Jeff's Blog - Saturday, July 7, 2018 - Taliesin, in Spring Green, Wisconsin

This is part of my series of visits to buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Taliesin was the home, studio and country estate of Frank Lloyd Wright in Spring Green, Wisconsin, which he completed in 1911 on a 600-acre property. It was rebuilt after a murder and fire in 1914, and reconstructed again in 1925 after another fire. Wright gave Taliesin to the Frank Lloyd Wright foundation upon his death in 1959, and they restored and continue to restore the home and its several nearby buildings, including a school of architecture.

I took the 4-hour "Estate Tour" of the property, which started (as do all tours) at the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, involved a shuttle bus to the second Hillside Home School at the far end of the property, then a meandering walk back to the Taliesin Home, stopping at several other buildings and attractions on the rural property.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center is a sprawling horizontal restaurant / gift shop / tour starting point located on the banks of the Wisconsin River. It was designed as a restaurant in 1953 by Wright, and finally finished and opened in 1967, 8 years after his death. Here are my photos of that building:

    
DSC09565-20180707: Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DJI_0219-20180707: Drone shot of the Wisconsin River from the parking lot of the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DJI_0220-20180707: Drone shot of the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, on the banks of the Wisconsin River, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09568-20180707: The restaurant at the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

The second Hillside Home School was designed by Wright in 1901 as a 1st-12th-grade school for his aunts. The school closed in 1915. The building was expanded several times, with a drafting studio in 1939, the Hillside Theater in 1955, and the Fellowship dining hall in 1955. The building is still used today as an architectural school.

These photos are of the exterior of the second Hillside Home School (mainly, the outside of the Assembly Hall)

    
DSC09569-70-Pano-20180707: Exterior of the Hillside School (mainly the Assenbly Hall) at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09571-3-Pano-20180707: Exterior of the Hillside School (mainly the Assenbly Hall) at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09575-20180707: A rare Frank Lloyd Wright cornerstone, on the exterior of the Hillside School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

The Assembly Hall and Fellowship Dining Room of the second Hillside School

    
DSC09576-20180707: Assembly Hall in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09579-20180707: Fireplace in the Assembly Hall in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09589-20180707: Ceiling in the Assembly Hall in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09583-20180707: A corner of the Assembly Hall has a cut-out overlooking the Fellowship Dining Room, in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09586-20180707: Fellowship Dining Room, in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09591-20180707: Fellowship Dining Room, in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09593-20180707: Light, in Fellowship Dining Room, in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

The Drafting Studio (we had to stand at the back, work was being done inside) and Gallery Space in the second Hillside School

    
DSC09601-20180707: Drafting Studio, in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09604-20180707: Ceiling supports in the Drafting Studio, in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09608-20180707: Ceiling supports in the Drafting Studio, in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09602-20180707: Drafting Studio, in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09610-20180707: Gallery Space, in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09612-20180707: Gallery Space, in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09614-20180707: Gallery Space, in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Hillside Theater, in the second Hillside Home School

    
DSC09617-and-20-HDR-20180707: Lobby of the Hillside Theater at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09622-20180707: String Quartet Music Stand in the lobby of the Hillside Theater at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09623-HDR-20180707: Hillside Theater at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09627-and-30-HDR-20180707: Hillside Theater at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09635-20180707: Light in the Hillside Theater at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

The Romeo and Juliet Windmill was designed and built by Wright to pump water to the second Hillside Home School.

    
DSC09640-20180707: Romeo and Juliet Windmill water pumping tower at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09643-20180707: Romeo and Juliet Windmill water pumping tower at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09644-20180707: Romeo and Juliet Windmill water pumping tower at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Tan-y-Deri is a house Wright designed for his sister and her husband.

    
DSC09645-20180707: Tan-y-Deri, at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09646-20180707: The view out a window at Tan-y-Deri, at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09647-20180707: Taliesin grounds, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin, from Tan-y-Deri. Taliesin itself is the house on the hilltop at upper-left.
    
DSC09653-20180707: Tan-y-Deri, at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Midway Barn was designed by Wright and used for farming activities on the property.

    
DSC09658-20180707: Midway Barn, at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09659-20180707: Midway Barn, at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Finally we reached Taliesin itself. Here are a few exterior shots:

    
DSC09663-20180707: Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09666-20180707: Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09670-20180707: Gas pump in one of the courtyards at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09671-20180707: Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09672-20180707: Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09673-20180707: Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09674-20180707: Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

The first stop inside was at Frank Lloyd Wright's office and workroom. The stone vault in the center of the first two photos was used to store original drawings and valuable artwork (he was quite a collector, especially of Japanese artwork).

    
DSC09679-Pano-20180707: Wright's office and workroom in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin. Stone vault at center was used to store original drawings and valuable artwork.
    
DSC09680-20180707: Wright's office and workroom in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin. Stone vault at center was used to store original drawings and valuable artwork.
    
DSC09683-20180707: Fireplace in Wright's office and workroom in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09684-20180707: Wright's office and workroom in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Here are a couple of sights between the Office and the Living Room, the next major stop on the tour.

    
DSC09685-20180707: Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09686-20180707: Dining Room in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

The Living Room was the next stop, and we spent a lot of time there. One corner of the living room (as in most FLW homes) held the musical instruments owned by the family.

    
DSC09688-20180707: Living Room in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin (note the string quartet music stand and benches in front of the piano)
    
DSC09689-20180707: Living Room in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09689Copy 2-20180707: Living Room in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09696-9-PsPano-20180707: Living Room in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09701-20180707: The Music Corner of the Living Room in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin (string-quartet music stand and benches at bottom-right)
    
DSC09703-4-HDR-20180707: Living Room in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09705-20180707: Hallway, from the living room in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09706-HDR-20180707: Living room, in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Some outdoor space

    
DSC09709-20180707: Small room just off the living room, in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin, leading to the cantlievered walkway
    
DSC09711-20180707: Terrace just outside the Loggia in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09712-20180707: The cantilevered walkway at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Bedrooms and Loggia

    
DSC09713-20180707: Mrs Wright's bedroom in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09715-20180707: The loggia next to Frank Lloyd Wright's bedroom at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09716-20180707: Fireplace outside Frank Lloyd Wright's Bedroom (?) in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
    
DSC09717-20180707: Frank Lloyd Wright's Bedroom (?) in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin
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