BUEHLER: FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
1998 NARI Grand and National CoTY, Entire HouseThis lovely Usonian Style Wright house was destroyed by fire. Everything left of the landscaped area is new and was built by ALWARD CONSTRUCTION. The original design and pallet of materials was adhered to throughout. Pictured here are the old-growth clear redwood custom board and bat wall system and custom redwood siding boards for the overhanging eaves; concrete masonry block with raked horizontal grout joints; perforated boards for bathroom windows; clear redwood mullions, doors and windows; eave light boxes; copper fascia. "Skylights" in the patio cantilever over koi pond, earlier converted from a swimming pool. Cherokee Red concrete, scored on a 4 x 4 grid, is typical of many Wright Usonian houses.
The living room with its soaring ceiling is the one part of this original Frank Lloyd Wright Buehler residence not destroyed in the fire. However, restoration was certainly in order. When ALWARD CONSTRUCTION began work on the rebuild and restoration, the present gold leaf ceiling was open to the sky and the redwood surfaces were charred between 1/64" and 1/32". The built-in couch was part of the original house but removed by the owners. In the rebuild, a new couch was built and integrated with a secondary heating system to compliment the original but inadequate radiant heating. The hexagonal carpet was woven for the rebuild. Original Wright furniture survived the fire.
This beautifully designed bedroom is part of the renovation and rebuild of a Frank Lloyd Wright partially destroyed by fire. The architect, Walter Olds, oversaw the construction of the original building in 1949. His rebuild of the house entailed a continuous interaction with Alward Construction and the owners. The quality of this interaction underlies the final success of the project.
BUEHLER PROJECT CREDITS
Photographs: Alan Geller
Photograph for Historic Restoration: Russell Abraham
Design: Frank Lloyd Wright and Walter Olds
Builder: Cregg Sweeney of Alward Construction