An Architecture for Democracy: The Marin County Civic Center - Hardcover

Aaron G. Green; Frank Lloyd Wright

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0962502901 ISBN 13: 9780962502903

Publisher: Tioga Pub Co, 1990

Synopsis

In 1957 Wright accepted this commission (his 770th) at age ninety. Wright died in 1959 at ninety-two years before the ground-breaking ceremony had occurred. His work was continued by Taliesin architects, primarily senior architect William Wesley Peters and Aaron Green. Like many of Wrights buildings, this civic center plan is adjusted to the landscape. Green reports Wright's saying "I'll bridge these hills with graceful arches" and quotes from Wright's speech at the acceptance of the commission: "The beauty of Marin County should be expressed in our architecture. The buildings must not hurt the land. . . .The buildings of the new Civic Center will express this natural beauty; they will not be a blemish upon the landscape". Often compared to an aqueduct, the building uses repeated arches (echoing the hills), a blue roof (not Wright's first choice of color) echoing the sky, and beige concrete echoing the original landscape. (Aaron Green added the lush landscape details.)

Edition details

• Publisher: Tioga Pub Co
• Publication date: 1990
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0962502901
• ISBN 13: 9780962502903
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 144