Alward Construction and Frank Lloyd Wright: Hanna House

Hanna House, Photographer: Terra Galleria

It is an honor and a privilege to work on a historic building. For Alward, one of these projects was a collaboration with Architectural Resources Group to restore Frank Lloyd Wright's Hanna House on the Stanford University Campus. The National Historic Landmark was Wright's first work in the Bay Area. Started in 1937 and expanded over the course of 25 years, the architect patterned it after a bee's honeycomb. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake severely damaged the masterpiece, which is composed of redwood, brick, and plate glass. Alward and ARG upgraded systems while preserving the innovative original design.

    Hanna House, Frank Lloyd Wright 

Paul and Jean Hanna, Stanford educators and child development specialists, commissioned the home after seeing Taliesin. Wright utilized a pioneering hexagonal grid system, rather than a typical rectangular floor plan. The organic honeycomb geometry offered unique spatial arrangements and design possibilities, such as the efficient use of space and interesting sightlines —a design approach widely adopted in American architecture. In 1975, the Hannas gave up their residence at Stanford University for scholars and students to enjoy. Following the earthquake, the complexity of the honeycomb made restoration challenging; however, Hanna House reopened in 1999.

Hanna House, photo: ARG