Russel Wright : An American Industrial Designer And Architect

A new construction serves as the backdrop for an amazing transformation in the heart of the Long Island Sound. The homeowners, a young family with two children, were in the process of completing work on a GREEN home when they realized that they needed some help with the interior design work. Wanting to ensure that their home would be both comfortable yet environmentally sound, they turned to the experts at Linda Ruderman Interiors for guidance.

“American corporate designers were learned in Modernist theory, but nevertheless found bulbous aerodynamic bodyshells an appropriately slick garb for wares of a vigorous, efficient society with an aggressive faith in its future. Flashy exaggeration at the hands of the stylists, ever compelled to ‘improve’ on last year’s model, gave streamlining a bad name.” (Hodges, Coad, Stone, Sparke, Aldersey-Williams, The New Design Source Book, 1992, p.158) Discuss in relationship to the ‘innovation’ in household designs of the 1950’s, how do these designs compare to similar examples of today? Do designers today feel “compelled to improve on last years model?

In A Home Is Not a House, Reyner Banham starts by arguing that the main function of the typic American house is to cover its mechanical structure. In fact, he states that the use of mechanical services in architectural practice varies constantly because mechanical services are considered to be new in the profession, as well as, a cultural threat to the architect’s position in the world. To show his argument, Banham states that American houses are basically large single spaces divided by partitions inside that give a relative importance to the use of internal mechanical services, causing a threat to the need of architectural design. Similarly, American cultural characteristics, like cleanliness and hygiene, also foster the use and need of mechanical

The House became the embodiment of the Greene & Greene design philosophy. Starting with consideration to climate. The design allows for cross ventilation by creating multiple windows in all directions, and connections to the outside porches, allowing patrons to sleep inside or outside comfortably within the heat of the city. According to Jeffrey Michael in Christie’s Arts and Crafts Style, the Greenes design every detail of the house, including the switch plates. The exterior of the house’s form was a shingle, bungalow style. It included sleeping porches, balconies and patios that act as an extension of the out-door in door relationship to the landscape. The brothers designed the structure around positions to maximize cross ventilation, and utilized materials such as stained class and wood fixtures in order to preserve the coolness provided by the cross-ventilation (Blakesley 2006). The facade of the house is mostly comprised by the wooden porches mentioned earlier. The porches utilize wood structure beams and floors that extend into the interior.

Wright made the house dance with the thundering falls, tiptoe with the sprouting forest, tremble with the stumbling boulders; and soar in its imitation of the land surrounding it. No matter the season the colours surrounding Fallingwater, or perhaps the lack of colours in winter, meant that the house had to be as strong as its surroundings, it had to have the same boldness. One example where Wright captured this balance perfectly is in the fierce balconies where they mimic the commanding rock ledges of the local environment blending in

Wilbur Wright was born on April 16, 1876, nearby Millville, Indiana. He was the 3rd child in his family. His father, Milton Wright, was a bishop in a Church called the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. His mother was Susan Koerner. Orville Wright was born in Dayton Ohio on August 19, 1871. Wilbur and Orville were very close, Wilbur’s playmate as a child was Orville.

The bungalow design was influenced by a variety of social and economic trends that expanded the middle class and became a powerful means of transformation in American society. Arts and Crafts promoters associated the bungalow design with creative manual work, independence, and a way to return to manhood of common work practices. The bungalow

Frank Lloyd Wright’s name remains in history as being one of the most original American architects of the 20th century. Wright’s innovative architectural designs have forever impacted the way humans live today. His world-renounced projects make his name widely known as one of greatest architects of all time. Wright was born in Richland Center, Wisconsin on June 8, 1867. Throughout Wright’s childhood, his family often relocated, ranging from Rhode Island to Wisconsin. As a child Wright was an adventure-seeker and embraced Wisconsin landscapes. Wright once said, "The modeling of the hills, the weaving and fabric that clings to them, the look of it all in tender green or covered with snow or in full glow of summer that bursts into the glorious

Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) is a renowned American architect, interior designer, writer, and educator credited with the design of more than one thousand buildings. A devoted naturalist Wright found inspiration in the western American prairie and felt man-made structures should coexist with humanity. Wright found his opportunity to display his talents after a young wealthy entrepreneur by the name of Fredrick Robie asked if he would be interested in designing a home specifically built for his family. To say the least Wright wasted no time creating what is perhaps his most famous residential buildings ever. For instance, his decision to use an organic approach when designing the Robie House meant he could incorporate his trend setting ideas into the homes surrounding landscape as well as the

Homeowners faced design choices that federal agencies, corporations, builders, architects, research and development organizations, and media outlets honed down into a smaller list for the masses. I frame the design options that homeowners had with two themes access, and science and technology. The theme of access addresses the social, cultural, and political structures that dictated design options. Science and technology encompass the construction processes and materials, interior materials, and objects within the house. In some instances, the theme of science and technology impacted access. I will illustrate how these themes frame and narrow the design options available to homeowners when purchasing or renovating their homes.

Further more, Eileen Gray proposed four problems that the great architects of the time, like Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Mies van der Rohe all thought about, but did not incorporate them into there work. Eileen proposed the problem of the windows. There were three types that the three had come up with, but all of them were similar, unlike hers. The problem of shutters, they never used any. The problem of independence and privacy. They all believed in free flowing open spaces, but Eileen incorporated room, that were private and independent, and gave the plan a free open space. The final problem that came into play was the idea of an open access kitchen, but with out the odour spreading into the house. All these problems were looked at closely when Eileen Gray built the E-1027 house. The problems also made the other architects to think and plan their buildings and incorporate these ideas.

The Arts and Crafts Movement has provided people with fascinating works. One of my favorite works from this movement is The Red House, which was designed by Philip Webb and made for William Morris. This house is built with red bricks, hence its name. Besides that, it has a medieval well in front of the porch opening (“A Visit”). This detail, and the whole structure itself, gives the house a classic appeal. Furthermore, the interior of the house is just as appealing, with well-made brick fireplaces and

Frank Lloyd Wright was born in the year 1867, in Richland Center, Wisconsin. Both an architect and writer, he is considered a genius of the American architecture (Kaufmann 1). Wright went to the University of Wisconsin at Madison for a few terms where he took engineering courses (Kaufmann 3). He finally left Madison after a few years and found work with J.L. Silsbee, in architectural detailing. After a few years he opened his own architectural practice. One of his styles that became the residential design of the 20th century in the United States was the Prairie Style. The Prairie architecture was known for its revolutionary approach to the building of modern homes. Wright built about 50 prairie houses in ten years. Two of his major works that stand out is the Guggenheim Museum located in New York and the Marin County government Centre located near San Francisco.

I hold an M Arch degree from the University at Buffalo with a specialization in environmental design. As a practicing professional I have owned and operated a design business for more than twelve years in Rochester, New York. Upon obtaining my master's degree I established the first company in Western New York to specialize in natural building technologies and clay finish plasters. The company has grown to include full services for sustainable residential, retail, institution and hospitality interior design. Architecturally, I collaborate with licensed professionals to design sustainable homes that range from the completely natural to hybrid structures featuring energy-efficient technologies. In tandem with my design business I was an assistant professor and interior design program coordinator at Alfred State College teaching in both interior design and architecture. My personal practice and management experience in corporate industry create wonderful opportunities to explore real world design issues in the studio and with the community. I look forward to sharing these experiences and my research interests with all of

Frank Lloyd Wright born in June 8, 1867 to April 9, 1959 was an American architect, interior designer, writer, and educator, who designed