flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

74 years later, Frank Lloyd Wright structure built at Florida Southern College

74 years later, Frank Lloyd Wright structure built at Florida Southern College

The Lakeland, Fla., college adds to its collection of FLW buildings with the completion of the Usonian house, designed by the famed architect in 1939, but never built—until now. 


By Florida Southern College | October 31, 2013
Originally designed as faculty housing, the Usonian house will be part of the Sh
Originally designed as faculty housing, the Usonian house will be part of the Sharp Family Tourism and Education Center, the fir

Architectural history will, once again, be made on the campus of Florida Southern College in Lakeland this Friday with the grand opening of the Sharp Family Tourism and Education Center and its cultural centerpiece, a  newly constructed building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Known as a "Usonian" house, the home was designed by Wright in 1939, and it is the first time this particular Wright design has ever been built.

Florida Southern's campus contains the world's largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2012.

Wright began his work with Florida Southern in 1938, conceiving a master plan for "a college of tomorrow" that came to include 18 structures, 12 of which were built during Wright's life, between 1938 and 1958. The Usonian house will be the 13th Wright structure to join the collection.

The Usonian house will feature reproduction furniture designed by Wright specifically for use in his Usonian homes, as well as a specially commissioned orientation film, "Florida Southern College: Frank Lloyd Wright's American Campus." 

The Ruthven Plaza, the GEICO Gift Shop—a faithfully restored Craftsman home—and the Usonian house comprise the Sharp Family Tourism and Education Center, which will be the first stop for the tens of thousands of guests who visit annually to tour the college's collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.

 


Photo: Courtesy Florida Southern College

 

Construction of the house demanded that virtually every aspect, including the unique "textile" blocks, be hand crafted by experienced artisans. The building uses approximately 2,000 interlocking blocks and is adorned with nearly 6,000 hand-inserting colored glass blocks. The home illustrates all of Wright's Usonian ideals: a distinctly American style embodying respect for the natural landscape, economy of size, and the use of locally obtained, native materials for construction.

"It is a singular privilege to be stewards of this paramount piece of American architectural heritage," said Anne Kerr, PhD, President of Florida Southern College. "Frank Lloyd Wright is not only a part of Florida Southern's history, but also a part of America's great history, and the Sharp Family Tourism and Education Center is a wonderful tribute to his legacy on our campus and his impact around the world."

The college will also unveil a life-size Frank Lloyd Wright bronze statue sculpted by nationally renowned artists Don Haugen and Teena Stern, as well as a rare Yousuf Karsh portrait of Wright that has been generously donated to be on display in the Usonian house.

Building Team
Architect: Mesick, Cohen, Wilson, Baker Architects
Contractor: Rodda Construction
Textile block maker: Stone and Lime Inc.
Cast glass fabricator: R4 Glass Studio
Cast glass installer: The Glass Onion

  


Photos courtesy Florida Southern College

 

Construction photos below courtesy The Maguires of Lakeland (For more: http://www.buildingtheusonianhouse.com)

Related Stories

| Oct 20, 2014

Singapore Sports Hub claims world's largest free-spanning dome

The retractable roof, which measures a whopping 1,017-feet across, is made from translucent ETFE plastic panels supported with metal rigging that arches over the main pitch.

| Oct 20, 2014

Institute for young innovators breaks ground at the University of Utah

The five-story, 148,000-sf building is designed to function like a student union for entrepreneurs and innovators, with a 20,000-sf “garage” that will be open for any student to attend events, build prototypes, and launch companies.

| Oct 20, 2014

UK's best new building: Everyman Theatre wins RIBA Stirling Prize 2014

The new Everyman Theatre in Liverpool by Haworth Tompkins has won the coveted RIBA Stirling Prize 2014 for the best building of the year. Now in its 19th year, the RIBA Stirling Prize is the UK’s most prestigious architecture prize. 

Sponsored | | Oct 19, 2014

The Exploration Tower in Port Canaveral dazzles visitors

With a mission to provide the experience of a lifetime, the Exploration Tower at Port Canaveral, Fla., is designed to inspire, as visitors learn about the history and nature of the port and beyond. SPONSORED CONTENT

Sponsored | | Oct 19, 2014

What to do if your team is in a rut

Another brainstorming session, another slew of tired ideas. How can you push your team to be more creative and bring in new perspectives? SPONSORED CONTENT

| Oct 19, 2014

White House Visitor Center reopens in Washington, D.C.

Designed by SmithGroupJJR and Gallagher & Associates, renovated center shows public its unique role as office, stage, museum, park, and home.

| Oct 16, 2014

Must see: Illustrator interprets iconic windows concocted by renowned architects

Graphic designer Federico Babina has made a name for himself when it comes to art inspired by architecture, or more accurately, art inspired by architecture that's inspired by other forms of art. 

| Oct 16, 2014

Henning Larsen Architects to design train station for planned Danish town

Danish firm Henning Larsen Architects won Frederikssung municipality’s architecture competition for a regional train station in the planned city of Vinge—Denmark’s largest urban development.

| Oct 16, 2014

Report: How to keep public libraries relevant in a digital age

Public libraries will avoid being relegated to the scrap heap of history in a digital age as long as they continue to serve as platforms for learning, creativity, and innovation that strengthen their communities, according to a new Aspen Institute report.

Sponsored | | Oct 16, 2014

Drilling deeper: The booming Bakken Shale region

The Bakken Shale region, which spans from central North Dakota to the northeastern corner of Montana, is rapidly growing as a result of the oil and gas boom. SPONSORED CONTENT

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021