Enhancing Wright`s Legacy in the Pacific Northwest

Join the Conservancy on Saturday, April 5, for an all-day event that
will include tours of the Wright-designed Brandes and Tracy houses
as well as several private homes designed by contemporary architect
George Suyama. Prior to the architectural tour, Grant Hildebrand,
professor emeritus at the University of Washington in Seattle and author of The Wright Space, will expand on themes from his recent book,
Suyama: A Complex Serenity, as he discusses the philosophical connections between Wright and Suyama. The lecture will be held at the Rem
Koolhaus-designed Seattle Central Library, which in 2007 was listed
as one of the 150 structures on the American Institute of Architects list
of “America’s Favorite Architecture.” The day will end with a reception at The Orchard, a 26,000-square-foot home designed by Suyama
for former Microsoft president Jon Shirley, which houses his extensive
collection of modern art. As described by Hildebrand, The Orchard
“is a space of remarkable and pervasive complexity, yet among those
who experience it, the most commonly expressed reaction is a sense of
palpable serenity.”
On Friday, April 4, Conservancy Leadership Circle members and the
board of directors are invited to the extraordinary lakefront house of
Barney Ebsworth for an evening reception with wine provided by Conservancy sommelier Robert Volz. The home, designed by Jim Olson
of Olson Kundig, contains Ebsworth’s world-class collection of 20th
century American art and is comprised of three individual pavilions
linked by glass-enclosed walkways. Described as a place superbly
suited to display works of art as well as a work of art in its own right,
the house presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience a
complete and harmonious integration of art, architecture and nature.
A separately ticketed architectural tour on Sunday, April 6, will take
attendees south from Seattle to nearby Tacoma. Highlights of the
half-day tour include the Wright-designed Griggs House, a private
Suyama-designed residence and the Arthur Erickson-designed Tacoma
Museum of Glass, complete with bridge of glass connecting downtown
Tacoma to the shore. Lunch will be provided and the bus will make
a stop at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport by 2:30 p.m. before
returning to Seattle.
A special group rate of $145/night is available at the Hotel Monaco Seattle, conveniently located in the heart of downtown Seattle and across
the street from the Seattle Central Library. To make a reservation, call
206.621.1770 and mention the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy room block
Registration deadline is Friday, March 21. Register soon to ensure
that you do not miss out on these very special experiences!
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
BUILDING CONSERVANCY
PHOTO BY SCOT ZIMMERMAN.
The Griggs House (1946) in Tacoma, Washington.
PHOTO BY SCOT ZIMMERMAN.
Known for its verdant landscape rich with mountains, lakes, rivers and
Puget Sound, the Pacific Northwest has long been a preferred home for
people with an affinity for nature and has attracted artists and architects who endeavor to express a special reverence for nature. Frank
Lloyd Wright’s fondness for the region began early in the 20th century
as he traveled through Seattle en route to Japan. Although he had
previously designed buildings for the area, his first executed Northwest commission was the Chauncey Griggs House (1946) in Tacoma,
Washington. Two more buildings in Washington State—the Brandes
House (1952) in Sammamish and the Tracy House (1955) in Normandy
Park—followed within a decade.
The Brandes House (1952) in Sammamish, Washington.
PHOTO BY SCOT ZIMMERMAN.
April 4-6, 2014
The Tracy House (1955) in Normandy Park, Washington.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JIM OLSON.
Enhancing Wright’s Legacy in the
Pacific Northwest
Entrance walkway to the home of Mr. Barney Ebsworth.
312.663.5500: Tel | 312.663.5505: Fax
preservation@savewright.org
www.savewright.org