Frank Lloyd Wright’s Bachman Wilson House finds new home at Arkansas museum

After acquiring a Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian house, the Crystal Bridges Museum had to disassemble the New Jersey house, haul it 1,200 miles to its new Bentonville, Ark., location, and put the structure back together.

The museum has completed the difficult and meticulous task and is now set to show off its project. The Bachman Wilson House will open to the public on November 11.

A 2,000-sf, one-story home with no basement or attic, “the materials consist of concrete block, a Colorundum concrete mat, Philippine mahogany, ten feet high plate glass window wall, as well as perforated clerestory panels with the Samara design,” according to the house’s website.

During the Great Depression, Wright developed the idea of Usonian archicture. Taking the name from an altered abbreviation of “United States of North America,” the style was characterized by simple, low-cost houses meant for the middle class. Around 120 Usonian homes were built, including one for Gloria Bachman and Abraham Wilson in 1954 in New Jersey.

Despite a restoration 27 years ago, the house suffered from flooding from the nearby Millstone River. Crystal Bridges Museum purchased the home in 2013.

For the design of the newly completed Sorol Art Museum in Gangneung, South Korea, Meier Partners drew from Korean Confucianism to achieve a simplicity of form, material, and composition and a harmonious relationship with nature. The museum is scheduled to open on February 14. It is the firm’s first completed project since restructuring as Meier Partners.

Pre-applied blindside waterproofing installed prior to pouring of concrete wall. Photo courtesy Walter P Moore

Waterproofing deep foundations for new construction

This continuing education course, by Walter P Moore's Amos Chan, P.E., BECxP, CxA+BE, covers design considerations for below-grade waterproofing for new construction, the types of below-grade systems available, and specific concerns associated with waterproofing deep foundations.

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Cultural Facilities | Nov 21, 2023

Arizona’s Water Education Center will teach visitors about water conservation and reuse strategies

Phoenix-based architecture firm Jones Studio will design the Water Education Center for Central Arizona Project (CAP)—a 336-mile aqueduct system that delivers Colorado River water to almost 6 million people, more than 80% of the state’s population. The Center will allow the public to explore CAP’s history, operations, and impact on Arizona.

Giants 400 | Nov 6, 2023

Top 65 Cultural Facility Construction Firms for 2023

Turner Construction, Clark Group, Whiting-Turner, Gilbane, and Holder Construction top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest cultural facilities sector general contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking includes revenue from all cultural building sectors, including concert venues, art galleries, museums, performing arts centers, and public libraries.

Giants 400 | Nov 6, 2023

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Johnson County Library, Central Resource Branch Renovation, Overland Park, Kan., BY Clark & Enersen Top 110 Cultural Facility Architecture Firms for 2023

Giants 400 | Nov 6, 2023

Top 110 Cultural Facility Architecture Firms for 2023

Populous, Gensler, HGA, DLR Group, and Quinn Evans top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest cultural facilities sector architecture and architecture engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking includes revenue from all cultural building sectors, including concert venues, art galleries, museums, performing arts centers, and public libraries.