On a Washington DC trip I took this last spring I was able to make it down to the Mt. Vernon area, just south of the capital. At Mt. Vernon is one of Frank L Wrights Usonian houses - The Pope Leighey house.

The house is not in it's original location, relocated by highway construction. Eventually the house was turned into a museum as a way of saving the house from demolition.

You can visit the house, just $8 USD, for a half hour tour. I found the tour informative and worthwhile. You can take as many pics as you want to on the outside, but for some reason they don't allow pictures taken on the inside.

Overall the presence of the house, as it sits on the site, is not overly impressive. unfortunately when my friend and I went to see the house it was an overcast day and it was raining lightly. What did stand out for me though is the inside of the house and how efficient FLW design of the spaces are. It seemed there is nothing that FLW didn't think about in this house and it was really interesting to see how differently people could live vs. how we do live (and our crappy tract housing reflects this - in the US anyhow). Anyhow, the inside is what made this building for me, not the outside. what do you think?

Here are a few links:

Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope-Leighey_House

Official Website

http://www.popeleighey1940.org/

A ton of pics:

http://www.peterbeers.net/interests/flw_rt/Virginia/Pope_Leighey_03/pope_leighey_03.htm

From Reagan National Airport you can take the Metro down to the Huntington Station (the Metro's southern most station). From this point you need to have further transportation to get to the house. Otherwise just rent a car and make a 20 minute ride to the house.

Once you get to the site you drive up and park in a unpaved lot and you will then need to go to the "mansion" to buy your ticket ($8 USD) for your tour. The tours last anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes.

The approach down the drive way towards the house

Carport and entry to the house. from the two houses I have seen of FLW so far he loves to hide the front door of the house. Of course one way of creating a sense of privacy for the resident.

Looking back towards the car port and driveway.

Just up on a berm overlooking the house on the entry side of the house.

Looking at the house at the bedroom wing.

bedroom wing again.

From the "back" yard looking back at the house. From this view you can really get a sense of how the house lays out on the site.

The wing of the house that holds the main living space along with the kitchen, dinning area, and other living spaces.

And a shot of the house from the living wing side just outside of the kitchen.

As you can see the house lays out in an "L" shape. As you enter you face the living spaces of the house. The bedrooms are accessed down a very narrow hallway. FLW plays with your perception of private vs. public type of space by expanding and contracting the spaces in which you pass through.

As you enter you come in under a low cantilever. as you enter through the front door and then proceed forward you step down into the living space and the space expands creating a perception of a large space (much larger than it probably really is). FLW is a master of this and even though it is simply done in this house it works to really create a perception of more space than is there for just 1200 s.f.

As I mentioned I couldn't take shots from the inside. But, I found two shots online. This one is of the living room. To the left of the shot is the alcove for dinning. to the right of the living room is access to a screened in porch area. From both sides you can open up the walls to help expand the space and which gives a great connection to the outside.

This is looking down the hallway that gives access to the bedrooms. Very narrow and very private. I think less than 3' wide.

And just to add to this thread I have attached a Sketchup model I found online. It is pretty crude but will give you sense of the house. I may try and clean up the model and post it in the "models" forum.

I have a few more images and may post a few more shots. My friend who came with me is not an architect and so this was a first for him. He was a good sport in entertaining me to come to visit the house. On our drive back to DC from the visit he laid on me the line..."well that was 3 hours of my life I can't get back" :) LOL That simply cracked me up... I guess not everyone has the appreciation about architecture that many of us do...

And the KMZ... almost forgot... Primo viewing the thread reminding me :D

As you enter you come in under a low cantilever. as you enter through the front door and then proceed forward you step down into the living space and the space expands creating a perception of a large space (much larger than it probably really is). FLW is a master of this and even though it is simply done in this house it works to really create a perception of more space than is there for just 1200 s.f.

I think he called this "The Pathway of Discovery"? He would intentionally keep the ceilings low in the entrances and hall to main living areas, then the rooms would seem to explode when you entered them.

This is a really cool building. Definitely has the cantilevers from hell! Thanks for posting it Wizum!

Thanks Wizum, just a fantastic example of his work.

I was looking at the model and its not too bad. What is really cool is the module on the plan that shows up, 24"X48". The Usonian idea was to keep things simple and standardized and the model shows that. He had the layout down and could kick 'em out. Brilliant. :craqueur:

Detail of clerestories.

Kitchen

From Dining area back to Kitchen

Bedroom. Not sure which one. (*Its the Master bedroom :) )

A photograph of an original drawing for the construction of the home.

And thanks wizum for sharing the trip.

And the KMZ... almost forgot... Primo viewing the thread reminding me :D

Thanks amigo!:cheers:
great voley pics on flickr BTW:rock on:

Thanks Wizum, just a fantastic example of his work.

I was looking at the model and its not too bad. What is really cool is the module on the plan that shows up, 24"X48". The Usonian idea was to keep things simple and standardized and the model shows that. He had the layout down and could kick 'em out. Brilliant. :craqueur:

Thanks for catching that Wilson... honestly I didn't spend a whole lot of time looking at the model. I thought it wasn't too bad from the outside but when I got to the inside I realized that the bedroom wing had not been modeled. Plus I saw faces reversed, etc. Anyhow, It certainly is a good starter model :) And I had no idea about the grid. I really need to catch up on my FLW knowledge. But that is what PPB is for, right?

Thanks amigo!:cheers:
great voley pics on flickr BTW:rock on:

thanks Primo... they were fun to shoot... and still more to come... :)

Thanks for the pics Scott. Bummer about not being able to shoot the inside. You should have hid a small point and shoot in your swimming trunks (like Kevin) and took them anyway! :D

(Is that a point and shoot in your pocket?)

Looks like they could of used a little shorter oriental rug in the bedroom!:)

Thanks for the pics Scott. Bummer about not being able to shoot the inside. You should have hid a small point and shoot in your swimming trunks (like Kevin) and took them anyway! :D

(Is that a point and shoot in your pocket?)

I could of but I apparently don't have the same room in my swim trunks that Kevin has :eek:

Jake, nice catch on the rug comment. I hadden't noticed.

Looks like they could of used a little shorter oriental rug in the bedroom!:)


If it is in the house, it is the way Frank intended it! Do not question the master!

what's with those green benches outside??!!

If it is in the house, it is the way Frank intended it! Do not question the master!


"Why, I just shake the buildings out of my sleeves" FLW

Looks like he should of shook out a tape measure.