The Frank Lloyd Wright Trust recently completed the $11 million interior restoration of the Frederick C. Robie House in Chicago. The Prairie style home is considered a precursor of modernism in architecture and was designated by the American Institute of Architects as one of the 10 most significant structures of the twentieth century.
The restoration brought the home back to its original 1910 vision. The interior restoration included the main entry hall and stairway, billiard room, and children’s playroom on the ground floor, and the living room, dining room, and guest bedroom on the main floor. The work reflects Wright’s original vision in coloration, wall textures, lighting, leaded-glass windows and doors, millwork, and cabinetry. As much of the original plasterwork as possible was retained, while a textured lime-putty plaster technique was applied to the walls to replicate the original process. A magnesite floor throughout the ground level reproduces the original material and a recreated leaded-glass front entry door was installed after the original door was destroyed in a student demonstration in the 1960s.
Photo: Tim Long.
See Also: Watch Frank Lloyd Wright and Buckminster Fuller discuss architecture in animated video shorts
Cabinetry in the dining room and children’s playroom and the original inglenook surrounding the living room fireplace were reconstructed. Original and recreated light fixtures were combined throughout and several items of original furniture, including the dining table and chairs, were returned to the house on loan from the Smart Museum of Art.
The Frederick C. Robie House opens to the public on March 29 with new tours and programs that include Robie House: A Modern Home, Robie House Past and Present, and Robie House In-Depth.
South balcony doors. Photo: Photo: James Caulfield.
Related Stories
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction Sector Architecture Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Stantec, HDR, and HOK top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest reconstruction architecture and architecture/engineering firms in the U.S.
| Jul 1, 2014
Winning design by 3XN converts modernist bathhouse to university library
Danish firm 3XN's design wins competition for a new educational facility for Mälardalen University in Sweden, which will house a library, communal spaces, and offices for 4,500 students and staff.
| Jun 11, 2014
Bill signing signals approval to revitalize New Orleans’ convention center corridor
A plan to revitalize New Orleans' Convention Center moves forward after Louisiana governor signs bill.
| May 30, 2014
Developer will convert Dallas' storied LTV Building into mixed-use residential tower
New Orleans-based HRI Properties recently completed the purchase of one of the most storied buildings in downtown Dallas. The developer will convert the LTV Building into a mixed-use complex, with 171 hotel rooms and 186 luxury apartments.
| May 21, 2014
Gehry unveils plan for renovation, expansion of Philadelphia Museum of Art [slideshow]
Gehry's final design reorganizes and expands the building, adding more than 169,000 sf of space, much of it below the iconic structure.
| May 6, 2014
'Ugliest building in New Jersey' finally getting facelift
After a decade of false starts and mishaps, the American Dream mall in the Meadowlands may finally get built.
| Apr 16, 2014
Upgrading windows: repair, refurbish, or retrofit [AIA course]
Building Teams must focus on a number of key decisions in order to arrive at the optimal solution: repair the windows in place, remove and refurbish them, or opt for full replacement.
| Apr 11, 2014
ULI report documents business case for building healthy projects
Sustainable and wellness-related design strategies embody a strong return on investment, according to a report by the Urban Land Institute.
| Mar 25, 2014
Sydney breaks ground on its version of the High Line elevated park [slideshow]
The 500-meter-long park will feature bike paths, study pods, and outdoor workspaces.
| Mar 24, 2014
Frank Lloyd Wright's S.C. Johnson Research Tower to open to the public—32 years after closing
The 14-story tower, one of only two Wright-designed high-rises to be built, has been off limits to the public since its construction in 1950.