| | EDUCATIONFRANK LLOYD ADVOCACYWRIGHT BUILDING PRESERVATION CONSERVANCY SPRING 2014 / VOLUME 5 / ISSUES 1 & 2 SPECIAL DOUBLE ISSUE A Retrospective on the Journey Guest Editor: Ron Scherubel Past, Present, Future: The Conservancy at 25 2014 CONFERENCE Phoenix, Arizona | Oct. 29 – Nov. 2 Stay for a great rate in the legendary Wright- influenced Arizona Biltmore. Tour seldom-seen houses by Wright and other acclaimed architects. Get a private behind-the-scenes look at Taliesin celebrating years of saving wright West. Attend presentations and panels with world- 25 renowned Wright scholars, including a keynote speech by New York Times architecture critic Michael Kimmelman. And cap it all off with a Gala Dinner, silent auction, Wright Spirit Awards ceremony, and much more! Register beginning in FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT BUILDING CONSERVANCY June at savewright.org or call 312.663.5500 C ON T Editor’s Welcome: OK, What’s Next? 2 EN 2 Executive Editor’s Message: The Power of Community President’s Message: The Challenge Ahead 3 TS 4 Wright and Historic Preservation in the United States, 1950-1975 11 The Origins of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy 16 A Day in the Conservancy Office 20 Retrospect and Prospect 22 The ‘Saves’ in SaveWright 28 The Importance of the David and Gladys Wright House PEDRO E. GUERRERO (1917-2012) 30 Saving the David and Gladys Wright House The cover photo of this issue was taken by 38 A New Book Explores Additions to Iconic Buildings Pedro E. Guerrero, Frank Lloyd Wright’s 42 A Future for the Past trusted photographer. Guerrero was just 22 46 Up Close and Personal in 1939 when Wright took an amused look at his portfolio of school assignments and 49 Executive Director’s Letter: For the Next 25 hired him on the spot to document the con- struction at Taliesin West. For the next 20 years until Wright’s death, Guerrero contin- ued to photograph both the architect and his architecture while at the same time pur- suing his own freelance career in New York City. No other photographer is so closely associated with Wright’s work. Guerrero SaveWright is a semi-annual publication of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy. shot the David and Gladys Wright House in Guest Editor: Ron Scherubel 1953 for House and Home magazine. Executive Editor: Susan Jacobs Lockhart Managing Editors: Jeffrey Levine, Joel Hoglund Copy Editor: Linda Botsford Contributing Editor: Janet Halstead Designer: Debra Nemeth The mission of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy is to facilitate the preservation and maintenance of the remaining structures designed by Frank Lloyd Wright through education, advocacy, preser- Cover photo: The exterior of the David and Gladys vation easements and technical services. Wright House in Phoenix, 1953. The desire to preserve tel: 312.663.5500 the impact of Guerrero’s full composition, guided by email: [email protected] one of the original renderings of the house and visible web: savewright.org when laying the magazine flat, led to the first wrap- around cover of SaveWright. © 2014, Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy Photo © 2014 Pedro E. Guerrero Archives Any images not credited are from the Conservancy’s collection. 1 editor’s WELCOME ok, what’s next? executive editor’s MESSAGE the power of community Every five years we have published a brief summary of our most recent activities and accomplishments. In this, our 25th anniversary issue, we have included not only references to our history You, dear readers, are our future in this global era, but also some articles we hope you will find interesting that place where the message and meaning of SaveWright can the Conservancy’s work in the context of historical preservation travel instantly. You helped make this happen, most generally, and give some hints of what preservation might look recently, by joining an amazing and committed com- like in the future. munity of active supporters across the world, from It is always fitting on a major anniversary to extol our past. But we Phoenix to Paris and beyond. would be remiss if we did not also contemplate the challenges facing the preservation of Frank Lloyd Wright’s works in the fu- As we complete the Conservancy’s 25th year, we have ture. We are continually pondering such questions as: honored our past accomplishments, and the large number of Wright buildings preserved. My early • How can we maintain and expand awareness of the work of participation was to brainstorm initially with Tom the Conservancy? In the face of changing demographics, a maturing membership, economic fluctuations and expand- Schmidt, our first president, and then guest editor, Ron ing entertainment options, how do we attract an informed Scherubel, on how to look back but also forward; to younger and more diverse constituency to enthusiastically define topics and invite authors to contribute from support our mission going forward? Will Froebel Blocks still be many points of view for this SaveWright—a double relevant under the mushroom cloud of exploding technology? issue for a silver anniversary. • How can we advance both the interest in and physical condi- My personal wish was to also feature the people of tion of Wright-designed buildings into the indefinite future? our global community: the original homeowners, Only by keeping them viable, meaningful and livable for generations to come. We must lead the effort to preserve, yet the founders, the executive directors, the trustees, appropriately upgrade them for 21st century use, or no one the diverse and hardworking members and support- will want to buy, own or live in them. And living in them is the ers worldwide, the older and younger generations. key. One hundred years from now we do not want to have only “Up Close and Personal” (p. 46) features a random a dozen Wright house museums while all the rest are gone. selection from this community of people dedicated to • How can we maintain an intellectual and academic interest in our mission. But they’re also attracted to the fun and Wright’s philosophy, design, art, influence and significance? excitement of pulling together in advocacy work and Currently there are several books published every year on enjoying equally the social events that knit us together some facet of Wright’s life and career. But when all the books and help us grow strong personal relationships. are written, will there still be more to say? These issues, and others, will require new collaborations among Susan Jacobs Lockhart preservationists, academics, agencies, financial institutions, real Executive Editor estate developers, media and the public to advocate the value of protecting noteworthy touchstones of our past in order to rational- ize the continuum of our inevitable development. The future begins today. Whatever that future embraces, the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy intends to be there to influence the conversation. Ron Scherubel Guest Editor 2 president’s MESSAGE the challenge ahead Succeeding Larry Woodin is a daunting assignment. For many years Larry has con- tributed to our organization in ways too numerous even to outline here. Recently, he has not only pursued his presidential duties with characteristic aplomb, but also has continued his tireless efforts to stage events that have been of enormous benefit to our financial well-being. Without his many skills, the David and Gladys Wright BERG House (1950-52) in Phoenix, Arizona, might have been lost. And last fall he initiat- Z hert ed a process by which the board is at work identifying our organization’s “strengths, MARK weaknesses, opportunities and threats” (SWOT)—an institutional self-examination that will set strategic priorities for the years ahead. PHOTO BY While it is premature for me to outline any future initiatives, a few basics are worth noting and reiterating: The Conservancy is in sound fiscal condition thanks to the hard work of our treasurer, Leo Koonmen; the adept, frugal management of our executive director, Janet Halstead, and her staff; and the generous financial contribu- tions that many Conservancy supporters have made. Our resources have been bolstered by generous bequests from the William and Elizabeth Tracy estate and the Maynard and Katherine Buehler estate. Both bequests involved the sale proceeds of Wright houses. Woodin and board member Deborah past conservancy Vick had special relationships with the Buehlers and the Tracys, which no doubt strengthened their commitment to the Conservancy. Both gifts will help in two areas, presidents, 1990-2013 with the majority of the funds allocated to the Legacy Fund and a small amount to the General Operating Reserves Fund; a portion of the Buehler gift also will benefit Thomas Schmidt 1990-1992 the Easement Monitoring Reserve Fund. Deborah Vick 1993-1995 The challenges of doing preservation work are formidable. Most buildings in the United States are not fully safe from disfiguration or destruction. The exceptions are those designated under strong local preservation ordinances. Even so, very few Jonathan Lipman 1995-1997 interior spaces are protected. Most Wright buildings will never be preserved by this method, for they exist in places unlikely to get such an ordinance. Lynda Waggoner 1997-2001 The other means of safeguarding is through easement. We need to continue to work John Payne 2001-2003 with property owners to encourage the use of this essential instrument for ensuring the integrity of Wright’s work for future generations. Tim Quigley 2003-2005 There is also a third path, one that is not guaranteed, but that can prove very effec- tive. Wright buildings enjoy a public prestige that the work of few other architects Ron Duplack 2005-2007 shares. Pride of ownership and the court of public opinion are both important ways to preserve buildings. Furthering the knowledge and appreciation of Wright’s archi- Jane King Hession 2007-2009 tecture will always be a key component of the Conservancy’s mission.