I don't even remember when I first became aware of Frank Lloyd Wright, but it was probably in the late '80s when I was discovering art and design and fell for the aesthetic of early to mid century modernism. From Paul Klee to Bauhaus to FLW, it must have been. What I love about Wright's work is that it is modern yet organic. He, in fact, coined the term organic architecture, which he said was more a philosophy than a style. I love the combination of modern design + natural elements and the thoughtful relationship of a building with its natural environment. I also find his personal story and temperament very intriguing - the real man and the persona he cultivated.
I was thrilled to discover that Gordon House was nearby in Silverton when we moved to Salem. Though I have never been there at the right time for a tour of the
interior, we stop by occasionally when in town to say, "Hello, Mr. Wright."
Gordon House was designed by Wright in 1957 but not built until 1963, four years after his death, for a farm near the Willamette River in Wilsonville. In 2001 when its current owners planned to destroy it (!), FLW Conservancy stepped in to dismantle it and move it to The Oregon Garden, where it lives on today.
FLW FTW.