SAMARA EDUCATION SERIES

SAMARA EDUCATION SERIES
Spring 2001

Frank Lloyd Wright's Use of
Building Materials

Wright's Materials
Jerry Johnson
Interpreter

Glitz

In search for beauty, Mr. Wright kept the archtiectural materials clean and simple, but was elaborate with the things that added beauty to the surrounding.

Cabinets, furniture, closets and anything else made of wood had Philippine mahogany on the surface. In some cases, like window frames and trim, this was solid. but in most cases it was a veneer over more conventional plywood materials. This served two purposes - to provide dimensional stability and to make costs reasonable.

One material that may go unnoticed in today's viewing is the surface material used on the workspace (kitchen) countertops. In an earlier house, Wright might have selected wood, linoleum, or stainless steel. At SAMARA and other Usonian homes of the period he chose a manmade laminate - Formica. It gave a wide selection of patterns, was inexpensive, and , above all, practical.

Hinges for all doors, including those on cabinets, those used in folding screens, and closets were piano hinges. Wright liked the simplicity of attaching these and the durability they imparted.

Bathrooms, particularly those with showers, were a problem for Wright's clients. They usually contained walls of the same material as the rooms in which located - notably wood. Not so at SAMARA! The shower in the guest bathroom utilizes ceramic tile for the tub enclosure. The main bathroom, without a shower, is done in the traditional manner.

In order to provide a good wear surface and relative ease of maintenance, highly polished red concrete was used for floors and exterior entensions to the floors. Since the existing decorating scheme was developed in the 1970s, long after the original, one can only imagine what the wool, highly patterned SAMARA rug would look like against the red floor.

Fabrics, books, plants, curios and the collection of Oriental artifacts have all become materials used to enhance the beauty of the setting. There is glitz, but form does follow function here. It all goes to the purpose of providing beauty for the client. It fits, and nothing is wasted.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Use of Building Materials Participants
Meg Ellis	Jerry Johnson	Wally Rogers	Ted Osborn	Gary Stair

Frank Lloyd Wright Index

SAMARA Education Series

Home Page: Welcome Email: Wally Rogers