backstory: Wright in Buffalo (pun unintended)
If you’ve never been to Buffalo, you should go. (Wear layers.) Especially if you like the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. Over the weekend, I had the great opportunity to visit the Darwin D. Martin House in a Buffalo suburb.
Martin was CEO of the Larkin Company, a producer of soap that was founded in 1875. The company hired Wright to build its headquarters on the recommendation of Martin, who had also commissioned the architect to build him a new home. In many ways, the Martin house is a quintessential example of Wright’s work … a wonderful expression of his concept of the hearth being the center of the home. This idea manifests in a giant, gorgeous two-sided fireplace inside the structure. While the main house and the gardener’s cottage are original, much of the rest is carefully replicated from photos and from Wright’s plans. It’s well worth seeing AND if you’re in Buffalo and a Wright fan, make sure to see the replica of Wright’s gas station design, housed inside of the Pierce Arrow Museum, which is a wonder in and of itself.
Tracy Fitzpatrick
Director, Neuberger Museum of Art
Find me on Twitter @tracyfitzart