Frank Lloyd Wright

In a 1952 article for Architectural Record magazine the self-proclaimed “greatest architect of all time,” Frank Lloyd Wright discusses, in his own cryptic way, Modern Architecture and that manner in which it is, or was at the time, falling into the “gutter of fashion.” Wright argues that the contemporary version of Modern Architecture is merely an offspring of his own Organic-Architecture and deviations run the risk of becoming styles—like the symmetrical brickwork of countless Georgian homes or the white stucco with dark brown half-timber of the Tudor homes.


Wright revered the American experience and believed that democracy was the best form of government. Throughout his life, he endeavored to create a new architecture that reflected the American democratic ideal, an architecture based solely on America's democratic values and human dignity. For Wright Organic-Architecture was far more than an aesthetic style, rather a new way to look at the structures in which society thrives. In a 1908 article for Architectural Record Wright lays out the integral parts of Organic-Architecture. One important attribute of Wright's principles of Organic-Architecture is a building’s relationship to its landscape, the nature of its materials, the use of a natural spectrum of colors.

The Aline Barnsdall Hollyhock House. East Hollywood, Los Angeles, California

Photo Copyrights: Ben Pearson

A Basic Survey of the Gardens at the Larz Anderson Park - Brookline, MA

H.H. Richardson

H.H. Richardson's designs, especially master works such as the Trinity Church, Crane Memorial Library and even the Marshall Field Wholesale Store, with their huge yet coherent massing which lend to an understanding of the building’s function and parts diverge from their predecessors, specifically the purely rectangular massing of the classical styles.

Richardson’s Romanesque designs are often more refined details and decoration, including the large dominating Syrian arch which required less columns and capitals than classical or even Gothic styles. Aside from the decorative details Richardson's designs were often massively scaled and constructed almost entirely of stone.

For this reason this style was generally expensive and reserved for wealthy clientele, unlike the revival styles and other Victorian style which were easily transposed onto smaller scale buildings.

Piazza d’ Italia

Piazza d’ Italia was design by Charles Moore and Perez & Associates located is New Orleans, Louisiana. Functioning as a city plaza and open air space the Piazza d’ Italia is a dramatic example of the ideals of Postmodernism architecture. Built is 1978 the plaza incorporates many decorative motifs from Greco-Roman Classical architecture, include Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns and capitals, arches and alcoves. Still, these classical elements are arranged in almost an abstract and random placement in the creation on the space. Jutting angles connecting the stacked sets of multi-color colonnades heighten the dramatic viewing experience. Round alternating black and white paving stones, arranged in a concentric circular pattern fill the open portion of the plaza and are broken by jagged stepped edges creating a pool for the plaza’s water feature. The playful, whimsical and almost-classical atmosphere Moore and Perez created stands as example of Postmodernism of the late-twentieth century. 

Beginnings in Historic Preservation

I was going through my old blog posts tonight and found a project that I had put in the back of my mind. This was during Interior Design School at the LDS Business College, but what I think is interesting is that even back then I was interested in historic preservation.

For my final project of my first year at the LDSBC Interior Design Program my group and I designed and built a model of a restaurant/ brew pub. We called it “The Pubary” because the building we used as for our design is a library that is still in use in Bar Harbor, Maine built in 1911 

Building a Timber Frame Shed

As part of my Traditional Building class with the Master of Design Studies in Historic Preservation through the Boston Architectural College we constructed a timber frame structure. These pictures show the progression of our work.

Lost in Boston

I have been lost, mostly intentionally, is a few major US cities. New York, LA, San Francisco and the island on Maui to name a few. I love the idea of creating your own adventure and seeing what you can find that is off the beaten tourist path. Recently I got “lost” in Boston and I am pretty sure it is by far my favorite. History mix with cosmopolitan flare, truly remarkable. These are a few images from my non-tourist guide adventure.