Toured this building sometime arround 68-9 . It made sense to me because it was special and creative in every detai . I especially recall the tower's elevator as an incredibly satisfying experience ....it was just so beautiful . Something about the building restored faith in life and what it can be when art transcends ugliness with an utterly eloquent protest ❤ .
Having grown up in Racine, I have been in this building many times. Also, Wingspread which is another example of Wright's genius on display a few miles north. This documentary is so beautifully shot and informative that it almost takes your breath away, just as the building itself does in person. Excellent in every way!
While the building is definitely an architectural marvel and treasure, it hardly seems efficient or safe, and only housing 200 workers. Most notably the tower which only was able to be used for 30 years due the single elevator and small staircase.
I’m just a regular person. Never went to architecture school but I love architecture and buildings. I find many of Wrights houses and the SC Johnson building and the Price tower beautiful. If I were an architect and tried to do stuff like this, I’d probably be poor because all we build in America now are McDonalds, Wendys, Chick Fil A, Dollar Store strip malls, big warehouses and squares. I’m surprised they even need architects for those.
I have lived in Racine since 1998, so of course I have seen the building many times. Until today, though, it has been only from the outside. Quite nice to finally see some of the inside. Perhaps one day, I will take the tour.
They probably figure if you take the time to find the entrance, you deserve to look at the building. I’d want to see the entire building; one doesn’t look at only half of The Mona Lisa, do they?
Racine is my hometown. I remember going there on a warm summer night with visitors to show off the feat of building such a unique building. Bored by the adult’s conversations, we took off our socks and shoes, and went running through those wading pools!
Grew up seeing that building since the 50’s. It left it’s mark on me as a child, seeing it, wondering who built it, what it housed, why it looked so different.. Odd to think that, that piece of architecture could and did generate a transformative process in my life. At 72 I can see that now.
Me too. I passed it every day walking to kindergarten. I think it transformed me too. I am 70 and work as a designer--it was direct influence. It was a poor, industrial neighborhood. Johnson Wax started buying up the land around it as houses became derelict.
Wright was also commissioned to design an expansive house for Mr. Johnson near by the shore of Lake Michigan. It has since been turned into a cultural, conference, charitable fund raising venue etc. I performed as a member of the Wisconsin College Conservatory Chorus in the glorious three story main room back in late '60s.
Often thought of that myself. Leave it as is, you have Princess Leia's mansion and military headquarters, with a big sign embossed above the entrance, "Disney Employees Will Be Laser-Blasted On Sight"
Although Wright was the genius in creating such a uniquely stunning “cathedral of business “, anyone who loves architecture owes their admiration to Herbert Johnson. He was the one who could see Wrights vision and took the chance of almost bankrupting his company to build it. It was a big gamble; but look what Hib’s bravery left us all to admire. His story is the one that needs to be researched for prosperity.
Timeless? LOL, it looks so out of date today. I see this and I think about the early 1970s style government buildings I frequented when growing up. I called the style Bored Government Monstrosity.
One of the legendary stories about the Johnson's Wax HQ building was that after the building was complete and the company moved is, the CEO of Johnson's called Wright to complain that the unique skylights made of glass tubes were leaking rain water on his desk. Wright's response was, "Well then, move your desk."
hahah that made me laugh so hard .. so it is true that the CEO had to have a water bucket next to his desk. I am thinking interview people and compile this stories and make a short DOC about it.. its hilarious.
@@csxlab If I'd been FLLW, I would have recommended potted plants beneath the leaks, but the water & melting snow to good use, Mr. Johnson! Mr Wright was ahead of the curve on this project Where skylights and side windows were concerned, though. The mastic he used between the glass tubes for the translucent ceiling and windows didn't thrive very long. Johnson Wax eventually replaced them with thick, custom-made tempered glass sheets that only looked liked glass tubes. They no longer had to have an employee inspect the "skylights" constantly and apply additional mastic with a calking gun over and over.
Job Johnson was as much a genius in his own “Wright” as his architect. What businessman would almost sink his company into bankruptcy to create such a work of art? Very few. His life needs a thorough investigation; he must have been an amazing man.
I absolutely luv that at : 5:39 he created a drawing that included the Unitarian Church he designed and built, the Synagogue as well as the Marin County Civic Center are all in the same drawing.
What an incredible structure. FLW is my classic idol and despite so many prominent architects around, I still go back to his books everytime. Since my forte is to build or renovate houses, I just enjoys his creations. The heights of ceiling are everything and evokes spiritualism. It is pure melody to eyes and heart!
My elementary school was originally built in 1911 in that classical style with columns and whatnot. In 1970 that was torn down and a new "modern" building was built that looked a lot like something Frank Lloyd Wright would have done in 1911.
The building that Pledge built. When I was a kid, I loved the smell of Lemon Pledge my mpm used to dust the diningroom table - huff that shiznit all day long.
We've learned plenty from Frank Lloyd Wright. Mostly what we've learned is that nobody wants to spend the $$$ to create his vision any longer. Even the most expensive homes these days are very cheaply designed by mass production architects.
They learned that you need to be a way more aware of your clients needs than he was at times. His buildings were beautiful and completely not practical in many ways. He was a malignant narcissist, in addition to being a genius, think about that.
Wow, that was my thought when I first discovered him. So if you like, I'll recomend you this book, it is rare, but I think it was reprinted inside another book. "Two lectures on architecture By Frank Lloyd Wright" - The Art Institue of Chicago, The Lakeside Press .. R.R. Donnelley & Sons Chicago. Excellent tips for everyone, but this was two lectures from him i the University giving recomendations to architecture students .... I think they should be basic in any architecture school.
Maybe because architects like many other elese stoped reading and started to live by published images in magazines. We can still learn a lot by understanding theyr philosophy.
I would say that most of the issues within the architecture field today can be traced back to certain modernist architects like Le Corbusier. Corbusier pressed for the idea that architects could solve any problem (truth is architecture is limited by its environment and the demands of the client). He also focused on the idea of simplifying design processes, often throwing out all previous teachings in architecture. Today many of the schools that took up architectural teaching based on Corbusier's ideas focus too much on the aesthetic beauty and expression of a design, rather than the other critical aspects of architecture , function and structure. I'm just glad I go to a school that actually focuses on all aspects (past and present ) of architecture and a good general understanding of engineering.
Mr Wright designed the Office Of The Future says the narrator. I wish she had been correct about that, because nothing in the office buildings I've worked in over the past 42 years has the freedom and beauty as you see in this structure. They're all boxes within boxes to trap the employee, much like old Alcatraz Penitentiary. 8-foot ceilings, cubicles. Not even the highest paid executives have it much different. Just a bigger more private box within a box.
The research tower stopped being used after 1982 because it wasn't up to code due to the narrow cramped stairwell, they needed to ad an external fire escape but it would've ruined the look
Wow, now natural lighting aids good long term Vision, eye strain from unnatural lighting could later plague the eye's, I find it is superior. Glass is good option for natural lighting, providing better than Fluorescent lighting, loud, unnatural, stigmatizing. Eye strain from light deprivation is a concern, I share. Great openness with Overhead Management uniting Business and Employees, working areas. The adaptations to make it an entity of itself, yet Family and Employee linked for the Hermitage. Wise to the Grand Scale, the Projects helped to impress and astound others.
Definitely a blood sister to the Marin Administrative Center, which is, quite possibly FLW’s Queen Creation. BTW, I was blessed to have been friends with Frank Lloyd Wright’s granddaughter, Elizabeth Wright, whilst living in SanFrancisco in the 1970-80-90’s
it must be a helluva traffic jam at 9 and 5 with only one entrance/ exit and it is deliberatly hidden and restricted. seems cool unless you ever worked in a large building
He was a first-class asshole... but his genius was mesmerizing. I was born a short distance from his other "skyscraper", Price Tower, in Bartlesville, OK. He contributed more than one project to that little town; he liked the "lay of the land". BTW... why the abrupt ending?
Yes, leaving his wife behind in Chicago in 1909 with no money & 5 of 6 kids to raise just to run off to Europe with his latest honey was a pretty bad reflection of Mr Wright's character. It's amazing how many of his biographers justify that as if it was a period of spiritual awakening, or other such garbage.
@@billolsen4360 sounds kind of personal dude. Im sorry someone hurt you. Im glad you made it through that experience. Been there, not fun. Keep on keepin on man.
Wright's methods were influenced by his mentor Louis Sullivan. Sullivan stressed the classical teachings that a buildings first purpose if its function, followed by its structure ,then aesthetic beauty.
Hi, would like to know more about how your experienced this space while working there. Hope your health was not affected. Sadly Asbestos became an hard truth too late, "we first saw evidence of asbestos being used to strengthen and improve materials about 4500 years ago. Greek sources began to mention asbestos around 400 BC, discussing its useful properties such as its chemical and fire resistance. ... sadly this was even used in ladies tampons... We came only to understand the adverse effects of Asbestos around 1989" .. I was shocked to find about this.. I thought we knew earlier. Here in Portugal when it was found, many public schools, hospitals and etc, had to be decomissioned and or repaired to take asbestos out. In Netherlands when I worked there 2011-2014 .. it was a curent business still to remove asbestos from Old buildings. So it does not surprise me that something built in 1936 inevitabliiy would contain asbestos on materials. Hence today a dedicated architect will consider as well the natural influence of matter on the human body .. or simplye the effec of matter properties of architecture on matter proprerties of the human body.
Like most other Wright creations the designs, and I live near two others, the design was far ahead of the materials. I had a relative, also a scientist, who once told me the tower (as I recall) is so drafty they could never get the balances to work! This is not to disparage Wright. He was just way ahead of his time!
