FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT AND THE JOHNSON WAX BUILDINGS

Revolutionary when they were completed in 1939, the Johnson Wax Buildings in Racine, Wisconsin--designed by Frank Lloyd Wright--remain popular tourist sites even today. The large Administration Building, housing the company's main offices, was structurally unique for its use of unrestricted space and its dendriform (treelike) columns. A second building, the totally enclosed Research Tower, had rounded corners and was constructed of brick and glass, with the glass in the shape of tubing rather than panes. Jonathan Lipman's comprehensive book--a thoroughly researched study of the design and construction of this radical, inspiring workplace--draws on much unpublished archival material to reveal, in detail, Wright's design process. From commissioning through design development, construction, innovations, and furnishings, to the genesis of the Research Tower and its construction and completion, the book presents a wealth of information. Insights into Wright's methods of dealing with his clients will be of special interest to devotees of the noted architect. (The Johnson Wax executives were awed by Wright and conscious of his genius, but feared, at times, that the protracted design and construction process would send them either to the poorhouse or to the madhouse.) Well-written, with excellent illustrations and plans, this book will appeal to anyone interested in architectural history and architecture. Unabridged republication of the edition published by Rizzoli, New York, 1986. Notes. Floor plans. 2 appendices. 172 black-and-white illustrations. 8 color illustrations on covers.