Frank Lloyd Wright and Organic Architecture

Some of the best examples for organic architecture come from Frank Lloyd Wright's work, and although other artists such as Vittorio Giorgini, Kendrick Bangs Kellog and Toyo Ito have also brought excellent representations of that harmonious relationship that architectural structures can have with nature, Mr. Wright is still considered the Father of Organic Architecture for one simple reason: He was the one to initially define such term. Frank Lloyd Wright along with his Fallingwater Residence (among others) opened the eyes of thousands of students, colleagues and designers. Through his work we can see that anything was possible in his mind, and independently from the catastrophes that some of his buildings have gone through throughout time, his work is a part of history that remains today and maintains the right to be preserved. The term "usonia"--and eventually its adjective "usonian"--was also brought by Wright to personally describe his own views on American landscaping, and to differentiate North American architecture from the rest of the world. Frank Lloyd Wright also adopted many concepts from oriental architecture (specifically Japanese architecture), which contributed to that contemporary style to many of his greatest projects.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater

According to Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer, on his note from the first of the 23rd volume of the magazine Quarterly "Frank Lloyd Wright in Arizona", "Frank Lloyd Wright loved challenges. Whether it was designing for a complicated site or using materials in new ways, he was often his most creative when encountering new horizons." (5). Perhaps one of the reasons that Wright loved the state of Arizona so much was because of the challenges that building in the middle of the dessert might bring, and this is an idea that was also incorporated into his teachings at the different institutions that he taught at and at his very own at Taliesin West and East. Nature is probably one of the most challenging factors for any architect, engineer and contractor, since it is needless to state that there are an infinity amount of occasions when nature is able to impede us to work through it for the preservation of our natural resources. Well, Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the first ones to actually ask himself, what would exactly happen if we integrate pure stone with cacti, or steel and our surrounding plants without affecting their growth nor their future contribution to Earth? The answer is in almost every structure that he put his pen on, and organic architecture is still a concept that we apply on the most useful compositions of today's architectural society. 

Organic architecture could almost be considered as the basics of any project, as long as the architect's process is able to adapt to any type of surroundings around the territory where the construction will be performed. The main objective is to admire it all as a whole, and to not create obvious statements through this last relationship. We want to solidify architecture and nature, instead of presenting a sense of independence between them. 

The Serrano Residence by Octavio and Diego Serrano is one of the closest examples that we currently have in our portfolio to represent our ideologies on organic architecture.

An introduction to: Old World Style

Rustic furniture, vintage accessories, mute hues, and that sense of traveling into the past...The Old World Style is definitely a trend that has adapted into our present, along with those decorative fabrics and supplements that step by step end by transforming our house into a home. The Old World style could be a great fit for those who claim their fascination towards more traditional spaces and architecture, while taking into consideration that this particular fashion includes an unlimited diversity of color schemes and designs; this Modern Old World bathroom presented to us by HomeThang is the perfect example of how there is still plenty of space to experiment with more modern surroundings while still provoking the same effect of the unrefined and distressed finishes that are so typical about this style. 

One of the most astonishing aspects about the Old World style is definitely the detail that is put onto every wall and corner in the residence; the floral fabrics and the--quite--extravagant decor makes it more liable for an accent wall or decoration to bring out a balance between a room, without mentioning that lighting is also a factor that plays a tremendous role of the appearance of all these features in an Old World interior. However, the source of light can have whatever access is thought to be more convenient for the intended effect, and there is not an actual limitation when talking about windows. 

When referring to the Old World architecture, factors such as window grilles, casement and focal windows, balconies and, of course, turrets are the most striking and notable characteristics. On my opinion, I would say that this stylistic category is more of a decisive debate between Georgian and Victorian architecture, however, nowadays styles such as this one in specific can be altered however the period of time indicates to be more convenient, and in today's residential design magazines it is pretty common to jump from an Old World Victorian concept to a completely Contemporary proposal along the same lines. 

One of the purposes of the Old World style is to actually stimulate a sense of time and use; techniques such as sanding and the painting of bricks lead to evoke this notion of past, as if we were standing on the same platform that other habitants in the house stood on hundredths of years ago. The real question here is what would the Old World style of tomorrow be. Is this a style subject to change in the future, or will it be able to prevalent as an architectural symbol of our past?  

Taliesin West by Frank Lloyd Wright

Taliesin West is one of the best examples we have so far when referring to organic architecture. By the instant you step into the museum, you are able to admire a distinct, yet extremely common, style of architecture, which incorporates its prairie characteristics into nature. While being considered one of the greatest architectural structures of all times, Arizonians are lucky to have such an extraordinary historical monument as part of their state. As many architecture aficionados and general public already know, Taliesin West was Mr. Wright's winter house in the beautiful city of Scottsdale, Az. It is located on the Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard, and its territory expands throughout time enabling current students to explore and experiment with their teachings on organic architecture today.

The school offers a different method of education, and it basically consists of two main campuses, which include this last one, Taliesin West, in Arizona, where students arrive in October and stay for the rest of the winter (just like Wright and his wife at their time), and Taliesin East in Wisconsin, where pupils usually spend their summers. A fact about this educational system that is doubtlessly incredible is that some of the drastic practices that Mr. Wright developed in the 1930s at these two locations are still performed today by the choice of several students. The perfect example of this is the tents that diverse groups of scholars had to build at some point during their first year of their degree across the dessert. It was mentioned at the tour that we attended today that students are provided with an average of $2,000 dollars to make such tents after their designs are approved by the professors at the institution.

Furthermore, it is needless to say that Taliesin West is indeed, a design willing to offer the wonders of nature combined with a sense of simplistic modernism. Most of Frank Lloyd Wright's designs do not count with extravagant aspects of design, and on the contrary, they demonstrate how functionality and comfort can also lead to great living spaces. We can travel around the world and explore every single one of Wright's structures, and what we will determine to be the common factor between them is their current presence in today's society. Some say that Frank Lloyd Wright predicted the future, while in reality he just thought of the unique factor that can possibly create the greatest piece of art on any matter: he found a way of making the elements work in any circumstance and in any period of time. Even today, every single apartment and room at Taliesin West is able to take full advantage of natural lighting, and electricity is not needed for it to function in any manner.

However, you don't have to believe me! If you currently live in Arizona (or are planning on visiting in the near future), Taliesin West is definitely one of the places to visit. It totally provides you with the most beautiful panoramas in the state, and it leads you to understand many of the practices required to bring organic architecture to life. In addition to that, there are many options of tours that you can select from. The one we attended today is called the Extended Insights Tour, which not only treated us to mid-morning tea, but it also gave us the chance to talk to a past student of Frank Lloyd Wright himself! It is incredible how many of the architects from the past have decided to continue their lives at Taliesin West and surroundings, without mentioning that the word "retirement" is not one taught at this particular institute. We are more than content with all of the resources and insights that were given during the tour, and as new members of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, we will be more than delighted to keep sharing the experiences that we go through at Taliesin West and the many other locations that Wright left us to cultivate ourselves from.

We hope you enjoy our pictures!

Modern residence in Las Vegas designed by Mark Tracy of Chemical Spaces

The American designer Mark Tracy of Chemical Spaces is responsible for design of the Hurtado Residence in Las Vegas, Nevada. The design aimed to capture the idea of a modern residence that is fit to welcome young guests with a joyful attitude. The door wide 11 foot that reveals an Italian striped floor tile, there is also a space for the elevator tower that works for all three stories and the floatins staircase is made from stainless steel. The kitchen and living space have a spectacular 14-foot wide fireplace and the metallic silver hardwood floors and the Scavolini cabinets add a luxurious aspect to the residence.

The ceilings can be easily noticed because blue LED lighting draws the attention of the visitors to the ceilings. The design of the house started around June of 2009 and the construction ended in January of 2011,the house having 10.000 square feet. The Hurtado Residence can be found in The Ridges-it`s a community near Red Rock Canyon in the west of Las Vegas.

Turning an empty place into a contemporary house

MOOARC has designed the house La Concha a combination between traditional elements and new styles in architecture. What make almost all of people surprise is that it was built in the seperated island in 15th century and now become a contemporary house. The modern house is comfortable and it combines natural materials like wood and stone.The façade reveals grey and blue stone and the tiled roof with its roof –top windows fit the surroundings.

Another special feature in the design of this house is making the interior completely visible from the outside. The interior has a contemporary aspect and glass is dominant material used. The presence of bricks in the design relates more to the traditional style.

The kitchen and the main living room are the most lit rooms in the house. There is a balance when it comes to the overall design since nothing seems out of place ,the different styles-old and new-combined create a sense of luxury and comfort