to human form. He compared the fused rigid
spine and hollow tube of his Romeo and Juliet
windmill to the embrace of lovers. The interior of
the Johnson Wax building is also an example of this
analogy.
CONCLUSION
Christ can be
seen in the Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright
through his design of the Prairie houses in Oak
Park, Il. His ideology of unifying the site,
landscape, art, architecture, and interior as a
holistic expression creates a unique sense of
place that did not exist before. This “genesis
loci” is evident in the architecture that Wright
created. There is also a spiritual quality that
one can sense in his Architecture. Wright
believed in the unity of humankind and nature in
the Prairie houses. The principles and elements
of the Prairie Houses such as: wide-eave, low
roofs, massive chimneys, open porches,
free-flowing living areas, abundant natural
lighting, and garden walls running out from the
house to connect with the site were all
connection back to the context.
Further, Wright’s
rejection of the current conventional wisdom
about creating architecture and educating future
architects represents an unconscious
identification with an alternative or subversive
wisdom. He chose to be educated in the offices
of practicing architects. He did not see the
value of an architectural education in an
academic environment. Wright also was never
legally licensed or registered as an Architect
in any state that he designed buildings; yet, he
is justly considered to be one the greatest
American architects. So, Christ can be seen in
the Architecture of the Prairie Houses and in
the process of how Wright defined, approached,
and created Architecture. In conclusion, Wright
rightly stated: “The Spirit in
which these building are conceived sees all
these
together at work as one thing.”
This article was
an excerpt from a submitted article by Dr.
Curtis Sartor
Professor & Department Chair of the Department
of Architecture at Judson College. For a
full reading of this submission, email us at
friends@chicagoarchitecturetoday.com or
csartor@judsoncollege.edu
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