"Bring out the nature of the materials, let their nature intimately into your scheme." Frank Lloyd Wright, 1908

The construction of the SAMARA clerestory begins with the placement of thin vertical columns of steel every four feet which extend from the solid concrete foundation of the house to the heavy wooden joists of the lower roof. In the photographs, several of the thin vertical columns of steel between the ground and the lower roof appear brown in color.

In addition, at least six lighter colored vertical 3" steel pipes can be seen extending from the ground as supporting members for the lower roof as they become incorporated structurally into the beauty and nature of the terrace wall.

The photograph to the left shows the construction of the clerestory. Thin columns of steel can be seen extending vertically from the lower roof as partial support for the upper roof and ceiling. These short thin steel columns are placed directly above the longer steel columns located between the ground floor and the lower roof which extends as a deck into the living room. Notice that the "corner" of the clerestory, formed by the space created between the upper and lower roofs, opens to the environment.

In addition, all of the thin vertical steel columns within and below the clerestory are covered with specially milled Philippine mahagony to protect the steel from corrosion and at the same time to give the impression that the roofs and ceilings are supported by wood rather than by stronger steel.

The construction innovations associated with the clerestory windows at SAMARA create a spectacular living area. In this night photograph, taken from the SAMARA Photo Gallery created by Ed Townsend, the delicate wood and glass of the living room appear to be supporting the roofs and ceilings.
In actuality, it is Frank Lloyd Wright's genius that we see streaming toward us from the terrace and through the clerestory windows in the form of light and shadows dancing on the floor and ceiling.

Overviews of Construction Innovations
[ Nature of Materials ]   [ Building on a Unit ]   [ The Owner's View ]   [ Building the Wright Way ]
[ Historic Perspectives ]   [ Manipulating the Space ]   [ Oriental Influence ]