In the Nature of Materials: The Buildings of Frank Lloyd Wright 1887-1941 (Da Capo Paperback) [Paperback]

Henry-Russell Hitchcock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 21, 1975

This is the definitive study of Frank Lloyd Wright and his work, an eloquent summation of an outstanding career that spanned nearly seventy years of American architectural history. Writing with warmth and penetrating intelligence, Henry-Russell Hitchcock, America's leading architectural expert, explores Wright's distinctive approach to the design and construction of homes, civic centers, housing projects, country clubs, and office buildings—emphasizing throughout Wright's skillful use of materials to create harmony between structure and environment.Hitchcock covers each of the major phases in Wright's first fifty years as an architect: the apprenticeship with J.L. Selsbee; the movement toward maturity with "Lieber Meister" Sullivan, and the links with Richardson, the "prairie" architecture of the early 1900s and the non-domestic work of the same period which exerted so great an influence upon the development of modern European architecture; the textile block housing and cantilevered skyscraper projects of the early ‘20s; the creative hiatus of the late ‘20s and early ‘30s; and the projects of the Depression years, interrupted in 1942 by World War II.More than 400 illustrations are presented in chronological order in a format Wright himself designed, revealing an endless assortment of shapes, materials and structural ornament that indicate the scope and focus of Wright's genius. Accompanying the photographs, plans, and perspectives is Hitchcock's perceptive commentary, linking each building to a particular phase in Wright's development and showing how in each case the architect forged the elements of materials, mass, space, and ornament into a powerful visual statement.Hitchcock also contributes a list of the architect's completed projects through 1941, and, in a new foreword specially prepared for this Da Capo edition, assesses Wright's major projects during the last two decades of his life.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; 3rd Printing edition (August 21, 1975)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306800195
• ISBN-13: 978-0306800191
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 8.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,346,561 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Essential Book for the Prairie Years, December 17, 2005

By 

JAD (The Sunshine State) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Nature of Materials: The Buildings of Frank Lloyd Wright 1887-1941 (Da Capo Paperback) (Paperback)

H R H 's book is the essential guide to Wright's formative years as he developed and modified his architectural idiom in Chicagoland and further a field. It represents a chronological overview of Wright's output in what has come to be known as the Prairie Style, when the Oak Park studio was gracing the world with innovative designs that still seem ahead of their time.

Hitchcock was an admirer of Wright and he brought out this book at a time when Wright's star was enjoying a second advent. Even so Wrights' 1940s-1950s resurgence is spottily represented in this volume; so, do not expect to find many of the later works.

But don't let that bother you. Take time to read and enjoy what is still the best guide to this portion of Wright's oeuvre.

One caveat. The book is in black and white, so you will want to find more recent volumes of color photographs to help expand your appreciation of Wright's aesthetic. He had an impeccable gift for tonality and this cannot be communicated in black and white.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars GOOD REVIEW, July 13, 2001

By 

Curtis Bosket (Sault Ste. Marie, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In the Nature of Materials: The Buildings of Frank Lloyd Wright 1887-1941 (Da Capo Paperback) (Paperback)

I felt this was an interesting review of Wright's transition from Adler & Sullivan, the Prarie homes through the Usonian years. It is necessary to supplement this book with those which describe his life and philosphies in more detail to get the most out of "In The Nature of Materials." This is mostly a chronological review of how his home and commercial designs, concepts and use of materials matured over his working life. The second half of the book features photo examples of each step, and these are amply referred to by number in the text so you can easily refer to them. I enjoyed this book a great deal and recommend it for those who want more than just a Wright picture book.

4.0 out of 5 stars Classic, November 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: In the Nature of Materials: The Buildings of Frank Lloyd Wright 1887-1941 (Da Capo Paperback) (Paperback)

A classic book and must have for an architectural library. The only problem being that you will need other Wright books to get more detailed documentation of his buildings.