That Far Corner: Frank Lloyd Wright in Los Angeles | Artbound | Season 9, Episode 1 | KCET
Summary
TLDRThe video script explores the enigmatic architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, particularly his early 20th-century works in Southern California. The narrative delves into the personal and professional life of Wright, linking his designs to his mid-life crisis, love affairs, and the brutal murder of his lover, Mamah Borthwick Cheney. The script suggests that Wright's use of Pre-Columbian motifs, especially Mayan influences, and his innovative concrete block system were influenced by his emotional state and the desire to create an original American architecture distinct from the prevailing Spanish Colonial style. The houses, described as muscular, brutal, and romantic, are analyzed for their imposing presence and the sense of sorrow they convey, possibly reflecting Wright's personal grief. The video also touches on the cultural impact of these structures, their adaptation in modern media like video games, and the ongoing efforts to preserve and interpret them.
Takeaways
- 🏠 The script discusses Frank Lloyd Wright's unique architectural designs, particularly focusing on his early 20th-century houses in Southern California, which are described as enigmatic and temple-like.
- 🔍 The narrator, an architecture critic, explores the influence of Pre-Columbian architecture on Wright's work, especially following a personal tragedy and a mid-life crisis that led him to Southern California.
- 🕊️ The story of the Alice Millard House by Frank Lloyd Wright is highlighted, showcasing Wright's use of Pre-Columbian ornament and the crypt-like nature of the building, which is seen as both mysterious and not typically domestic.
- 🌟 Wright's houses in L.A. are contrasted with the conventional Spanish Colonial style prevalent at the time, with Wright rejecting European influences in favor of creating an original American architecture.
- 🏢 The script describes Wright's development of a new modular system using concrete blocks made from the soil of the building site itself, which was both a structural and decorative solution.
- 👥 The impact of Wright's personal life, including his relationship with Mamah Borthwick Cheney and the subsequent murders at Taliesin, is suggested to have influenced the somber and dramatic nature of his L.A. houses.
- 🎨 The houses are analyzed in terms of their cultural and historical context, with connections drawn to Mayan temples, Pre-Columbian designs, and the concept of a 'Mayan god' as described by Wright's biographer Brendan Gill.
- 🏛️ The script touches on the reception of Wright's houses in L.A., noting that they were seen as unconventional and not well-received by all, with some critics finding them too severe and lacking joy.
- 💡 The influence of Wright's time in California extends beyond his personal work, as his son Lloyd Wright continued designing in the area, though without the same gravitas as his father's designs.
- 📚 The script concludes with a reflection on the legacy of Wright's L.A. houses, their status as anomalies in architectural history, and their influence on modern media such as video games.
- 👴 A personal perspective is provided by Eric Lloyd Wright, Frank Lloyd Wright's grandson, who shares insights into his grandfather's state of mind and the reasons behind his move to L.A.
Q & A
What was the Alice Millard House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, and why was it considered mysterious?
-The Alice Millard House, located in Pasadena, was one of the five remarkable houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in Southern California in the early 1920s. It was considered mysterious due to its strikingly inscrutable and enigmatic design, which didn't resemble typical domestic architecture of the time.
Why did the narrator spend a night alone in the Alice Millard House?
-The narrator, an architecture critic, was given the opportunity by the house's owner, who collected famous houses as others do with art pieces. The owner allowed the narrator to explore the house, even spend the night there, which was an intriguing and eerie experience for the narrator.
What was the architectural style of Frank Lloyd Wright's early work in Oak Park, and how did it evolve?
-Frank Lloyd Wright began with a Shingle Style house, using his Home and Studio in Oak Park as a laboratory to break away from traditional Victorian architecture. His designs evolved into the Prairie House style, which hugged the ground with a horizontal momentum well-suited to the Midwest landscape.
How did Frank Lloyd Wright's personal life influence his architectural work?
-Wright's personal life, including his relationship with Mamah Borthwick Cheney and the tragic murder at Taliesin, deeply influenced his work. These events led him to seek new directions in his architecture, experimenting with new materials and styles, and moving beyond traditional residential architecture.
What was the significance of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in San Diego for Wright's work?
-The 1915 Panama-California Exposition in San Diego exposed Wright to a rich variety of Pre-Columbian designs, particularly Mayan architecture, which fascinated him. This exposure likely influenced his later work, including the design of the Alice Millard House and other buildings in Southern California.
What was the impact of the murder at Taliesin on Frank Lloyd Wright's life and work?
-The murder of Mamah Borthwick Cheney and others at Taliesin deeply affected Wright. It led to a period of despair and a significant shift in his work, as he sought to move away from the Midwest and explore new architectural styles and designs.
Why did Frank Lloyd Wright choose to use concrete blocks in his Los Angeles houses?
-Wright chose concrete blocks for his Los Angeles houses because they were indigenous to Southern California and could be democratic and affordable on a mass scale. He also liked that concrete could be easily stamped with Maya patterns, making the material and decoration of the house one and the same.
What was unique about the textile block system used in the Freeman House?
-The textile block system used in the Freeman House allowed the concrete blocks to be stacked without any mortar, requiring less skilled labor. The blocks were then woven together with vertical and horizontal steel rods, creating a unique structural and decorative element.
How did the Ennis House reflect Frank Lloyd Wright's vision of a Pre-Columbian temple relocated to Southern California?
-The Ennis House, with its monumental and impenetrable design, looming over Los Feliz, embodied Wright's vision of a Pre-Columbian temple. It was dense, introverted, and suggestive of a crypt, much like the other concrete block houses Wright designed in Los Angeles.
Why did Frank Lloyd Wright leave Los Angeles in 1923?
-Wright left Los Angeles in 1923 because he felt alienated from the real estate market and did not receive the reception he had hoped for. His experimental concrete block houses were not well-received, and people were not willing to take the risk to build with these unconventional materials.
How have Frank Lloyd Wright's Los Angeles houses been perceived over time, and how do they influence contemporary culture?
-Over time, Wright's Los Angeles houses have been seen as muscular, brutal, romantic, and strange. They have influenced contemporary culture by appearing in movies, video games like Minecraft, and even as a setting in a video game starring Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Outlines
🏛️ The Enigmatic Alice Millard House by Frank Lloyd Wright
The narrator, an architecture critic in Los Angeles for nearly 15 years, introduces the Alice Millard House by Frank Lloyd Wright as an enigmatic and strikingly mysterious building. Located in Pasadena, it is one of five remarkable houses designed by Wright in Southern California in the early 1920s. The critic's curiosity was piqued when the owner invited him to explore the house and even spend the night. Describing the house as temple-like with Pre-Columbian ornamentation, the narrator reflects on its crypt-like qualities and questions the reasons behind its design. He recalls a quote by Brendan Gill, a biographer of Wright, who suggested that Wright's L.A. houses seemed more suited to shelter a Mayan god than an American family, prompting further inquiry into the influence of Pre-Columbian architecture on Wright's work in Southern California.
🎭 The Dramatic Story Behind Wright's California Architecture
The video script delves into the personal and professional life of Frank Lloyd Wright, exploring the reasons behind his unique architectural style in Southern California. It discusses Wright's trajectory from his early work in Oak Park, Illinois, to his Prairie Houses, and his eventual move towards larger projects. The story takes a dramatic turn with the mention of a mid-life crisis, a love affair with Mamah Borthwick Cheney, and a brutal mass murder at Wright's Wisconsin property, Taliesin. The narrative suggests that these events, along with Wright's desire to reinvent himself in Southern California, influenced his architectural designs, leading to the creation of houses that were more dramatic and complex than ever before.
📰 Wright's Scandal and Tabloid Fame
Despite his professional success, Wright felt stifled in Oak Park and sought change. The script highlights his relationship with Mamah Cheney, an intellectual and feminist, which eventually led to scandal. The pair's unconventional relationship and Wright's decision to leave his family for her captivated the public and media, making him a subject of sensationalistic tabloid coverage. The couple's adventurous spirit led them to Europe, where Wright further developed his architectural style, but the scandal persisted even after his return to the United States. Wright's focus on his artistic impulses over social propriety and obligations is emphasized, highlighting his commitment to taking riskier paths in his architectural designs.
🕍 The Influence of Pre-Columbian Architecture on Wright
The script explores Wright's exposure to Pre-Columbian architecture, particularly at the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in San Diego, where he encountered a rich variety of Pre-Columbian designs, including those of the Maya. This experience, along with his childhood memories of books on Central American architecture, significantly influenced his work. The narrative suggests that Wright's interest in Pre-Columbian architecture was linked to its association with death and human sacrifice, which resonated with his personal experiences, including the murder of Mamah Cheney. This influence is seen as a key factor in the development of his architectural style in Southern California.
🏡 The Textile Block System and Wright's Experimentation
The video script discusses Wright's innovative use of a modular concrete block system in his Southern California houses, which allowed for quick and cheap construction. The blocks were made with soil from the building site, providing a connection to the location. Wright's use of concrete, a material he once called the 'cheapest and ugliest thing in the building world,' was seen as a way to challenge conventional architectural norms. The script also mentions the textile block system, where blocks could be stacked without mortar and then woven together with steel rods, creating a unique architectural language that was both structural and decorative.
🌅 The Ennis House: A Monumental and Imposing Structure
The Ennis House, one of Wright's designs in Los Angeles, is described as the biggest and most imposing of his works in the city. It is noted for its grandeur, achieved through the use of concrete block, and its Pre-Columbian temple-like appearance. The house is seen as a significant example of Wright's vision, relocated to Southern California. Despite its monumental nature, the house is noted to lack intimacy, reflecting the Ennis couple's taste and desire for a house that matched their aspirations. The house's connection to Hollywood and its appearance in films contribute to its aura and cultural significance.
🏡 The Freeman House: A Bohemian Abode
The Freeman House, designed for a young bohemian couple, is highlighted as an exception to the dark and sinister tones of Wright's other L.A. houses. The clients, Harriet and Samuel Freeman, were enthusiastic about Wright's work, and the house was tailored to their needs, including a large open living room for Harriet's dance performances. The house is noted for its structural issues, which were exacerbated by the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Despite these challenges, the Freeman House remains a significant example of Wright's concrete block houses and a testament to his experimental approach to architecture.
🏙️ The Legacy of Wright's Los Angeles Houses
The video script reflects on the legacy of Wright's concrete block houses in Los Angeles, noting their anomalous character and their distinct difference from the rest of the city's architecture from that period. The houses are described as muscular, brutal, romantic, and strange, with a presence that has transcended into popular culture, including movies and video games. The narrative also touches on Wright's grandson, Eric Lloyd Wright, who has worked on restoring several of his grandfather's houses and shares his insights on Wright's time in L.A. and the impact of personal tragedy on his architectural designs.
📚 Funding and Support Acknowledgement
The script concludes with an acknowledgment of the various organizations that have provided support for the project. These include the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, the California Arts Council, and others.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Frank Lloyd Wright
💡Pre-Columbian architecture
💡Mayan
💡Hollyhock House
💡Textile Block System
💡Alice Millard House
💡Millard House
💡Ennis House
💡Freeman House
💡Los Angeles
💡MAMAH Borthwick
Highlights
The Alice Millard House by Frank Lloyd Wright in Pasadena is considered enigmatic and architecturally unique.
Wright's curiosity about the house deepened when the owner invited him to explore the inside, even offering to lend the key for an overnight stay.
The house's interior and exterior are reminiscent of a temple with Pre-Columbian ornament, evoking a crypt-like ambiance.
Wright's biographer, Brendan Gill, suggested that Wright's L.A. houses seemed more suited to sheltering a Mayan god than an American family.
Wright's work in L.A. is influenced by his mid-life crisis, a love affair, and a brutal mass murder, contributing to the dramatic and complex nature of his designs.
Wright's early work in Oak Park, Chicago, showed a departure from traditional Victorian architecture with the development of the Prairie House style.
Wright's relationship with Mamah Borthwick Cheney and the subsequent scandal influenced his life and work significantly.
The tragedy at Taliesin, Wright's Wisconsin home and studio, where Mamah Cheney and others were murdered, had a profound impact on Wright's life and work.
Wright's first trip to Southern California was a means of escape and healing, where he was exposed to Pre-Columbian designs at the Panama-California Exposition in San Diego.
Wright's use of Pre-Columbian motifs in his L.A. houses was a reflection of his interest in indigenous American architecture over European styles.
The Hollyhock House, commissioned by Aline Barnsdall, is a theatrical and Mayan temple-inspired design that was never fully realized as a residence.
Wright's textile block system, using concrete blocks with soil from the building site, was an innovative approach to architecture that was both structural and modular.
The Alice Millard House, or 'La Miniatura,' is a dramatic and mysterious work of L.A. architecture that seems to grow from its site while remaining closed off from the outside world.
Wright's grandson, Eric Lloyd Wright, suggests that the L.A. houses were influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright's sorrow following Mamah Borthwick's murder.
The L.A. houses have a lasting impact on architecture and culture, with their unique designs influencing modern media such as video games.
Wright's L.A. houses are seen as precursors to L.A. Noir, with their dark and moody atmospheres reflecting the violence and death associated with Pre-Columbian cultures.
The houses' vocabulary, including words like 'drama,' 'sinister,' and 'tragedy,' suggests a psychological reading that aligns with Wright's own approach to his work.
Transcripts
NARRATOR: I'VE BEEN AN
ARCHITECTURE CRITIC IN LOS
ANGELES FOR NEARLY 15 YEARS,
AND IN ALL THAT TIME I DON'T
THINK I'VE EVER COME ACROSS A
BUILDING QUITE AS INSCRUTABLE, AS STRIKINGLY MYSTERIOUS AS
THIS ONE.
IT'S THE ALICE MILLARD HOUSE BY
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT, IN PASADENA.
ONE OF 5 REMARKABLE HOUSES
WRIGHT DESIGNED AND BUILT IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IN THE
EARLY 1920S.
MY CURIOSITY ABOUT THE HOUSE
DEEPENED WHEN ITS OWNER ASKED
ME A FEW YEARS AGO IF I WANTED
TO SEE THE INSIDE. IT WAS JUST SITTING THERE
EMPTY, SAID THE OWNER, A MAN
WHO COLLECTED FAMOUS HOUSES THE
WAY OTHER PEOPLE COLLECT
PICASSOS OR DIEBENKORNS.
I COULD EVEN SPEND THE NIGHT,
IF I WANTED; HE'D JUST LEND ME
THE KEY.
IT WAS THRILLING, AND A BIT
EERIE, TO SPEND 24 HOURS ALONE
IN THAT HOUSE. WHAT I REMEMBER MORE THAN
ANYTHING IS HOW MUCH OF A TEMPLE IT SEEMED INSIDE AND
OUT, WITH ITS ROWS OF
PRE-COLUMBIAN ORNAMENT, EVEN
HOW CRYPT-LIKE.
I MEAN, LOOK AT THE PLACE. IT'S NOT EXACTLY WARM,
WELCOMING, OR ESPECIALLY
DOMESTIC IN ANY TYPICAL SENSE
OF THAT WORD.
IT'S SOMETHING ELSE: OPAQUE AND
TOUGH TO READ, TIGHT-LIPPED.
I STARTED TO WONDER: WHY DOES
THE HOUSE LOOK THIS WAY?
WHY DID L.A. ELICIT THIS KIND OF WORK FROM WRIGHT?
I REMEMBERED A LINE BY BRENDAN
GILL, ONE OF THE ARCHITECT'S MOST PERCEPTIVE BIOGRAPHERS,
WHO WROTE THAT WRIGHT'S L.A.
HOUSES ARE "BETTER SUITED TO
SHELTERING A MAYAN GOD THAN AN AMERICAN FAMILY."
WAS HE RIGHT ABOUT THAT? AND WHY A MAYAN GOD?
WHAT WAS IT ABOUT PRE-COLUMBIAN
ARCHITECTURE SPECIFICALLY THAT MADE IT SO ATTRACTIVE TO WRIGHT
IN THOSE YEARS?
WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE IS THE
STORY OF MY ATTEMPT TO FIND ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS.
AS IT TURNS OUT, THE ANSWERS
MAKE UP A STORY MORE
FASCINATING, AND MORE
COMPLICATED, THAN I EVER WOULD
HAVE GUESSED.
A STORY THAT EVEN A NOVELIST MIGHT COMPLAIN WAS MELODRAMATIC
AND OVERSTUFFED; ONE INVOLVING
A MID-LIFE CRISIS OF EPIC PROPORTION, A LOVE AFFAIR,
AND A BRUTAL MASS MURDER.
A STORY STARRING AN ARCHITECT WHO TRIED TO REINVENT HIMSELF
AS SO MANY OTHER AMERICANS HAVE
DONE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, A
PLACE WRIGHT WOULD LATER
DESCRIBE AS "THAT FAR CORNER OF
THE UNITED STATES."
THE FIRST THING TO DO, IN
LEARNING EXACTLY HOW FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT WOUND UP IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, SEEMED
OBVIOUS: I HAD TO GO BACK TO
THE BEGINNING, TO OAK PARK, THE SUBURB JUST WEST OF CHICAGO
WHERE WRIGHT OPENED AN OFFICE IN 1893, AFTER WORKING WITH THE
ACCLAIMED ARCHITECT LOUIS
SULLIVAN.
WRIGHT AND HIS WIFE CATHERINE,
KNOWN AS KITTY, WOULD SOON HAVE 6 CHILDREN.
I ALSO HOPED TO SIT DOWN WITH
SOME EXPERTS ON WRIGHT'S WORK
FROM THAT PERIOD. I BEGAN WITH A FELLOW
ARCHITECTURE CRITIC.
BLAIR KAMIN: IT'S FASCINATING TO WATCH HIS TRAJECTORY. I MEAN,
HE BEGINS WITH A SHINGLE STYLE
HOUSE, THE HOME AND STUDIO IN OAK PARK, AND USES THAT AS A
KIND OF LABORATORY, A WAY TO BREAK OUT OF THE VICTORIAN BOX.
HAWTHORNE: WRIGHT'S HOME AND
STUDIO, FEATURING A PLAYROOM WITH VAULTED CEILING FOR HIS
GROWING FAMILY, WAS REALLY A
DECLARATION OF WAR ON
TRADITIONAL, HIDEBOUND VICTORIAN ARCHITECTURE.
IN THE DESIGNS THAT FOLLOWED,
WRIGHT PRODUCED A MARKEDLY NEW
KIND OF HOUSE--THE PRAIRIE HOUSE--THAT HUGGED THE
GROUND, WITH A HORIZONTAL
MOMENTUM PERFECTLY SUITED TO THE MIDWEST.
IN A SERIES OF HOUSES JUST
AFTER 1900, WRIGHT BROUGHT THIS TYPE NEARER AND NEARER TO
PERFECTION.
KAMIN: YOU SEE THAT CULMINATE, REALLY, IN THE ROBIE HOUSE.
THIS KIND OF GREAT STATEMENT
WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, SEEMINGLY BOTH GROUNDED IN THE EARTH OF
THE MIDWEST AND FLYING FORWARD,
LIKE A SHIP, WITH ITS
CANTILEVERED ROOFS. IT'S A TREMENDOUS STATEMENT OF
A HOUSE THAT SEEMS BOTH ROOTED
AND STATIC BUT ALSO INCREDIBLY DYNAMIC.
HAWTHORNE: MY NEXT STOP WAS TO
TALK WITH A FORMER ARCHITECTURE CRITIC, LEE BEY, WHO NOW WORKS
AT CHICAGO'S DUSABLE MUSEUM OF
AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY. BEY: SO, IN 1909, IT PROVIDES AN
INTERESTING BREAK IN HIS CAREER BECAUSE UP UNTIL THEN,
PARTICULARLY THE LAST FEW
YEARS, HE'S REALLY HAD AN INCREDIBLE CREATIVE OUTBURST.
HAWTHORNE: IN THESE YEARS,
WRIGHT WAS BEGINNING TO MOVE
BEYOND RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE TO LARGER PROJECTS.
BEY: IF HIS CAREER WERE TO STOP
THERE, HE'D BE A LEGEND, BUT AS
WE KNOW, IT GOES ON BEYOND THAT.
HAWTHORNE: DESPITE THIS
PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS, WRIGHT
BEGAN TO FEEL STIFLED IN OAK PARK.
HE WAS REACHING MIDDLE AGE. AND HE HAD PUSHED THE PRAIRIE
STYLE JUST ABOUT AS FAR AS IT
WOULD GO. ONE OF THE MOST STRIKING OF THE
PRAIRIE HOUSES, JUST A
HALF-MILE FROM HIS OWN, WAS
DESIGNED FOR A COUPLE NAMED
EDWIN AND MAMAH CHENEY. MAMAH BORTHWICK CHENEY WAS AN
INTELLECTUAL, A TRANSLATOR,
AND A FEMINIST.
A WOMAN WHO COULD MORE THAN
HOLD HER OWN IN DEBATES WITH
WRIGHT. THE ARCHITECT AND HIS WIFE
BEGAN SOCIALIZING WITH THE
CHENEYS,
AND BEFORE LONG, ACCORDING TO
TIM SAMUELSON, CHICAGO'S
CULTURAL HISTORIAN, PEOPLE BEGAN TO TALK.
SAMUELSON: THERE WERE CERTAINLY
WHISPERS ABOUT THE IDEA OF A
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FRANK
LLOYD WRIGHT AND MAMAH BORTHWICK CHENEY.
IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR THINGS LIKE THAT TO GO ON, BUT WRIGHT
WAS A PRETTY UNCONVENTIONAL
FIGURE. HE LOOKED DIFFERENT, HE ACTED
DIFFERENTLY, AND SO, THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT WOULD CATCH
PEOPLE'S CURIOSITY.
HAWTHORNE: WRIGHT'S RELATIONSHIP
WITH MAMAH CHENEY SEEMED TO
GIVE HIM A NEW TASTE FOR ADVENTURE.
SAMUELSON: THIS IS SOMEBODY WHO
CHALLENGED WRIGHT, WHO COULD BE ON EQUAL WITH HIM.
WHO I THINK YOU CAN SAY, IN
ALL CONFIDENCE, WAS THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE.
HAWTHORNE: IN THE FALL OF 1909,
WRIGHT ABRUPTLY SHUTTERED HIS
OFFICE, LEFT HIS WIFE AND
CHILDREN BEHIND, AND SAILED TO EUROPE WITH MAMAH.
SAMUELSON: ONCE HE LEAVES, THEN
THE JOURNALISTS TAKE OVER.
IT BECOMES SENSATIONALISTIC.
KAMIN: WRIGHT IS A TABLOID NEWSPAPER EDITOR'S DREAM. I
MEAN, HE'S RIGHT OUT OF CENTRAL
CASTING IN TERMS OF HOW HE
LOOKS, HIS BRAGGADOCIO.
HE'S A GUY WHO MANIPULATES THE MEDIA, WHO HAS A LOVE-HATE
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MEDIA.
THE MEDIA HELPS MAKE HIM AND IT
ALSO HELPS TEAR HIM APART.
HAWTHORNE: FRANK AND MAMAH
SETTLED IN ITALY'S TUSCAN COUNTRYSIDE.
WRIGHT ALSO TRAVELED WIDELY,
SEEING THE NEWEST LANDMARKS OF
EUROPEAN MODERNISM, AND SPENT
SIGNIFICANT TIME IN BERLIN.
SAMUELSON: HE IS ENGAGED TO PRODUCE THE PLATES FOR A
PUBLICATION OF HIS WORK IN
EUROPE FOR THE GREAT GERMAN
PUBLISHING HOUSE OF WASMUTH. BEY: THIS LEAVING WAS ONE OF A
STUNNING PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
AS WELL.
HE COMES BACK TO AMERICA A
DIFFERENT ARCHITECT THAN HE DID WHEN HE--WHEN HE LEFT IT.
HAWTHORNE: ON HIS RETURN IN
1910, WRIGHT TRIED TO
REESTABLISH HIS ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE IN OAK PARK, BUT IT
SOON BECAME CLEAR THAT THE SCANDAL HAD HARDLY DISSIPATED
WHILE HE WAS AWAY.
WHEN I SAT DOWN INSIDE THE
ROBIE HOUSE WITH THE CHICAGO
ARCHITECT ARIC LASHER, HE TOLD
ME THAT WRIGHT HAD OTHER
PRIORITIES THAN QUIETING THE TABLOIDS.
LASHER: HE WAS SOMEONE DRIVEN
BY ARTISTIC IMPULSES ABOVE ALL OTHERS.
OBVIOUSLY, SOCIAL PROPRIETY AND
OTHER OBLIGATIONS WERE LESS
IMPORTANT THAN HIS MISSION AS
AN ARTIST AND AS A CREATIVE
THINKER.
HAWTHORNE: THAT MAY SOUND IN
THE ABSTRACT LIKE BOILERPLATE
PRAISE, THE KIND OF THING YOU'D
HEAR FROM A TOUR GUIDE, BUT I THINK THIS POINT IS A KEY ONE.
WHAT I WAS BEGINNING TO LEARN
WAS THAT WRIGHT, WHEN FACED
WITH A CHOICE BETWEEN PRODUCING
ARCHITECTURE THAT HE KNEW WAS
POPULAR AND ARCHITECTURE THAT
MIGHT PUSH HIS WORK IN NEW
DIRECTIONS, ALMOST ALWAYS TOOK THE RISKIER PATH.
IT WAS A KIND OF COMPULSION FOR
HIM, THIS INSTINCT.
AS ONE WRITER PUT IT, "WRIGHT
SEEMED UNCOMFORTABLE AS SOON AS
HIS LIFE REACHED ANY SORT OF EQUILIBRIUM."
AS HE HAD THE YEAR BEFORE,
WRIGHT DECIDED HE NEEDED TO GET
AWAY.
SAMUELSON: HE RETURNS TO WHAT
WAS PART OF HIS ROOTS, THE HILLSIDE OF WISCONSIN, THE
FAMILY LAND OF THE LLOYD
JONESES.
THIS WOULD BE HIS MOTHER'S
FAMILY.
HAWTHORNE: AS A REFUGE FOR HIMSELF AND MAMAH, WRIGHT BUILT
A REMARKABLY AMBITIOUS HOUSE AND STUDIO.
THE MATERIALS HE FOUND ON
THE SITE OR CLOSE BY, WITH SAND FROM THE WISCONSIN RIVER USED
TO MAKE STUCCO THE SAME OCHER
COLOR AS THE RIVER'S BANKS.
BEY: AND IN A SENSE, HE'S HOME,
RIGHT? HE'S WELSH
BY EXTRACTION AND HE NAMES IT TALIESIN, "SHINING
BROW," A WELSH WORD.
SO, IT'S HIM RETURNING TO
SOMETHING, AND SOMETHING DEEPER AND--AND SOMETHING ROOTED.
HAWTHORNE: WALKING THROUGH
TALIESIN, I WAS REMINDED THAT
IT'S WITHOUT ANY DOUBT ONE OF
THE SUPREME ACHIEVEMENTS OF WRIGHT'S CAREER.
IT WAS SYMBOLIC FOR HIM OF TWO
THINGS: HIS BREAK WITH
CONVENTIONAL SOCIETY IN OAK PARK AND HIS INTEREST IN
CREATING AN ARCHITECTURE THAT SEEMED NOT ONLY TO GROW FROM
THE LANDSCAPE BUT TO BE ALMOST CONTINUOUS WITH IT.
BUT WRIGHT DIDN'T CUT TIES WITH
CHICAGO ALTOGETHER. SAMUELSON: HE MAINTAINED A
CHICAGO OFFICE WHERE HE COULD
MEET CLIENTS, AND THERE WERE
SOME BIG PROJECTS. SOME WERE
DREAM PROJECTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE MIDWAY GARDENS
IN CHICAGO, WHICH WAS LIKE MADE FOR WRIGHT, BECAUSE IT WAS
SOMETHING THAT WAS MADE TO
APPEAL TO ALL THE SENSES.
HAWTHORNE: IT WAS WHILE WRIGHT
WAS WORKING AT THE MIDWAY
GARDENS SITE ONE AFTERNOON IN
AUGUST OF 1914 THAT HE RECEIVED THE NEWS THAT WOULD
RADICALLY CHANGE HIS LIFE. SAMUELSON: WORD REACHES HIM OF
AN UNFOLDING TRAGEDY AT TALIESIN, SOMETHING THAT WAS
TOTALLY UNIMAGINABLE.
A SERVANT UP AT TALIESIN HAD MURDERED NOT ONLY MEMBERS OF
THE STAFF, BUT MURDERED
BRUTALLY THE LOVE AND PASSION OF HIS LIFE, MAMAH BORTHWICK
CHENEY. HAWTHORNE: THE KILLER WAS A
COOK AND HANDYMAN NAMED JULIAN CARLTON.
HIS MOTIVE REMAINS UNCLEAR,
ALTHOUGH HIS WIFE TOLD POLICE HE'D BEEN GROWING INCREASINGLY
PARANOID IN THE WEEKS BEFORE
THE CRIME. AFTER
SERVING LUNCH TO MAMAH AND HER
TWO CHILDREN, HE ATTACKED AND KILLED ALL 3 OF THEM
WITH A HATCHET.
THEN HE LIT THE TALIESIN STUDIO
ON FIRE AND KILLED SEVERAL
MEMBERS OF WRIGHT'S STAFF IN
THE SAME GRUESOME FASHION. WITH 7 DEAD, IT WAS, AND REMAINS
TO THIS DAY, THE LARGEST MASS
MURDER IN WISCONSIN HISTORY.
JUST DOWN THE HILL FROM
TALIESIN, I VISITED THE GROUNDS OF THE CHAPEL WHERE WRIGHT
BURIED MAMAH IN A PLAIN PINE
COFFIN. THIS WAS AN INTENSELY
PERSONAL SPOT FOR WRIGHT:
THE CHAPEL ITSELF
WAS THE FIRST BUILDING HE EVER
HELPED DESIGN, AS A TEENAGER,
AND HIS MOTHER'S FAMILY, THE
LLOYD JONESES, ALL WORSHIPPED THERE AND WOULD EVENTUALLY BE
BURIED THERE.
IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO FIND MAMAH'S GRAVE.
UNLIKE THOSE OF WRIGHT'S
BLOOD RELATIVES, WHICH ARE QUITE PROMINENT, IT'S HIDDEN
AWAY AT THE BASE OF A TREE.
IN DESPAIR AFTER THE MURDERS, WRIGHT BROKE OUT, JOB-LIKE, IN
BOILS AND THOUGHT HE WAS GOING
BLIND.
ULTIMATELY, THOUGH, MAMAH'S
DEATH WOULD LEAVE A MARK FAR
MORE PSYCHOLOGICAL THAN
PHYSICAL. AS WRIGHT LOOKED ON THE RUINS
OF TALIESIN, HE BEGAN TO SEE
HIMSELF.
"THE GAPING BLACK HOLE LEFT BY
FIRE IN THE BEAUTIFUL
HILLSIDE," HE WROTE, "WAS NO LESS EMPTY, CHARRED, AND UGLY
IN MY OWN LIFE."
IT WAS IN THAT SHAKY STATE OF
MIND THAT WRIGHT MADE HIS FIRST
TRIP TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, IN JANUARY OF 1915, LESS THAN 6
MONTHS AFTER THE MURDERS. BACK
IN LOS ANGELES, I SAT DOWN WITH THE WESTERN HISTORIAN WILLIAM
DEVERELL TO ASK HIM WHAT KIND
OF CITY WRIGHT FOUND HERE.
DEVERELL: LOS ANGELES COMES OUT OF THE 19TH CENTURY BRASH.
SO, THE POPULATION GROWTH IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IS
PRODIGIOUS, FROM THE FIRST
3 DECADES OF THE 20TH CENTURY.
HAWTHORNE: THE L.A.
OF THAT ERA WAS ALMOST
PERFECTLY SUITED TO DISTRACTING A GRIEVING ARCHITECT WITH THE
PROSPECT OF NEW WORK AND NEW
CLIENTS.
DEVERELL: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND CALIFORNIA GENERALLY, HAD
SINCE THE ERA OF THE GOLD RUSH
BEEN SEEN AS A PLACE FOR
REINVENTION. SO, IT HAS THAT REHABILITATIVE
FEEL TO IT. IT ALSO HAS A RECUPERATIVE FEEL
TO IT. SO, PEOPLE COME OUT HERE IN THE
LATE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY BECAUSE THEY WANT TO
GET BETTER, THEY WANT TO GET
WELL, THEY WANT TO CONVALESCE. HAWTHORNE: ONE OF WRIGHT'S MOST
IMPORTANT STOPS ON THAT TRIP TO CALIFORNIA WAS A VISIT TO THE
PANAMA-CALIFORNIA EXPOSITION IN
SAN DIEGO. THERE HE CAME FACE TO FACE WITH A
RICH VARIETY OF BUILDING MODELS AND DRAWINGS SHOWING
PRE-COLUMBIAN DESIGNS,
ARTIFACTS OF THE MAYA,
AND OTHER CULTURES THAT ROSE TO PROMINENCE MORE THAN A THOUSAND
YEARS AGO, IN THE CENTURIES BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF THE
SPANISH. ACCORDING
TO MEGAN O'NEIL AND JESSE
LERNER, THE EXPERTS IN PRE-COLUMBIAN CULTURE I SPOKE
WITH NEXT, THE SAN DIEGO EXPO
CELEBRATED MAYA DESIGNS AS PART OF A REGIONAL ARCHITECTURE
INDIGENOUS TO THE AMERICAS.
O'NEIL: THE 1915 EXPOSITION IN
SAN DIEGO, THE EXTERIOR OF THE
CALIFORNIA BUILDING WAS SPANISH COLONIAL, AND THEN THE INTERIOR
WAS THIS SORT OF MAYA FANTASY
WORLD, LET'S SAY, THAT WAS
PARTIALLY VERY ARCHAEOLOGICAL,
I THINK, BUT THEN ALSO ABOUT
THIS FANTASY IMAGINATION OF RUINS, ET CETERA.
LERNER: ALL THE VISITORS TO THE SAN DIEGO EXHIBITION WOULD HAVE
HAD A CHANCE TO SEE VERY ACCURATE REPRODUCTIONS OF MAYA
SCULPTURE AND SOME MORE
FANCIFUL REPRESENTATIONS OF
MAYA CITIES AT THEIR PRIME.
HAWTHORNE: IN ADDITION, THE EXPO MAY WELL HAVE CEMENTED IN
WRIGHT'S MIND A LINK BETWEEN
THIS ARCHITECTURE AND DEATH.
PRE-COLUMBIAN TEMPLES WERE
SOMETIMES NOT ONLY THE SETTINGS FOR HUMAN SACRIFICE BUT ALSO
PART OF COMPLEXES WHERE
IMPORTANT FIGURES WERE BURIED. PLACES WHERE THE LIVING COULD
COMMUNE WITH AND REMEMBER THE
DEAD.
SAMUELSON: WITH WRIGHT'S MIND, HE SEES IT ALL.
HE TAKES IT ALL IN.
IT BECOMES PART OF HIS TOOLBOX FOR FUTURE USE.
HAWTHORNE: WRIGHT HAD SEEN
PRE-COLUMBIAN ARCHITECTURE
BEFORE. HE'D SEEN IT AT THE 1893
WORLD'S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION IN CHICAGO. AND
ACCORDING TO THE UCLA ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN THOMAS
HINES, THERE WERE ALSO MEMORIES
FROM HIS CHILDHOOD. HINES: HIS PARENTS, HIS MOTHER,
HAD GIVEN HIM BOOKS WITH PICTURES OF THE BUILDINGS FROM
CENTRAL AMERICA, MEXICO,
AND THE YUCATAN.
THOSE IMAGES STAYED IN HIS MIND
MOST OF HIS LIFE. LERNER: IN THE 1840S, THERE ARE
4 BOOKS, A SERIES OF TWO
VOLUMES CALLED "INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL IN YUCATAN" AND
"INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL IN CENTRAL
AMERICA, CHIAPAS, AND YUCATAN,"
THAT WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL.
THEY WENT THROUGH MANY
REPRINTINGS AND THEY ARE REALLY THE PRINCIPAL SOURCE OF U.S.
AWARENESS OF THE RUINS OF THE ANCIENT MAYA.
THE AUTHOR OF THESE 4 BOOKS
IS JOHN LLOYD STEPHENS, AND HE TRAVELED WITH AND COLLABORATED
WITH A PHOTOGRAPHER AND ILLUSTRATOR CALLED FREDERICK
CATHERWOOD.
SHORTLY AFTER THE PUBLICATION OF THOSE 4 BOOKS, YOU START
TO SEE ALL KINDS OF REFERENCES
TO THE ANCIENT MAYA AND TO MAYAN RUINS IN POPULAR CULTURE.
HAWTHORNE: THOSE REFERENCES
INCLUDED THIS PAIR OF SIBLINGS
THAT P.T. BARNUM
PUT IN HIS FREAK SHOWS, THOUGH
HE CALLED THEM AZTEC, NOT MAYAN.
AND, INCREDIBLY, THESE FLOATS,
AT LEAST ONE WITH A FAKE DEAD
BODY DRAPED ACROSS IT, DESIGNED BY ARCHITECT SUMNER HUNT.
THEY WERE PART OF THE LA FIESTA PARADE IN 1895 THROUGH THE
STREETS OF L.A.
SO, LET'S PAUSE HERE TO CONSIDER
THE EVIDENCE WE'VE COLLECTED SO FAR AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE
DIRECTION OF WRIGHT'S WORK
AFTER THE MURDERS AT TALIESIN. WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU ADD UP
WRIGHT'S INTEREST IN
PRE-COLUMBIAN ARCHITECTURE, THE ROLE OF DEATH IN THAT
ARCHITECTURE, AND THE MURDER OF
MAMAH BORTHWICK?
YOU GET THIS, ONE OF THE FIRST MAJOR BUILDINGS WRIGHT DESIGNED
AFTER RETURNING TO THE MIDWEST
FROM HIS TRIP TO CALIFORNIA.
IT'S A WAREHOUSE COMMISSIONED BY A WHOLESALE GROCER NAMED A.D.
GERMAN FOR A SITE IN WRIGHT'S
BIRTHPLACE, THE SLEEPY WISCONSIN TOWN OF RICHLAND
CENTER. I
GOT A TOUR FROM A COUPLE OF
LOCAL RESIDENTS WHO ARE WORKING
TO BRING THE BUILDING BACK TO LIFE. TO PUT IT MILDLY,
IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE A TRADITIONAL WAREHOUSE,
OR A FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT DESIGN,
OR THE KIND OF BUILDING YOU'D EXPECT TO FIND IN SMALL-TOWN
WISCONSIN. IT
LOOKS A TEMPLE, LIKE SOMETHING
STRAIGHT OUT OF A CATHERWOOD
DRAWING.
LERNER: IF YOU PUT THAT SIDE BY
SIDE WITH THE SO-CALLED NUNNERY STRUCTURE AT UXMAL, ONE OF THE
BUILDINGS THAT HE WOULD HAVE
SEEN REPRODUCED BOTH AT THE
CHICAGO COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION
AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF IN SAN
DIEGO, YOU CAN SEE A REAL SORT
OF DIALOGUE AT THE VERY LEAST.
HAWTHORNE: IT'S CLEAR THAT WRIGHT WAS USING THE RICHLAND
CENTER COMMISSION TO TEST OUT
THE MAYAN AND OTHER
PRE-COLUMBIAN MOTIFS THAT HE'D JUST SEEN IN SAN DIEGO AND THAT
WOULD SOON FORM THE BASIS OF
HIS RESIDENTIAL WORK IN LOS
ANGELES. AND
THOUGH HE WAS IN A NEW
RELATIONSHIP BY NOW, A
TEMPESTUOUS ONE, WITH A WOMAN
NAMED MIRIAM NOEL, WHOM HE WOULD LATER MARRY AND THEN
QUICKLY DIVORCE, HE WAS ALSO
STILL STRUGGLING TO RECOVER
EMOTIONALLY FROM THE MURDERS,
AND INCREASINGLY DESPERATE TO
WORK ANYWHERE BUT THE MIDWEST.
LUCKILY FOR WRIGHT, HE FOUND
TWO COMMISSIONS THAT HELPED HIM
ACCELERATE HIS ESCAPE. HE
WAS ASKED TO DESIGN THE GIANT
IMPERIAL HOTEL IN TOKYO, AND IN CALIFORNIA HE BEGAN WORK ON
A PROJECT THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY
BE DUBBED HOLLYHOCK HOUSE, FOR A WEALTHY, AMBITIOUS, AND
INCONSTANT NEW CLIENT NAMED ALINE BARNSDALL.
HINES: WRIGHT WAS IN NEED OF
ESCAPE AND HELP. PART OF IT HE FOUND IN JAPAN,
THE IMPERIAL HOTEL COMMISSION,
AND HERE IN THE BARNSDALL COMMISSION.
THOSE TWO GREAT, RATHER EXOTIC
COMMISSIONS IN EXOTIC PLACES FROM HIS MIDWESTERN STANDPOINT,
AND THOSE WERE IMPORTANT
SOURCES OF HEALING, REALLY, FOR
HIM.
HAWTHORNE: ACCORDING TO JEFFREY
HERR, WHO NOW OVERSEES
HOLLYHOCK HOUSE, ALINE BARNSDALL HOPED TO BUILD NOT
JUST A RESIDENCE BUT A
PERFORMING-ARTS COMPLEX. HERR: SHE WAS EDUCATED IN
EUROPE AND BECAME INTERESTED IN THEATRE, SPECIFICALLY
AVANT-GARDE THEATRE.
HAWTHORNE: WHILE WRIGHT WAS OFF
IN TOKYO, SHE FOUND A 36-ACRE
HILLTOP SITE ON THE EASTERN
EDGE OF HOLLYWOOD, A SPOT CALLED OLIVE HILL.
HINES: WITH ALINE BARNSDALL'S MONEY, HER INHERITED FORTUNE
FROM HER FATHER WHO HAD BEEN AN
OIL BARON, THERE WERE LIMITLESS
POSSIBILITIES.
HAWTHORNE: AND WHILE HER DREAMS
OF BUILDING A THEATER WERE
NEVER REALIZED, THE HOUSE
WRIGHT PRODUCED FOR HER IS
PLENTY THEATRICAL ON ITS OWN.
HERR: WHEN WRIGHT DESIGNED
HOLLYHOCK HOUSE, HE NOT ONLY
CONCEDED TO ALINE BARNSDALL'S IDEA THAT THIS HOUSE WOULD BE
NAMED HOLLYHOCK HOUSE BECAUSE IT'S HER FAVORITE FLOWER, BUT
HE WENT 10 STEPS FURTHER
DESIGNING AN AMAZING
ABSTRACTION OF THE PLANT AND
THEN RIFFING ON THAT WITH INNUMERABLE ADAPTATIONS
OF THAT DESIGN.
HAWTHORNE: THERE IS A RANGE OF
STYLES IN HOLLYHOCK HOUSE,
INCLUDING VIENNESE MODERN AND
JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE. BUT IT IS, ABOVE ALL, A MAYA
TEMPLE.
HERR: IF YOU LOOK AT THE WEST
FAÇADE, YOU HAVE THIS MONUMENTAL
SORT OF TEMPLE-STYLE BUILDING.
IT HAS ORNAMENTATION THAT IS CERTAINLY REMINISCENT OF MAYAN
OR PRE-COLUMBIAN RUINS.
HAWTHORNE: IN THE FINAL
ANALYSIS, DESPITE ITS UNORTHODOX POWER AND MOMENTS OF
REAL BRILLIANCE, HOLLYHOCK
HOUSE WAS AN IMPERFECT L.A.
DEBUT FOR WRIGHT. IT NEVER CAME CLOSE TO
FULFILLING BARNSDALL'S
AMBITIONS, THAT'S FOR SURE. AND IN A FORESHADOWING OF
WRIGHT'S L.A.
HOUSES TO COME, IT NEVER
SUCCEEDED AS A RESIDENCE, A DOMESTIC SETTING. BARNSDALL
STARTED THINKING ABOUT DONATING
IT TO THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES BEFORE IT WAS EVEN A YEAR OLD,
AND SHE WOULD MAKE THE GIFT
OFFICIAL IN 1927.
IT'S PROBABLY DIFFICULT
FOR US TO REALIZE NOW JUST HOW
IDIOSYNCRATIC A HOUSE DESIGNED TO RESEMBLE A MAYA TEMPLE WOULD
HAVE SEEMED IN THE LOS ANGELES
OF THAT TIME.
DEVERELL: BY THE TEENS, AND CERTAINLY BY THE 1920S, THE
ELITE ARCHITECTURAL CLIENTS
HAVE MORE OR LESS CHOSEN THAT THE ARTICLE OF FAITH IS THE
SPANISH COLONIAL STYLE.
HAWTHORNE: WRIGHT WAS FULL OF
DISDAIN FOR THIS ARCHITECTURE AND ITS SUITABILITY FOR LOS
ANGELES.
HE CALLED IT "FRAUDULENT" AND
COMPLAINED THAT THE RED TILE ROOFS OF SPANISH COLONIAL AND
MISSION-STYLE BUILDINGS HERE
"GIVE BACK THE SUNSHINE
STAINED PINK."
WHEN I WENT TO SEE KATHRYN SMITH, AMONG THE LEADING
AUTHORITIES IN L.A.
ON WRIGHT'S WORK, SHE EXPLAINED SOMETHING IMPORTANT: THAT
WRIGHT'S DISLIKE FOR THE
SPANISH COLONIAL WAS PART OF
HIS BROADER IMPATIENCE WITH THE
IDEA THAT AMERICAN ARCHITECTS SHOULD LOOK TO EUROPE FOR THEIR
CULTURAL INSPIRATION.
SMITH: FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT WANTED TO CREATE A GENUINE,
ORIGINAL AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE.
SO, EVEN FROM THE 1890S TO THE 1900S, HE REJECTED VICTORIAN
ARCHITECTURE, GREEK ARCHITECTURE, ROMAN REVIVAL,
ROMANESQUE REVIVAL.
HINES: WRIGHT WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING OF A CULTURAL
NATIONALIST DETERMINED TO FIND
THE ROOTS OF AN AMERICAN
CULTURE. HAWTHORNE: WRIGHT WAS ARGUING,
IN EFFECT, THAT PRE-COLUMBIAN
ARCHITECTURE WAS MORE AMERICAN
THAN THE SPANISH COLONIAL AND THAT LOS ANGELES HAD MORE IN
COMMON IN TERMS OF CLIMATE,
LANDSCAPE, AND CULTURE WITH
PRE-COLUMBIAN MEXICO THAN WITH NEW YORK OR SPAIN. THIS
POINT OF VIEW WAS IN CERTAIN
WAYS DEEPLY NAIVE.
WRIGHT NEVER VISITED ANY
PRE-COLUMBIAN RUINS IN PERSON.
AS HE WOULD LATER DO WITH
NATIVE AMERICAN DESIGNS, WRIGHT
TENDED TO RATHER INDISCRIMINATELY MIX TOGETHER
MAYA CULTURE WITH AZTEC OR INCA.
LASHER: THERE IS SOMETHING
PECULIAR ABOUT LOOKING TO
INDIGENOUS ARCHITECTURES OF
NORTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA AND APPROPRIATING THEM WHEN, IN
FACT, YOU'RE THE DESCENDANT OF,
YOU KNOW, WHITE SETTLERS THAT
ACTUALLY PUSHED THESE
INDIGENOUS CULTURES ASIDE.
HAWTHORNE: AND YET THERE WAS
ALSO SOMETHING GENUINE IN
WRIGHT'S USE OF PRE-COLUMBIAN
FORMS.
WHAT HE WAS EXPRESSING WAS A
KIND OF HEARTFELT, IF SCATTERSHOT, PAN-AMERICAN PRIDE.
"WE CAN'T LEARN ANYTHING FROM
EUROPE," HE SAID. "THEY HAVE TO LEARN FROM US."
BY EARLY 1923, DESPITE THE FACT
THAT THE BARNSDALL JOB HADN'T WORKED OUT THE WAY HE'D HOPED,
WRIGHT DECIDED HE WANTED TO
SETTLE IN LOS ANGELES FOR GOOD.
HIS SON FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT JR.,
KNOWN AS LLOYD WRIGHT AND AN ARCHITECT LIKE HIS FATHER, HAD
PRECEDED HIM TO L.A.
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT FOUND A
STUDIO AT THE CORNER OF
FOUNTAIN AND HARPER AVENUES, IN WHAT'S NOW WEST HOLLYWOOD.
SMITH: FORTUNATELY FOR HIM,
THERE WAS SOMEONE HERE WHO
KNEW HIM, AND THIS WAS A WOMAN
NAMED ALICE MILLARD. SHE AND HER HUSBAND HAD
COMMISSIONED HIM FOR A HOUSE IN
CHICAGO.
HAWTHORNE: MILLARD HAD MOVED TO
CALIFORNIA AFTER HER HUSBAND DIED AND ASKED WRIGHT TO DESIGN
A HOUSE FOR A PIECE OF LAND
SHE'D FOUND IN PASADENA.
IT WAS A COMMISSION THAT WOULD PROPEL HIS WORK IN A DRAMATIC
NEW DIRECTION. WRIGHT
WANTED TO OFFER AN ANSWER TO
THE LEAN, MACHINE-MADE MODERNISM THAT WAS GAINING
TRACTION IN EUROPE,
BUT HE WANTED TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT WOULD NOT ONLY SEEM
INDIGENOUS TO SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA BUT THAT MIGHT BE
DEMOCRATIC, AFFORDABLE ON A MASS SCALE. SO,
WRIGHT DEVISED A BRAND-NEW
MODULAR SYSTEM MADE,
SURPRISINGLY ENOUGH, OF CONCRETE BLOCKS CREATED WITH A
RECIPE THAT USED SOIL FROM THE
BUILDING SITE ITSELF.
CONCRETE BLOCKS THAT COULD BE CHEAPLY PRODUCED AND THEN
STACKED QUICKLY BY HAND. SAMUELSON: YOU HAVE CONCRETE,
WHICH IS A NATURAL MATERIAL THAT IS OF THE EARTH ITSELF.
ITS MATERIALS ARE PART OF THE
EARTH, BOUND TOGETHER BY THE NATURAL SANDS AND THE CRUSHED
GRANITES THAT ARE PUT TOGETHER BY CONCRETE INTO BLOCKS AND
FORMED. HAWTHORNE: CONCRETE ALSO
APPEALED TO WRIGHT BECAUSE HE
COULD EASILY STAMP THE BLOCKS
WITH THE MAYA PATTERNS HE'D
GROWN SO FOND OF.
THE MATERIAL OF THE HOUSE AND THE DECORATION ON THE HOUSE
WOULD BE ONE AND THE SAME.
PERHAPS THINKING BACK TO
TALIESIN, WRIGHT TOLD ALICE
MILLARD THAT ONE VIRTUE OF THE
BLOCKS WAS THAT THEY WERE
FIREPROOF. WHEN I WENT TO SEE UCLA'S MICHAEL
OSMAN, AN EXPERT IN THE
MATERIALS OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE, HE TOLD ME THAT
THERE WERE SOME BASIC
CONTRADICTIONS INHERENT
IN WRIGHT'S NEW SYSTEM.
OSMAN: WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT AN ARCHITECT
IS DOING WHEN THEY TRY AND MAKE
A MODULAR SYSTEM OUT OF
CONCRETE, IT SEEMS TO ME TO BE
AGAINST THE GRAIN OF THAT
MATERIAL, WHICH IN A CERTAIN WAY
LENDS ITSELF TO BEING MORE OF A
MASS AND LESS OF A UNIT. SO,
WITH WOOD, BECAUSE IT GROWS IN A TREE AND YOU TAKE THE TREE DOWN,
YOU'RE ALREADY GIVEN A UNIT, THE LOG, AND THERE'S A LOT OF
INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT THE LOG
CAN DELIVER IN TERMS OF LUMBER.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO AN
AGGREGATE MADE UP OF SAND,
CEMENT, GRAVEL, AND REINFORCEMENT BARS, IT'S A
FRANKENSTEIN BODY IN A WAY, SO, TO MAKE IT INTO A UNIT IS A KIND
OF COUNTERINTUITIVE THING, EVEN
THOUGH PEOPLE NOW, WE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT CONCRETE COMES
IN MODULAR UNITS.
HAWTHORNE: CONCRETE WAS FAR
FROM A HIGH-DESIGN MATERIAL IN THOSE DAYS. WRIGHT CALLED IT THE
"CHEAPEST AND UGLIEST THING IN
THE BUILDING WORLD."
AND, IN FACT, THIS WAS PART OF THE CHALLENGE FOR HIM.
AS HE PUT IT, "WHY NOT SEE WHAT
COULD BE DONE WITH THAT GUTTER RAT?"
OSMAN: CONCRETE WAS A GUTTER RAT IN CERTAIN CIRCLES, FOR
SURE WITH JOHN RUSKIN IN THE
SEVEN LAMPS OF ARCHITECTURE, THE LAMP OF TRUTH IS NEVER
USE--THERE'S A FOOTNOTE: NEVER
USE CONCRETE BECAUSE IT HAS NO
CHARACTER.
IT DOESN'T COME FROM NATURE, AND THEREFORE IT ONLY TAKES ON
THE CHARACTER OF EITHER WHAT
YOU COVER IT WITH, OR THE
FORMWORK THAT IT'S POURED INTO. HAWTHORNE: FOR WRIGHT, THIS
QUALITY WAS CENTRAL TO
CONCRETE'S APPEAL. HE SAW THE MATERIAL AS A
SHAPESHIFTER, CAPABLE OF
SOLVING SEVERAL ARCHITECTURAL
PROBLEMS AT ONCE.
SMITH: SO, WITH THIS ONE
ELEMENT, THE SQUARE BLOCK, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT CREATED SOMETHING
THAT WAS STRUCTURAL, MODULAR,
MATERIAL, AND A POETIC CONNECTION TO THE SITE ITSELF.
HAWTHORNE: ONCE WRIGHT HAD AN APPROACH IN MIND FOR ALICE
MILLARD'S PROPERTY, HE DECIDED
TO PUT THE HOUSE NOT IN THE
PERFECTLY FLAT MIDDLE OF THE
LOT, AS PRETTY MUCH ANY OTHER ARCHITECT WOULD HAVE DONE, BUT
DOWN IN A RAVINE ALONG ONE
EDGE. THOUGH THIS MADE
THE HOUSE SUSCEPTIBLE
TO FLOODING FROM DAY ONE, IT'S
ALSO WHAT GIVES THE DESIGN,
VEILED BY TREES, SUCH AN OTHERWORLDLY LOOK.
THE RESULT, WHICH
WRIGHT NICKNAMED
"LA MINIATURA," IS A SINGULARLY BRILLIANT WORK OF L.A.
ARCHITECTURE, ONE THAT SEEMS TO GROW ALMOST INEXORABLY FROM ITS
SITE WHILE ALSO CLOSING ITSELF
OFF FROM THE WORLD AT LARGE.
FLAT-ROOFED LIKE A WORK OF
A EUROPEAN MODERNIST, BUT
ALTOGETHER MORE MYSTERIOUS, CLOSED-OFF, AND DRAMATIC.
A SMALL TEMPLE IN A EUCALYPTUS
GROVE. REMEMBER
BRENDAN GILL'S MAYAN GOD?
HE MIGHT HAVE FELT VERY MUCH AT HOME HERE.
O'NEIL: WHEN I SAW THE DESIGNS ON THE MILLARD HOUSE WITH THAT
CROSS, I THOUGHT, "WELL, COULD THAT BE A REFERENCE TO THIS
MESOAMERICAN UNDERSTANDING OF
THE SHAPE OF THE UNIVERSE?" THE MESOAMERICAN UNIVERSE, OF
WHICH THE MAYA WERE A PART, SHARED WITH THE MAYA, AZTECS,
MIXTECS, ZAPOTECS, ALL THESE CULTURES, THE CARDINAL
DIRECTIONS AND INTERCARDINAL
DIRECTIONS WERE ABSOLUTELY
IMPORTANT TO ESTABLISHING
THE UNIVERSE. SO, YOU GET STORIES OF GODS OR
HEROES WHO MEASURE OUT THE
SIDES OF THE UNIVERSE.
SO, WHEN YOU SEE THIS CROSS,
LET'S SAY, EQUIDISTANT, IT IS
SHOWING, IT'S POINTING TO THOSE
CARDINAL DIRECTIONS, ESTABLISHING OR SHOWING THE
SHAPE OF YOUR UNIVERSE.
BUT THAT SPECIFIC DESIGN IS ALSO THE SYMBOL FOR GOLD FOR
THE AZTECS. AND I HAVE NO IDEA IF FRANK
LLOYD WRIGHT KNEW THAT, BUT
IT'S PRETTY NEAT TO SEE THE MILLARD HOUSE WITH ALL OF THESE
DESIGNS FOR GOLD.
IT'S SORT OF THIS SORT OF CHANGING OF MATERIALS WHERE YOU
GET CONCRETE TURNING INTO GOLD,
SO, SORT OF TRANSUBSTANTIATION
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
HAWTHORNE: BY THIS POINT, I'D
SPOKEN TO A NUMBER OF EXPERTS
ON WRIGHT'S WORK, BOTH IN THE
MIDWEST AND IN LOS ANGELES.
WHAT I HADN'T DONE IS SPEAK TO ANYBODY WHO LIVES IN ONE OF
THESE HOUSES. AND
WHILE THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE IN A LITERAL SENSE--NONE OF WRIGHT'S
L.A. HOUSES IS NOW USED AS A
FULL-TIME RESIDENCE--I FOUND THE NEXT BEST THING VIA MY
8-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER.
[PIANO PLAYING]
WOMAN: BEAUTIFUL.
HAWTHORNE: SHE TAKES PIANO LESSONS IN THE STUDIO ATTACHED
TO THE MILLARD HOUSE, WHICH
WRIGHT'S SON LLOYD
ADDED IN 1926.
HER TEACHER, CINDY LAM, ACTS AS A CARETAKER FOR THE MAIN HOUSE.
LAM: TWO.
NOTES WERE CORRECT.
I DID THINK IT WAS
STRANGE-LOOKING.
WHEN I FIRST SAW PICTURES OF
THIS PLACE, I THOUGHT, "REALLY?
LIKE, WHO MAKES A CONCRETE
HOUSE? THAT'S JUST, LIKE, SO
UGLY. WHO DOES THAT?" [LAUGHS]
I DIDN'T REALLY SEE THE
DARKNESS. I THINK I SAW THIS PLACE--REALLY, IT
REPRESENTED STRENGTH AND BEAUTY TO ME.
I HAD A BREAK-UP WITH A
BOYFRIEND AND WE WERE IN THE
PROCESS OF BREAKING UP AND HE
WAS SAYING ALL THESE THINGS TO
ME THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, LESS
THAN DESIRABLE.
I JUST REMEMBER THERE WAS LIKE A MOMENT, LIKE THIS LIGHT BULB
WENT OFF AND I THOUGHT, "THIS
IS MY FORTRESS. YOU DON'T GET
TO BE IN HERE. YOU NEED TO
LEAVE NOW."
THIS HOUSE REALLY EMBOLDENS
PEOPLE.
I'VE FOUND PEOPLE IN THE YARD. I HAVE A SIGN OUT FRONT THAT
SAYS THAT THERE ARE NO TOURS
BUT IF YOU FEEL ENTITLED TO ONE
THEN YOU CAN LEAVE A BOTTLE OF WINE AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT.
[LAUGHS]
SO FAR, NO WINE. I THINK PEOPLE
GET A LITTLE BIT SHAMED BY THAT MESSAGE AND THEY GO THEIR OWN
WAY.
HAWTHORNE: THE NEXT HOUSE
WRIGHT DESIGNED IN LOS ANGELES,
AFTER MILLARD, HAS ALWAYS BEEN
SOMETHING OF AN ENIGMA.
AND SO IS THE MAN IT'S NAMED
FOR, A DOCTOR FROM WISCONSIN NAMED JOHN STORER.
SMITH: WE DON'T KNOW A LOT
ABOUT HIS BIOGRAPHY, BUT
THROUGH THE DRAWINGS AND SOME
CORRESPONDENCE, IT HAS COME TO
LIGHT THAT THIS WAS PROBABLY A SPEC HOUSE, SOMETHING THAT
STORER WAS BUILDING FOR RESALE.
HAWTHORNE: THOUGH THE CURRENT OWNER TURNED DOWN OUR REQUEST
TO FILM THERE, WE GOT A PEEK INSIDE THANKS TO
MARTHA STEWART, WHO FEATURED
THE HOUSE ON HER TELEVISION SHOW NEARLY 20 YEARS AGO. THE
FOOTAGE SUGGESTS A GOOD DEAL OF
CONTINUITY WITH THE MILLARD
HOUSE, WITH A STRONG MAYA INFLUENCE, STACKED CONCRETE
BLOCKS, A REDWOOD CEILING, AND
A RATHER STANDOFFISH
RELATIONSHIP TO THE STREET.
HINES: YOU LOOK UP AT IT FROM
HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD, THAT
LITTLE STRETCH OF HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD, AND IT'S A REAL
PRESENCE THERE. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO MISS IT.
IT DOES NOT NESTLE IN. HAWTHORNE: WRIGHT PUT THE LIVING
ROOM ON THE TOP FLOOR,
INSIDE A TALL CENTRAL
PAVILION THAT OPENS ONTO A PAIR
OF TERRACES.
THE HOUSE IS EVEN MORE VERTICAL AND TEMPLE-LIKE THAN MILLARD AS
SEEN FROM THE STREET, BECAUSE
INSTEAD OF BEING SUNK INTO A RAVINE, IT STARTS ON A HILLSIDE
AND GOES UP FROM THERE. THE
AUTHOR AND WRIGHT EXPERT ROBERT
SWEENEY TOLD ME THAT AS THE STORER HOUSE WAS UNDER
CONSTRUCTION, WRIGHT WAS
CONTINUING TO EXPERIMENT WITH
THE CONCRETE BLOCK SYSTEM.
SWEENEY: HE DID A DESIGN FOR
ALINE BARNSDALL ON OLIVE HILL CALLED THE LITTLE DIPPER; IT
WAS A KINDERGARTEN.
AND THERE ARE MANY DRAWINGS
SHOWING THE EVOLUTION OF THE CONCRETE BLOCK SYSTEM.
IT WAS WORKED OUT FOR THE LITTLE DIPPER.
HAWTHORNE: ONE CHANGE FROM MILLARD WAS THAT THE BLOCKS
COULD BE STACKED WITHOUT ANY MORTAR, REQUIRING LESS SKILLED
LABOR, AND THEN WOVEN TOGETHER WITH VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL
STEEL RODS.
WRIGHT CALLED IT A
TEXTILE BLOCK SYSTEM.
SWEENEY: WRIGHT WENT BACK TO
WISCONSIN DURING CONSTRUCTION
OF THE STORER HOUSE AND TURNED
THE PROJECT OVER TO HIS SON
LLOYD. HAWTHORNE: WHEN HE RETURNED TO
CALIFORNIA, WRIGHT WAS DEEPLY
DISAPPOINTED.
COMPARED TO ALICE MILLARD,
STORER WAS A LESS INVOLVED AND DEDICATED CLIENT.
ON TOP OF THAT, WRIGHT'S BLOCK
SYSTEM WAS PROVING TRICKY TO
EXECUTE, ESPECIALLY ON A HILLSIDE.
WRIGHT TOLD LLOYD THAT HE
CONSIDERED THE HOUSE A
"TRAGEDY" AND THAT IT WAS
"LACKING JOY." IN LATER YEARS, ONE RESIDENT OF
THE HOUSE, EVEN IN PRAISING IT,
COMPARED THE LIVING ROOM TO "A DRAMA OF SOPHOCLES," AS IF
WRIGHT'S OWN FAMILY STRIFE AND
VIOLENT RECENT PAST WERE WRITTEN INTO THE CONCRETE
BLOCKS THEMSELVES.
THE HOUSE, TO BE FAIR, HASN'T
ALWAYS PROMPTED THAT SORT OF REACTION.
IN THE 1980S, THE FILM PRODUCER
JOEL SILVER BOUGHT IT AND
UNDERTOOK A COMPLETE AND ENTHUSIASTIC RESTORATION.
IN THE PROCESS, HE BECAME SO OBSESSED WITH WRIGHT THAT HE
BEGAN DROPPING REFERENCES TO
THE ARCHITECT INTO HIS WORK.
IN "DIE HARD," THERE'S A TV NEWS
STATION CALLED KFLW, AND THE
MOVIE'S VILLAIN, HANS GRUBER,
PLAYED BY ALAN RICKMAN, PAUSES
AT ONE POINT TO ADMIRE A BRIDGE
DESIGN THAT WRIGHT IN REAL LIFE
PROPOSED NEAR THE END OF HIS CAREER FOR SAN FRANCISCO BAY.
GRUBER/RICKMAN: --EXACTNESS,
THE ATTENTION TO EVERY
CONCEIVABLE DETAIL.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
HAWTHORNE: THE STORER HOUSE
ITSELF DOESN'T SHOW UP IN ANY
OF SILVER'S MOVIES, OR ANY
FAMOUS MOVIES, FOR THAT MATTER. BUT
FOR THE NEXT OF WRIGHT'S LOS
ANGELES HOUSES, FOR THE COUPLE
CHARLES AND MABEL ENNIS, IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STORY.
[DOOR CREAKING]
[MAN LAUGHING]
VINCENT PRICE: I'M VINCENT PRICE, AND YOU'RE INVITED TO MY
PARTY IN THE HOUSE ON
HAUNTED HILL.
HAWTHORNE: I VISITED THE ENNIS HOUSE NOT LONG AFTER THE
COMPLETION OF AN IMMACULATE
RESTORATION OVERSEEN BY ITS NEW OWNER--RON BURKLE.
WHAT STRUCK ME WAS THAT THE HOUSE IS NOT JUST THE BIGGEST
BUT THE MOST IMPOSING OF
WRIGHT'S L.A.
DESIGNS, ONE THAT MANAGES TO WRING GENUINE GRANDEUR FROM
CONCRETE BLOCK.
LOOMING OVER LOS FELIZ, IT'S THE APOTHEOSIS OF WRIGHT'S
VISION OF A PRE-COLUMBIAN
TEMPLE RELOCATED TO SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA--MONUMENTAL AND
IMPENETRABLE.
HINES: THAT BULWARK, THAT
BASTION UP THERE.
QUITE WONDERFUL, QUITE
STRIKING, BUT NOT INTIMATE. HAWTHORNE: MANY OF THE DETAILS,
THE WROUGHT-IRON DECORATION AND
STAINED GLASS IN PARTICULAR,
REFLECT THE ENNISES' TASTE MORE THAN THEIR ARCHITECT'S.
SMITH: THEY WERE AN INTERESTING
COUPLE. WE DON'T REALLY KNOW A LOT ABOUT THEM.
I DON'T THINK IT'S EVEN PINNED
DOWN AT THIS MOMENT HOW THEY
MET FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT. SWEENEY: I HAVE WRESTLED FOR
YEARS WONDERING WHY THEY BUILT THIS ENORMOUS HOUSE.
IT'S A MAYA PALACE.
SMITH: THEY WERE JUST CLIENTS,
AND THEY WANTED TO HAVE THE HOUSE THAT THEY WANTED TO HAVE
BUILT, AND SO, THERE ARE PARTS
OF THE ENNIS HOUSE, MAJOR, MAJOR
ELEMENTS THAT POP OUT TO
PEOPLE, WHERE THEY TURN TO THE
KIND OF DECORATIVE WORK OF THE PERIOD.
IT SORT OF LOOKS LIKE NORMA
DESMOND'S HOUSE IN "SUNSET
BOULEVARD."
AND PEOPLE WONDER ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THEY WANTED
TO HAVE IT CARRIED OUT AND
COMPLETED TO THEIR OWN WISHES.
IT'S ATTRACTED A CERTAIN AURA ABOUT IT, WHICH PERHAPS HAS
BEEN MADE MORE SO BY THE NUMBER
OF HOLLYWOOD FILMS THAT IT'S
BEEN IN.
BUT I THINK EVEN BEFORE THAT,
IT WAS IN THE HOLLYWOOD FILMS
BECAUSE IT COMMUNICATED THIS
KIND OF MYSTERIOUS AURA ABOUT IT.
APPIS: OH, MRS. ESTEE
DECIDED THE POOL NEEDED A
DEAD HORSE IN IT, SO,
WE GOT ONE.
HAWTHORNE: IF THE ENNIS HOUSE WAS TYPICAL OF WRIGHT'S L.A.
WORK IN SUGGESTING DARK, EVEN
SINISTER OVERTONES, IN SEEMING
TO REPEL THE VERY IDEA OF NORMAL FAMILY LIFE, THE
EXCEPTION CAME IN THE
ARCHITECT'S FOURTH
CONCRETE BLOCK HOUSE, IN THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS. THE
CLIENTS WERE A YOUNG BOHEMIAN
COUPLE NAMED HARRIET AND SAMUEL FREEMAN; THEY'D SCRAPED
TOGETHER THE MONEY TO BUY A
PIECE OF LAND THAT OFFERED A VIEW STRAIGHT DOWN HIGHLAND
AVENUE.
WHAT THE FREEMANS LACKED IN MONEY THEY MADE UP FOR IN
ENTHUSIASM FOR WRIGHT'S WORK.
THE ARCHITECT, IN RETURN, PRODUCED A HOUSE THAT SEEMED TO
FIT THEM LIKE A GLOVE, WITH
A BIG, OPEN LIVING ROOM WHERE
HARRIET, A DANCER, COULD HOLD PERFORMANCES AND SALONS.
THEY LIVED THERE FOR THE REST
OF THEIR LIVES, MORE THAN 60
YEARS. AND UNDER THE STEWARDSHIP OF
USC, TO WHICH THE FREEMANS
DONATED THE HOUSE IN 1986, IT'S
BEEN THE SETTING FOR AT LEAST ONE MORE SUCCESSFUL
RELATIONSHIP.
HARRIS: I'M HANK HARRIS. I'M AN ACTOR. MY WIFE--
TIMME: IS ELIZABETH TIMME, AND
I'M AN ARCHITECT AND MY DAD WAS THE DEAN OF THE
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AT USC
FROM 1994 TO 2005 AND--
HARRIS: WE MET AND FELL IN
LOVE IN THE FREEMAN HOUSE. TIMME: AND I HAD THE BENEFIT OF
BEING ABLE TO STAY THERE WHILE
I WAS A STUDENT.
HARRIS: ME, TOO. TIMME: AND HIM, TOO.
HAWTHORNE: YOU'VE PROBABLY
NOTICED BY NOW THAT THE FREEMAN
HOUSE IS IN PRETTY TERRIBLE
SHAPE. IN PART BECAUSE OF ITS STEEP LOT,
AND PERHAPS BECAUSE THE
FREEMANS DIDN'T HAVE THE
RESOURCES OF THE ENNISES OR EVEN ALICE MILLARD, THE HOUSE
HAD STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS FROM
THE BEGINNING.
WRIGHT HAD CLEARLY NOT
PERFECTED HIS NEW
CONCRETE BLOCK SYSTEM. THESE ISSUES WERE COMPOUNDED BY
THE 1994 NORTHRIDGE EARTHQUAKE. HARRIS: THE TEXTILE BLOCKS
WOULD ABSORB RAIN TO A POINT
AND THEN IT WOULD JUST BEGIN TO
DRIP THROUGH CONSTANTLY. TIMME: AND I REMEMBER MY DAD
JUST COMING OVER WITH,
LIKE, TARP. HARRIS: YEAH, IT WAS JUST
PLASTIC EVERYWHERE, JUST TO KEEP
THE WATER OFF THE FLOOR, AND
WE'D GET UP AND SQUEEGEE IT OFF
EVERY MORNING.
TIMME: SO, IT FELT LIKE A RUIN, WHICH WAS REALLY CRAZY TO BE
INSIDE SOMETHING THAT FELT VERY
MUCH LIKE ANGKOR WAT.
IT JUST FELT VERY MUCH LIKE
SOMEONE ELSE'S KIND OF BIZARRE
"BLADE RUNNER" FANTASY.
HAWTHORNE: OUR NEXT INTERVIEWEE, WHO OVERSEES THE HOUSE FOR USC,
UNDERSTANDS AS WELL AS ANYBODY
HOW DIFFICULT THESE PROBLEMS ARE TO SOLVE.
SANDMEIER: WE'RE TAKING THE
APPROACH THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A VERY COMPLICATED KNIT SWEATER
AND WE DON'T WANT TO PULL THE
WRONG THREAD FIRST AND UNRAVEL THE WHOLE THING.
IT IS A COMBINATION OF NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO DO IT AND
TRYING TO DECIDE WHAT THE RIGHT
APPROACH AND, WITH THE SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY WE HAVE, WHAT
INTERVENTION IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT. WE USE IT NOW, WE TAKE STUDENTS
UP THERE ALL THE TIME, AND IT'S
IN A CONDITION WHERE IT
ACTUALLY PROVIDES SOME REALLY GREAT LESSONS ABOUT HOW THIS
HOUSE WAS ACTUALLY BUILT.
YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF THE
INFRASTRUCTURE. YOU CAN SEE THE
SYSTEMS. THEY'RE EXPOSED RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S AMAZING FOR ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS.
HAWTHORNE: THERE ARE TIMES WHEN
IT CAN SEEM LIKE FOLLY TO KEEP FIXING A HOUSE THAT IN MANY
WAYS HAS PROVED STUBBORNLY
UNFIXABLE. SMITH: AND I'VE THOUGHT A LOT
ABOUT THE SYSTEM, BECAUSE IT WAS
EXPERIMENTAL, BUT THEN, ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE'S NO DOUBT
THAT IT WAS FLAWED. AT THE VERY BEGINNING, I
BELIEVED THAT THE TEXTILE BLOCK
SYSTEM SHOULD BE HELD
SACROSANCT, BUT IF YOU GO TO
JAPAN, YOU SEE, IF YOU FOLLOW
OUT THE IDEA OF BUILDING A
BUILDING IN CONCERT WITH NATURE, IN CONCERT WITH NATURE MEANS
THAT IT HAS A LIFE. AND WHEN YOU CARRY FORWARD
WITH A LIFE, AT SOME TIME,
A LIFE ENDS.
IN SOME WAYS, I KNOW THIS WOULD BE HORRIFIC TO AN AMERICAN
MENTALITY, BUT PERHAPS THEY
SHOULD JUST HAVE BEEN ALLOWED
TO DETERIORATE, AND THAT WOULD
HAVE BEEN THE LOGICAL
CONCLUSION OF THE SYSTEM.
TIMME: WE ALWAYS JOKED THAT WE WOULD, IF WE GOT REALLY RICH
AND FAMOUS, WE WOULD GO BACK THERE AND PAINT IT
GOLD AND THEN BURN IT DOWN. HARRIS: YEAH, YOU CAN'T BURN
CONCRETE, THOUGH.
TIMME: I KNOW. THAT'S WHY IT'S A FUNNY--
HARRIS: --IT'S A JOKE.
TIMME: IT'S A JOKE.
WE COULD MELT IT.
HARRIS: YEAH.
HAWTHORNE: SOME HISTORIANS HAVE
STRESSED THE DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN THIS HOUSE AND THE CONCRETE BLOCK DESIGNS THAT
PRECEDED IT, EVEN SEEING IN ITS CORNER WINDOW THE SEEDS OF THE
CASE STUDY MODERN HOUSES OF
POST-WAR LOS ANGELES. BUT
MORE STRIKING IS HOW SIMILAR THE CONCRETE BLOCK HOUSES ARE
AS A GROUP, HOW CONSISTENTLY DENSE AND INTROVERTED. THE
FREEMAN HOUSE, AS SEEN FROM THE
STREET, IS JUST AS WINDOWLESS,
SECRETIVE, AND OFF-PUTTING,
JUST AS SUGGESTIVE OF A CRYPT,
AS THE MILLARD HOUSE, THE FIRST
OF WRIGHT'S CONCRETE EXPERIMENTS HERE.
SMITH: BY THE END OF 1923, HE WAS FEELING THAT THERE WASN'T
GOING TO BE A BIG FUTURE FOR
HIM.
AND HE SORT OF WAS AT A DEAD END. HE DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE
HERE. HE FELT ALIENATED FROM
THE REAL ESTATE MARKET OF
LOS ANGELES. DEVERELL: CALIFORNIA
HISTORY IS FILLED WITH PEOPLE WHO COME OUT TO CALIFORNIA
IMAGINING A FUTURE FOR
THEMSELVES THAT NEVER TAKES PLACE. THEY NEVER DISCOVER GOLD,
THEY NEVER GET FAMOUS, THEY
NEVER STAR IN A FILM, THEY NEVER
FIND OIL, SO, THEY GO HOME.
SWEENEY: HE WAS NOT
WELL-RECEIVED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
PEOPLE WERE NOT PEOPLE WILLING
TO TAKE THE RISK OR BE
EXPERIMENTAL ENOUGH TO BUILD
WITH THESE CONCRETE BLOCKS, AND
I THINK MANY PEOPLE SIMPLY
DIDN'T LIKE THE HOUSES. THEY ARE NOT DOMESTIC IN ANY
CONVENTIONAL SENSE.
SAMUELSON: HE WAS SOMEBODY WHO
WAS IMPULSIVE AND HE
WOULD CHANGE.
HE WAS PERCEPTIVE. AND SO, IF
IT LOOKED LIKE IT WASN'T GOING WHERE IT WANTED TO GO,
[SNAPS FINGERS] THAT'S IT.
HE WENT BACK HOME.
HAWTHORNE: AFTER LEAVING LOS ANGELES AT THE END OF 1923,
WRIGHT MAINTAINED SOME CONNECTIONS HERE. HIS
SON LLOYD STAYED ON IN L.A.,
AND EVEN CONTINUED THE FAMILY TRADITION OF DESIGNING HOUSES
COVERED IN PRE-COLUMBIAN ORNAMENT.
VISITING THIS HOUSE BY
LLOYD WRIGHT IS
TELLING, THOUGH.
WHAT LLOYD PRODUCED HAS NONE OF
THE GRAVITY, THE POWER, OF HIS FATHER'S L.A. HOUSES.
IT FEELS LIKE A STAGE SET, SOME
CORNER OF DISNEYLAND.
THE HOUSE IS A PASTICHE IN A WAY FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S L.A.
HOUSES ARE NOT. ACROSS L.A.,
AS THE 1920S WORE ON,
PRE-COLUMBIAN ARCHITECTURE
BECAME ALL THE RAGE, THOUGH WITH MORE FLAMBOYANCE AND
POPULISM THAN HAD MARKED
WRIGHT'S USE OF IT.
MOST NOTABLY, A BRITISH ARCHITECT NAMED ROBERT
STACY-JUDD CAME HERE, FULLY
EMBRACED PRE-COLUMBIAN CULTURE,
AND NEVER LOOKED BACK.
HE BUILT THE AZTEC HOTEL IN
MONROVIA. HERE
HE IS DOING A MADE-UP PRE-COLUMBIAN DANCE IN MADE-UP
PRE-COLUMBIAN COSTUME. AND HERE'S A DANCER PERFORMING
SOME OF THAT SAME CHOREOGRAPHY
IN FRONT OF THE ENNIS HOUSE IN THE LATE 1920S. LATER
ON, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT WOULD COME BACK TO DESIGN THE 1939
STURGES HOUSE IN BRENTWOOD, A
CANTILEVERED VERSION OF WRIGHT'S SMALL USONIAN HOUSES.
IN THE 1950S, HE DESIGNED THIS
SMALL SHOPPING CENTER ON RODEO
DRIVE IN BEVERLY HILLS. BUT NONE OF THOSE LATER DESIGNS
HAVE THE PECULIAR FORCE OR
DENSITY OF THE L.A.
HOUSES OF THE 1920S. NOW NEARLY A CENTURY OLD, THESE
CONCRETE BLOCK HOUSES RETAIN THEIR WILDLY ANOMALOUS
CHARACTER. THEY STAND APART FROM WRIGHT'S WORK, AND APART
FROM THE REST OF THE LOS
ANGELES ARCHITECTURE OF THE
PERIOD.
OSMAN: THE L.A. HOUSES ARE MUSCULAR, THEY'RE
BRUTAL, THEY'RE ROMANTIC,
THEY'RE FANTASTIC, YOU KNOW.
THEY'RE STRANGE.
HAWTHORNE: AND ALL THESE YEARS
LATER THEY'VE SETTLED INTO AN ODD PLACE IN THE CULTURE,
POPPING UP NOT JUST IN THE
MOVIES BUT IN THE DIGITAL WORLD. IT TURNS OUT WRIGHT'S BLOCKS
WORK EXCEPTIONALLY WELL IN THE
GAME MINECRAFT, WHICH RELIES ON A SIMILAR MODULAR LOGIC.
THERE'S ALSO A COMPOSITE
VERSION OF THE
BLOCK HOUSES IN A VIDEO GAME
STARRING BUFFY THE VAMPIRE
SLAYER, IN WHICH BUFFY FIGHTS OFF UNDEAD OPPONENTS IN A
SERIES OF APPROPRIATELY DARK
AND MOODY WRIGHTIAN SPACES.
TO GET A FINAL AND MORE PERSONAL
PERSPECTIVE ON WRIGHT'S TIME IN
L.A., I DROVE OUT TO MALIBU ONE MORNING TO MEET ERIC LLOYD
WRIGHT, FRANK'S GRANDSON AND
LLOYD'S SON, AND AN ARCHITECT
IN HIS OWN RIGHT WHO HAS WORKED ON RESTORING SEVERAL OF HIS
GRANDFATHER'S HOUSES. ERIC
WRIGHT LIVES WITH HIS WIFE
MARY IN A COMPOUND OVERLOOKING
THE PACIFIC THAT FEELS VERY MUCH LIKE THE END OF THE ROAD.
IF FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT SOUGHT IN
L.A. THAT FAR CORNER OF THE U.S., HIS GRANDSON, NOW 88,
SEEMS TO HAVE FOUND THAT FAR CORNER OF LOS ANGELES ITSELF.
WE MET IN AN UNFINISHED BUILDING
MADE, APPROPRIATELY ENOUGH,
OUT OF CONCRETE ON THE EDGE OF
HIS PROPERTY. WE
TALKED ABOUT THE TEXTILE BLOCK
SYSTEM, HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS GRANDFATHER, AND ABOUT HIS
WORK ON SOME OF THE L.A.
HOUSES. I ASKED HIM WHY
HE THOUGHT WRIGHT
HAD COME HERE AFTER MAMAH'S
MURDER. WHAT HAD DRAWN HIM
TO LOS ANGELES? WRIGHT: WELL, HE, OF COURSE,
WAS, HAD BEEN VERY UPSET ABOUT
THE DEATH OF HIS COMPANION AND ALL THE ADVERSE PUBLICITY THAT
HAD COME ABOUT BECAUSE OF HIS
LIVING WITH HER AND BEING TOGETHER.
SO, HE THOUGHT THAT
LOS ANGELES,
THIS WAS A NEW TOWN, COMING UP,
HE COULD HAVE A NEW LIFE.
HAWTHORNE: AND THEN, FOR ME, A KEY QUESTION: WHEN FRANK LLOYD
WRIGHT BEGAN WORKING IN LOS
ANGELES, WHAT WAS HIS STATE OF
MIND? WRIGHT: WELL, IT WAS ONE OF, I
THINK, SORROW BECAUSE HE HAD,
THEY HAD HAD A WONDERFUL LIFE.
HE HAD HAD WITH MAMAH BORTHWICK
A WONDERFUL LIFE UNTIL HER
DEATH.
HAWTHORNE: THAT BRINGS US BACK TO MY OVERNIGHT STAY AT
THE MILLARD HOUSE AND THE QUESTION I POSED AT THE START:
WHY DO THE L.A. HOUSES LOOK THE WAY THEY DO?
ARE THEY EXPRESSIONS NOT JUST
OF A DESIRE FOR PRIVACY AND ESCAPE BUT EXPRESSIONS, TO USE
ERIC WRIGHT'S WORD, OF "SORROW"?
SOME OF THE PEOPLE I
INTERVIEWED TOOK ISSUE WITH THAT IDEA.
SAMUELSON: MANY PEOPLE HAVE
LOOKED AT THE CALIFORNIA HOUSES, PARTICULARLY THE
CONCRETE BLOCK HOUSES OF 1923,
AS THINGS THAT ALMOST SEEM LIKE MAUSOLEUMS, OR THEY'RE HEAVY,
AND THAT THIS REFLECTS AN IDEA
OF GRIEF. NOW, I CAN'T GET INTO WRIGHT'S HEAD. I DON'T KNOW
THAT I QUITE BUY THAT.
HAWTHORNE: AFTER A WHILE, IT WAS
IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO NOTICE A SPLIT.
HISTORIANS HAVE TENDED TO PLAY
DOWN THE PRE-COLUMBIAN ASPECTS
OF THE HOUSES AND ESPECIALLY
THEIR CONNECTIONS TO DEATH AND
TO PLAY UP THEIR WIDE RANGE OF
OTHER INFLUENCES. ARTISTS,
FILMMAKERS, HOLLYWOOD LOCATION SCOUTS, AND VIDEO-GAME
DESIGNERS, ON THE OTHER HAND,
HAVE ALL HAD A SIMPLER AND
PERHAPS MORE INSTINCTIVE TAKE. THEY'VE SEEN WHAT'S RIGHT IN
FRONT OF THEM, RIGHT IN FRONT
OF ALL OF US: THAT THESE HOUSES
ARE SHADOWED BY VIOLENCE AND
EVEN DEATH. OVER TIME I CAME TO AGREE WITH
THIS MORE DIRECT VIEW, EVEN TO
THINK OF THE HOUSES AS A
PRECURSOR TO L.A. NOIR.
AND FOR ME, IT HARDLY FELT LIKE
A LEAP.
IF MY EXPERIENCE AS A CRITIC
HAS TAUGHT ME ANYTHING, IT'S
THAT IF YOU SPEND ENOUGH TIME IN A BUILDING AND LISTEN
CLOSELY ENOUGH TO WHAT IT'S
SAYING, IT WILL TELL YOU PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO
KNOW. AND
YOU'D HAVE TO BE PUTTING YOUR
FINGERS IN YOUR EARS NOT TO
HEAR HOW CLEARLY WRIGHT'S LOS ANGELES HOUSES ARE
COMMUNICATING THEIR MORE
FUNEREAL ASPECTS. WHAT'S MORE, THE VOCABULARY
THAT HAS GROWN UP AROUND THE
HOUSES, SOME OF IT FROM WRIGHT
HIMSELF, IS CONSISTENTLY DARK AND EVEN MACABRE: DRAMA OF
SOPHOCLES; BRUTAL; SINISTER; TRAGEDY; LACKING JOY.
PART OF WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE,
I THINK, IS THAT SCHOLARS ARE UNDERSTANDABLY RELUCTANT TO
EMBRACE THE CRUDE CARICATURE OF
PRE-COLUMBIAN CULTURE AND ITS VARIOUS DEATH CULTS, ESPECIALLY
THAT OF THE AZTECS, THAT WAS AN
IMPORTANT PART OF THE WAY
AMERICANS UNDERSTOOD THOSE RUINS DURING WRIGHT'S DAY.
YET THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THOSE
CARICATURES SHAPED WRIGHT'S
UNDERSTANDING OF PRE-COLUMBIAN DESIGNS AND THEIR MEANING.
AND IT'S NOT AS THOUGH WRIGHT
WAS ONE TO DISCOURAGE A
PSYCHOLOGICAL READING OF HIS
ARCHITECTURE.
TO THE CONTRARY, AS THE CRITIC
HERBERT MUSCHAMP ONCE POINTED OUT, "WRIGHT EXPLICITLY OFFERED
UP HIS LIFE ALONG WITH HIS WORK
FOR CRITICAL APPRAISAL,
INSISTING THAT NEITHER COULD BE
ADEQUATELY UNDERSTOOD WITHOUT THE OTHER."
KAMIN: HIS ARCHITECTURE SAVES HIM, IN A SENSE.
IT BECOMES, YOU KNOW, IT'S THIS
MISSION, THIS PROJECT THAT
HELPS HIM TO RECOVER FROM THAT,
YOU KNOW, JUST CATASTROPHIC PERSONAL TRAGEDY.
HAWTHORNE: IN THE END, I CAME DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE IDEA
THAT WRIGHT'S L.A. HOUSES, THESE STRANGE
APPARITIONS, ARE NOT JUST HEAVY BUT HEAVY-HEARTED. THERE
WAS SOMETHING IN PRE-COLUMBIAN
ARCHITECTURE, ITS STARKNESS,
ITS STATE OF RUIN, THAT SUGGESTED TO WRIGHT A
SENSIBILITY THAT MIGHT SUIT
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND HIS OWN
UNCERTAIN FRAME OF MIND IN THE
YEARS FOLLOWING THE MURDERS. I
DON'T THINK IT'S THE CASE THAT THE HOUSES LOOK OFF-PUTTING AND
CRYPT-LIKE TO US BECAUSE THEY'RE EMPTY, BECAUSE NONE OF
THEM IS NOW USED AS A FULL-TIME
RESIDENCE. I
THINK THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE: I
THINK NONE OF THEM IS NOW USED
AS A FULL-TIME RESIDENCE
PRECISELY BECAUSE THEY'RE OFF-PUTTING AND
CRYPT-LIKE. BECAUSE
THEY WERE A MEANS FOR WRIGHT OF
FINALLY PUTTING A TROUBLED
PERIOD BEHIND HIM FOR GOOD.
MAMAH BORTHWICK IS BURIED IN A LITTLE GRAVEYARD I VISITED
NEXT TO UNITY CHAPEL IN SPRING
GREEN. SHE'S
ALSO BURIED IN LOS ANGELES.
IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY
THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
THROUGH THE LOS ANGELES
THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES
DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS
THE CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL
AND OTHERS.
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