flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Demolished Frank Lloyd Wright buildings get new life with photorealistic renderings

Architects

Demolished Frank Lloyd Wright buildings get new life with photorealistic renderings

Architect David Romero recreated the Larkin Administration Building and the Rose Pauson House with detailed, fully colored renderings.


By David Malone, Associate Editor | March 6, 2017

The Rose Pauson House. Rendering courtesy of David Romero, Hooked on The Past

Defending Frank Lloyd Wright buildings from demolition has become a popular subgenre of preserving historic buildings. In the recent past, the Frank Lloyd Wright Revival Initiative has been hard at work defending some of Wright’s structures from being reduced to piles of rubble and attempting to get others that were already demolished rebuilt.

The Initiative has found success, but, unfortunately, it isn’t feasible to try and rebuild all of Wright’s structures that have been demolished. That doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t still be brought back to life, however.

Architect David Romero has taken two Wright buildings that no longer exist and created detailed, fully colored renderings of them. The exteriors and interiors, down to the furniture and subtle architectural details, of the Larkin Administration Building and the Rose Pauson House have been recreated in a photorealistic way to relive the architecture as it once was.

Wright designed the Larkin Administration Building for the Larkin Soap Company in 1903. It was built in 1904 and was demolished in 1950, despite editorial protests from around the country, after the Larkin Company’s business began to decline and the building was foreclosed on in 1945 for back taxes.

 

The Larkin Administration Building. Rendering courtesy of David Romero, Hooked on The Past.

 

The 200-foot-long 134-foot-wide red sandstone building was the first fully air-conditioned building and had stained glass windows, built-in furniture, and suspended toilet bowls. It stood at 680 Seneca Street in Buffalo, N.Y. and had ornamentation provided by Richard Bock.

 

The Larkin House. Rendering courtesy of David Romero, Hooked on The Past.

 

Romero also recreated the Rose Pauson House, which was designed by Wright in 1939 and built between 1940 and 1942 in Phoenix, Ariz. However, just one year later, in 1943, the building burned down when an ember from the fireplace ignited a nearby curtain.

The ruins of the foundation and walls were all that were left after the fire and became known as the Shiprock ruins. The ruins were later removed in order to extend 32nd Street through the site. The chimney was preserved and moved for use as a permanent monument marking the entrance to the Alta Vista subdivision.

 

The Rose Pauson House. Rendering courtesy of David Romero, Hooked on The Past.

 

Romero’s recreation features a detailed look at the exterior of the structure as it once stood, rock and wood that, like so many of Wright’s buildings, seem to be a natural component of the surrounding landscape. The interior, infamous curtains and all, was also recreated in great detail to appear as it would have while the structure was inhabited.

In addition to these two demolished buildings, Romero also created renderings of Trinity Chapel, a Wight building that was never constructed. Like with the two demolished buildings, Romero’s renderings are photorealistic and capture the intricacies of Wright’s original design.

 

Trinity Chapel. Rendering courtesy of David Romero, Hooked on The Past.

 

 

The Larkin Administration Building. Rendering courtesy of David Romero, Hooked on The Past.

 

The Larkin Administration Building. Rendering courtesy of David Romero, Hooked on The Past.

 

The Larkin Administration Building. Rendering courtesy of David Romero, Hooked on The Past.

 

The Rose Pauson House. Rendering courtesy of David Romero, Hooked on The Past.

 

The Rose Pauson House. Rendering courtesy of David Romero, Hooked on The Past.

 

The Rose Pauson House. Rendering courtesy of David Romero, Hooked on The Past.

 

Trinity Chapel. Rendering courtesy of David Romero, Hooked on The Past.

 

All of Romero’s work for, what he has dubbed, his “Hooked on The Past” series can be viewed on his website.

Tags

Related Stories

Multifamily Housing | Mar 18, 2015

Prefabricated skycubes proposed with 'elastic' living apartments inside

The interiors for each unit are designed using an elastic living concept, where different spaces are created by sliding on tracks.

Architects | Mar 18, 2015

Boston selects finalists in resilient design competition

The competition asks for creative approaches for planning for a not-so-distant future Boston where higher sea levels and more frequent flooding will be real and critical issues to contend with.

Cultural Facilities | Mar 17, 2015

The High Line’s co-designer wins contract for The Underline in Miami

James Corner Field Operations will design the master plan for this 10-mile restoration project. 

Sponsored | | Mar 17, 2015

Are face-to-face meetings still important?

One CEO looks pass convenience and advocates for old school, in-person meetings.

High-rise Construction | Mar 16, 2015

NBBJ creates 'shadowless' skyscraper concept for proposed UK development

A team of architects from the London branch of NBBJ used computer algorithms to generate a dual-tower design that maximizes sunlight reflections to eliminate the buildings' shadows. 

Healthcare Facilities | Mar 16, 2015

Healthcare planning in a post-ACA world: 3 strategies for success

Healthcare providers are seeking direction on how to plan for a value-based world while still very much operating in a volume-based market. CBRE Healthcare's Curtis Skolnick offers helpful strategies. 

Resort Design | Mar 16, 2015

Giancarlo Zema Design Group unveils plans for semi-submerged resort in Qatar

The resort will have four semi-submerged hotels that look similar to super-yachts, each including 75 luxury suites with private terraces.

Mixed-Use | Mar 13, 2015

Dubai announces mega waterfront development Aladdin City

Planned on 4,000 acres in the Dubai Creek area, the towers will be covered in gold lattice and connected via air-conditioned bridges.

Contractors | Mar 13, 2015

Construction materials prices rise for first time in six months

The largest monthly gain in petroleum prices in over three years caused construction materials prices to expand 0.4% in February, ending a six-month streak when prices failed to rise, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

High-rise Construction | Mar 12, 2015

Developers confirm Renzo Piano’s contribution in Sydney harbor overhaul

If the entire development is approved, One Sydney Harbour will be Piano’s second project in Australia.

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