Frank Lloyd Wright and the Meaning of Materials (Architecture) [Hardcover]

Terry L. Patterson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Architecture | Publication Date: August 1994

"Each material has its own message ." -- Frank Lloyd Wright, Architectural Record, (April/1928), copyright 1975 by McGraw-Hill, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of the publisher. "Bring out the nature of the materials, let their nature intimately into your scheme." -- Frank Lloyd Wright, Architectural Record, (March, 1908), copyright 1975 by McGraw-Hill, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of the publisher. "Form and function thus become one in design and execution if the nature of materials and method and purpose are all in unison." -- Frank Lloyd Wright, An Authobiography. 1932. Revised, 1943. New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce. Copyright by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Courtesy The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Frank Lloyd Wright and The Meaning of Materials Terry L. Patterson During his long and incomparable career, Frank Lloyd Wright frequently commented on the ideal application of building materials in architecture. Indeed, his creations have been lauded for their singular and expressive use of materials according to their nature. But is this praise justified? Was the power of his work derived, in great degree, from his sensitivity to and dependence on the essential nature of building materials? Or was there a discernible gap between his artistic statements and his subsequent applications of wood, brick, glass, and other materials? These are the central questions Terry Patterson addresses in his groundbreaking new study of this 20th-century master — the first volume ever to explore in depth the real-life role of building materials in Wright’s oeuvre. In his richly illustrated Frank Lloyd Wright and the Meaning of Materials, Patterson takes an unprecedented look at more than 240 of Wright’s buildings and projects — the justly celebrated triumphs as well as lesser-know, but no less telling, structures. In the book’s core chapters, each devoted to a specific material, he objectively analyzes Wright’s handling of wood, stone, brick, concrete block, metals, concrete, and glass. Methodically, he examines whether the form, workability, strength, and durability of each material — its essence — has been emphasized, subdued, or misrepresented in these tangible architectural "expressions." Throughout, Patterson uniquely juxtaposes the reality of Wright’s "overall material sensitivity" with nearly 200 of Wright’s own pronouncements on the subject. For the first time, architects, designers, and art historians see — in the truest sense — whether Wright’s final achievements are consonant with his ambitious aims. Importantly, readers are encouraged to reach their own conclusions, which may differ from Patterson’s own deeply felt judgments. In spite of the thousands of books, monographs, and articles on this titan of modern architecture, the ultimate meaning of Wright’s building materials had escaped scrutiny. Our understanding of his artistic legacy remained incomplete. In Frank Lloyd Wright and the Meaning of Materials, Terry Patterson has filled this almost palpable void and, in so doing, has made an enduring contribution to the literature. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Terry L. Patterson, AIA, is a Professor of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma at Norman. He is the author of Construction Materials for Architects and Designers (1990) and coauthor of Architectural Drawing and Design (1984). He has published numerous articles in professional journals and monographs on the architectural use of building materials and related issues. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 260 pages
• Publisher: Van Nostrand Reinhold (August 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0442012985
• ISBN-13: 978-0442012984
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #268,846 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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0 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good, September 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Frank Lloyd Wright and the Meaning of Materials (Architecture) (Hardcover)

It was pretty good alright but I liked the Construction book better. I guess I just didn't really get all the technical juxtaposing going on.