When I saw the above article from dwell+ I knew I had to share it… if only so I could find it again myself! This one-of-a-kind adobe home was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1943 but never built because of divorce… until it caught the attention of developer Charles Klotsche in 1984, “who was attracted by the design’s intent to reflect the Southwest with its proposed adobe construction.”
“With oversight from the Frank Lloyd Wright Fellowship, Klotsche erected the home in 1984 as the centerpiece of his new Santa Fe development, doubling the plan and arranging it east to west rather than north to south, as was originally intended. Perched on a hill, its curved facades and interlocking concentric circles—experiments for Wright, and American home design—capture sweeping views of the desert landscape and the San Miguel Mountains.”
After more than 30 years of neglect Richard Poe first saw Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pottery House in 2016, when it was in a desperate state. He fell in love with the idea of bringing this genius work back to life… and enlisted the help of El Paso architect and friend William Helm.
“It’s a true adobe house,” Helm remarks, “but with cement-based plasters and foam added to achieve the dramatic outlines. So in this case the walls had to be stripped down to the base coat of original plaster and then replastered—a job done by an entire team with hand grinders.”
The above info, plus 14 beautiful photos, are from dwell+, but be aware that they may require a subscription to fully view the article. Don’t want to subscribe? In Situ Architecture has even more comprehensive free information about the long journey of “The Pottery House,” from unbuilt design in the 1940s to revised building in the 1980s to restoration completed in 2018.
Richard hopes his preservation effort will allow people to enjoy the home for years to come, as does Helm. “It’s been safeguarded for another generation to carry into the future,” he says. That it was ever built was a miracle of sorts; as Wright’s sole adobe design, it’s a wonder to behold.
Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results – shensrud@homesmsp.comÂ
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