Frank Lloyd Wright - the man Who Built America, BBC4

[Guest]

An absorbing documentary on the life and work of Frank Lloyd Wright on BBC4 last night, on iPlayer here - expertly and lyrically presented by architect Jonathan Adams (who designed the Wales Millennium Centre). Brief appearances by other architects - Richard Rogers, Daniel Libeskind - but these did not add a great deal, it was really about the buildings, which were fascinatingly expounded by Adams, and Wright's long and extraordinary life. Wright was the son of Welsh immigrants, and never lost touch with his roots in the Unitarian community in Wisconsin where he grew up.

You just have to ignore Adams's lamentable hat. Hats on presenters are a very bad idea, as the late AA Gill never tired of pointing out.

[antongould]

A wonderful hour IMVVHO .......

[richardfinegold]

I live a half mile from the FLW Museum, which is is his old studio and house, and Wrights dot the area. Tour buses bring Wright disciples here regularly, about half from the Far East. Once a year many of these houses are opened up for a house walk.
I've talked to a few ex owners. One recurring complaint is that any time a repair has to be made it has to be cleared by various preservation committees

[Richard Tarleton]

I was interested to learn just how much of his work was private houses.....

It was amusing that he not only designed furniture and fittings but that he had strong views on decor, curtains etc (none), pictures on walls (none) and ornaments (none) - and that it was not unknown for owners to find he had been back to the house to move the furniture from where they'd put it......and that he designed a dress for one of the lady owners to wear so that she would blend in....

[vinteuil]

- he had strong views on decor, curtains etc (none), pictures on walls (none) and ornaments (none) -....

... my father was of the same opinion.



.

[antongould]

We spent an afternoon walking around Oak Park ..... very impressive .....

[Serial_Apologist]

Having not known much about FLW beyond the few buildings regularly trotted out to represent his influence on modern architecture, for me this was a most instructive documentary about a true genius.

[richardfinegold]

We spent an afternoon walking around Oak Park ..... very impressive .....

Let me know if you ever make the return trip

[gurnemanz]

Also fascinated by this programme, having previously known some of the buildings (and the Simon and Garfunkel song) but not much about the man. The only one of his buildings I have visited is Guggenheim in New York - very much an experience to remember and, based on what we saw in the programme, not typical of his style. I was also distracted by the presenter's inadvisable hat, especially when worn indoors.

[cloughie]

Am I the only person on these boards who only found out about Frank Lloyd Wright courtesy of Paul Simon about 50 years ago?