Crystal Bridges Buys Rare Frank Lloyd Wright House
by January 15, 2014 3:19 pm 115 views
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art has purchased a rare Frank Lloyd Wright work, known as the Bachman Wilson House, and plans to move it from its original location in Somerset County, N.J., to the museum grounds in Bentonville.
The house, built in 1954, has sustained serious damage from flooding of the nearby Millstone River — which is predicted to increase in intensity and frequency in the future — and relocation has been recommended as a means of preserving the structure, according to a news release from the museum.
The sale of the house was conditional upon moving the house to a suitable natural site.
Seller Lawrence Tarantino said: “It became clear that there could be no better opportunity for the preservation of this important work of Frank Lloyd Wright than to secure its future stewardship in perpetuity at a public institution with a mission of celebrating American art and architecture, on a site offering the proper setting, and with the capability of providing for its future maintenance and preservation, all of which Crystal Bridges offers.”
The small house is one of about 60 that are referred to as “Usonian Homes,” built by Wright for middle-income families. They generally feature natural lighting and were constructed with materials native to the surroundings.
The house, along with its built-in furnishings and fixtures, will be disassembled and rebuilt, per Wright’s specifications, a short distance from the museum, along one of its trails.
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. reportedly has donated its resources to transport the structure.
Site preparation will begin this spring, with a goal to complete the move by early 2015, according to the news release.
”We’re honored to be able to preserve and share this significant example of American architecture, as Frank Lloyd Wright’s work embodies our own mission of celebrating art and nature,” said Rod Bigelow, Crystal Bridges executive director. “The Usonian concept was intended to provide access to architectural quality for all families, which melds well with our philosophy of welcoming all to view American masterworks in our natural setting.”
The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, based in Chicago, supports this plan of action to save the structure, as does the historic district in New Jersey from which the home will be removed, according to the release.