Posted by Douglas... on March 26, 19101 at 10:07:50:
In Reply to: Favorite Things posted by Richard Keding on March 25, 19101 at 22:36:20:
: Douglas...
: First of all, its good to hear from someone from the winter of 1959.
: Taliesin was different then and has changed irrevocably since.
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Reply: I have been by West twice and East once since then. It looked "embalmed" to me.
:As to your comments:
: Do I see in your design traces in the plan view of the "Llewellyn Wright
: House" in Bethesda, MD?
: I hope not! If one is engaged in art or design, one should not be seen
: as using someone else's material. Definitely not the thing.
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Reply: Richard… Yes, I know what you mean. It is difficult to avoid copying something so perfect in design. I notice one of your guests requested a replica of a Wright design. I suppose that would be permissible as long as it is acknowledged as such. It is only when we copy something without giving credit that we plagiarize. It seems FLlW had a problem with Gropius, et al over that. However, For instance I see traces of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul in Wright’s design for the Milwaukee Greek Orthodox Church.
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: Having said all this I am the first to acknowledge its
: reliance on forms which certainly are found in Mr Wright's work. I am
: trying and hoping to find an expression of my own; it is an ongoing
: preoccupation.
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Reply: When I met FLLW in Dec. 1958 he said, "do you want to be an Architect?" I said, "I want to learn the principles." He said, "of building?" I said, "yes." That is what we must do if we are to be original. But if we are true to the laws that regulate the distribution of form in nature there will always be an organic character that distinguishes all of our work. Thus the similarity. I have yet to find a contemporary architect who can compare to the excellence of a Wright design.
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: Where exactly are you located now? Best to reply directly to this
: address (rakarchitect@earthlink.net) rather than leave messages on the
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Reply: There is no way for me to send email so I do not know how I can use your rakarchitect@earthlink.net address. I am in Alabama and only have the Post Office Box I gave previously. We can discuss my site selection project, and the principles of organic architecture here on this site or the "Global Architecture" Forum I have listed on this site, at
http://killdevilhill.com/z/yintellectuald/CottonMatherhall/cas/19.html
Thanks for your reply.
KYMAK agent.