Frank Lloyd Wright and the Meaning of Materials

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.