The Robie House, Chicago, IL [Photo by Richard Griswold] |
Field Trip: The Robie House in Chicago
By Richard Griswold, Associate Provost and Dean of StudentsWhenever I have to travel for business, I always look for something to see/do in my destination that is unique to the place to investigate. While investigating Chicago, I discovered that there is a comprehensive "private spaces" tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's 1909 Robie House.
Mason Pritchett, an architect and former BAC studio teacher, and I arrived at 9 am on a Sunday, where we found seven others waiting patiently near the house's three-car, attached garage. Our guide was a volunteer, trained as a sociologist. She was deeply knowledgeable about the architecture, interiors and ongoing restoration efforts, but her insight into the life of the house was excellent: One has a different sense of the house upon learning that the Robies only lived in their dream house for about two years before selling it at a loss.
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House Plans |
Art Glass in the Master Bedroom [Photo by Richard Griswold] |
The tour was excellent, but towards the end of the tour, the chance to wander around in the house just a little was the real treat.