The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-18
WESTERN ARCHITECTS
LEAN TO PICTURESQUE
This Results from the Local Needs Of Their Clients and
Their Own Inclinations- Not Carried to an
Extreme Strong and Individual Work of Frank Lloyd
Wright and Its Salient Features.

seS ha e saS Of ga he
urban place demands the enclosure Of
the grounds:
In a great many instances these en-
closing walls have been constructed,
but probably in majority Of cases
they are omitted. They run counter
to the popular American preference for
semi-public private life. To shut
ho on iron sne
American as exclusive and ''stuck-up,O
and it is not an easy matter to wean
him from this conception. OF course,
as a matter Of fact, there is no more
reason why an outdoor playground
should not be kept as private as an in
door living room; but SO far the prac
az 6o" Us Was" has the '1 force 0 Of custom
against it. re ~
Both the needs Of their clients and
their own inclinations have developed a
disposition among western architects to
break away from the academic tradi-
lions Of the east, and take line of
their own. Altho, as is natural among
architects who are Intentionally depart
ing from the academic point Of view,
they tend toward irregularity and pic
turesqueness Of effect in their exteriors,
this tendency is not carried to an ex-
nor fragrant. It is moderated both by a
desire to remain faithful to good tradi-
tions of domestic design, and what may
be described as perfectly normal state
Of mind. In that very complicated and
diverse group Of ideas and forces. which
we call American life, it is natural and
wholesome that the east should cleave
to the European and academic point of
view, while the west should seek more
vigorously to express local ideas and
conditions. These two points Of view
cannot help but act and react on each
other in an edifying way, provided
neither is pushed to a perverse and
meaningless extreme.
Mingled with the tendency toward ir-
regularity and picturesquesness in de-
signing the masses Of their houses, the
better western architects are also seek
ing to simplify the forms they use in
certain significant ways. This leaning
toward simpler forms does not always
express itself in the composition Of the
exterior, because it is difficult to add to
turesque the quality of fundamental
simplicity. Nevertheless, it is astonish-
ing how frequently certain western
architects have succeeded in imparting
a genuine unity to houses, which chief
merit is sharp and bold picturesque
ness Of effect. and even when the design
remains loose and consequently compli-
Gated rather than simple, it is rare that
the designers fail to give simplicity to
their detail. They cherish, it would
seem, greater respect for their materi.
ais than eastern architects Of the same
standing. They do not try to orna.
ont 1i1r ,,1o
faces in manner better, adapted to
other materials and their decorative de:
tail is much less likely to be merely
applied. a,,..,. - ,.E... "
One of the m: most influential and in
dividual architects in the western grou1
is Frank Lloyd, Wright of Chicago, whet
, is chiefly a designer >of, residences. His
| Ideas and tendencies are similar to thu
ideas which have given form to tn,
'new art' Of France and Germany. IL
! their application to architecture, the at
tempt is to secure more truthful rela
ton between structure and design,
franker expression of the quality Of tn
material in its treatment, and basi
for architectural ornament less stereo
typed and artificial than that which tn
majority Of architects use. Mr.. Wrigh
is not the only designer Of dwelling
who has been Influenced by these ideas
but his expression Of them is particu
larly Incorporating and conspicuous
and original; and its startling PECULIAR
ties have naturally made it attract NOR
attention than the work Of other archj
tects, who have sought to express SINH
lar ideas without breaking so CON
pletely away from the prevailing tradi
tion. However, different as Nj
Wright IS buildings are from the curren
practice, either in this country O
abroad, they preserve sound traditio:
OF proportion and ornament.
The characteristics of MIR. Wright
M5rds may b summed 5on d up II fe,
ground by heavy, overhanging roof
lures Of the building, and in spite Q
their great expanse, are never broke
by dormers. Their pitch and the dee
shadows thrown by the overhang max
them very picturesque; but they al
not cocked-up or restless. The slor
Of the main roof and those of tt
porches or outbuildings, and the stron
horizontal string courses on the wall
all tend to keep the house down upo
it's site. The windows and other ope1
ings are grouped in way which ma
\
who occupy the dwelling, but whic
from the outside gives abundance {
interesting wall space. In fact, thei
houses frequently have the appearant
Of sacrificing the comfort Of the il
terror plan to the interest of the e,
terror design; but the outside observe
need not quarrel with such a ,sacriic
The exteriors are certainly highly i
teresting; and they are SO becau
every mass, surface, shadow and deta
l contribute to one consistent and spe
tacular effect. The kitchen yards eve
which, according to the usual practic
are concealed wherever possible behi1
a line Of shrubbery, are worked success
fully and frankly into the designs, al
help to give the buildings that sem
pyramida1 appearance towards whi'
Mr.. Wright is always aiming; al
striking as are the details, contras
and episodes Of his designs, they a
all subordinated to the triumphant dor
ination Of vigorous masses and sale
lines.
II HOTELS ARE NEEDED