Theodore Baird Residence

Last updated

Baird House
AmherstMA BairdHouse.jpg
photo c. 1984
USA Massachusetts location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location38 Shays Street, Amherst, Massachusetts [1]
Coordinates 42°21′1.29″N72°31′5.58″W / 42.3503583°N 72.5182167°W / 42.3503583; -72.5182167
Built1940
Architect Frank Lloyd Wright
Architectural style Usonian
NRHP reference No. 85000026 [2]
Added to NRHPJanuary 3, 1985

The Theodore Baird Residence, also known as Baird House, is a suburban house designed by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and located at 38 Shays Street in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. [3] It is the only Wright design in Massachusetts. [3]

Contents

The Usonian house was planned and built in 1940 [4] for Amherst College English professor [5] Theodore Baird. The Bairds became interested in Wright's work after reading his autobiography, and submitted a commission to him. Wright produced drawings based on the Baird's description of their lifestyle and a description of the lot. [6] They were unable to locate contractors in the area who were able to do the work, so the construction work was done by Wright protégé William Wesley Peters. Part of the construction work was done at a factory in New Jersey, and moved to Amherst for final assembly. [6] The house was the only Usonian for which the materials were prefabricated before being brought to the site. [7]

It is a single-family house with brick, cypress wood and glass façades and a flat roof highly cantilevered over a carport. Heating is conveyed by pipes distributing hot water through the concrete floor. [8] There are also three fireplaces, one in the master bedroom and another with a single chimney and two grates which is divided by a partition wall separating the living room and study. [7] The building includes an in-law apartment for Baird's mother, which is located at the opposite end of the house from the Bairds' quarters. Wright's design also included a dedicated space for the Bairds' dog, including a dog run and doghouse. [6]

The house is set back about 250 feet (76 m) from the road. The property, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, also includes a 4-acre (1.6 ha) woodlot that extends behind the house and neighboring properties on Shays Street. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Usonia</span> Term for the U.S. coined by Frank Lloyd Wright

Usonia is a word that was used by the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright to refer to the United States in general, and more specifically to his vision for the landscape of the country, including the planning of cities and the architecture of buildings. Wright proposed the use of the adjective Usonian to describe the particular New World character of the American landscape as distinct and free of previous architectural conventions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosenbaum House</span> Historic house in Alabama, United States

The Rosenbaum House is a single-family house designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright and built for Stanley and Mildred Rosenbaum in Florence, Alabama. A noted example of his Usonian house concept, it is the only Wright building in Alabama, and is one of only 26 pre-World War II Usonian houses. Wright scholar John Sergeant called it "the purest example of the Usonian."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theodore Baird</span> American college professor of English

Theodore Baird was an American academic and Samuel Williston Professor of English, emeritus, at Amherst College. From 1927 to 1969 he taught students a wide range of literature, and was the creator of the English 1-2, the college's highly regarded freshman composition course.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pope–Leighey House</span> Historic house in Virginia, United States

The Pope–Leighey House, formerly known as the Loren Pope Residence, is a suburban home in Virginia designed by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The house, which belongs to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, has been relocated twice and sits on the grounds of Woodlawn Plantation, Alexandria, Virginia. Along with the Andrew B. Cooke House and the Luis Marden House, it is one of the three homes in Virginia designed by Wright.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerald B. and Beverley Tonkens House</span> Historic house in Ohio, United States

The Gerald B. and Beverley Tonkens House, also known as the Tonkens House, is a single story private residence designed by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1954. The house was commissioned by Gerald B. Tonkens and his first wife Rosalie. It is located in Amberley Village, a village in Hamilton County, Ohio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samara (house)</span> Historic house in Indiana, United States

Samara, also known as the John E. Christian House, is a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The home is an example of the Usonian homes that Wright designed. Samara was built from 1954 to 1956 and was still occupied by the original owner, John E. Christian, until he died on July 12, 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gordon House (Silverton, Oregon)</span> Historic house in Oregon, United States

The Gordon House is a residence designed by influential architect Frank Lloyd Wright, now located within the Oregon Garden, in Silverton, Oregon. It is an example of Wright's Usonian vision for America. It is one of the last of the Usonian series that Wright designed as affordable housing for American working class consumers, which—in 1939—were considered to have an annual income of $5,000–6,000. The house is based on a design for a modern home commissioned by Life magazine in 1938.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herbert and Katherine Jacobs First House</span> House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

Herbert and Katherine Jacobs First House, commonly referred to as Jacobs I, is a single family home located at 441 Toepfer Avenue in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Designed by noted American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, it was constructed in 1937 and is considered by most to be the first Usonian home. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2003. The house and seven other properties by Wright were inscribed on the World Heritage List under the title "The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright" in July 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert H. Sunday House</span> Historic house in Iowa, United States

The Robert H. Sunday House is located in Marshalltown, Iowa, United States. It was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the Usonian style, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. Initially the Sunday's choose the Usonian Automatic, a natural concrete block model, for their home. When it provided unworkable, Wright sent the plans for this house. In style and materials it is very similar to the 1953 Usonian Exhibition House. It was the sixth of seven houses designed by Wright and built in this style in Iowa. Sunday, who owned Marshall Lumber in Marshalltown, acted as his own general contractor. In fact, he and his wife did much of the work themselves. It is also believed to be last of this style built in brick. John H. "Jack" Howe, a Wright assistant who supervised the initial construction, designed an addition to this house in 1970 that conforms seamlessly with the original. It includes the family room, family room terrace, and the dining room. The original house followed an L-shaped plan, and with the addition it is now a T-shaped plan. Howe had previously designed (1964) the building for Sunday's business.

Baird House may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Usonia Historic District</span> Historic district in New York, United States

Usonia Historic District was a planned community and is now a national historic district located in Town of Mount Pleasant, adjacent to the village of Pleasantville, Westchester County, New York. In 1945, a 100-acre (0.40 km2) rural tract was purchased by a cooperative of young couples from New York City, who were able to enlist the students of Frank Lloyd Wright to build his Broadacre City concept. Wright decided where each house should be placed. Wright designed three homes himself and approved architectural plans of the other 44, which were designed by such architects as Paul Schweikher, Theodore Dixon Bower, Ulrich Franzen, Kaneji Domoto, Aaron Resnick and David Henken – an engineer and Wright apprentice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maynard Buehler House</span> Historic house in California, United States

The Maynard Buehler House in Orinda, California is a 4,000 square feet Usonian home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1948 for Katherine Z. "Katie" and Maynard P. Buehler. Since 2016 the house has been used as a venue for weddings, after being featured in Vogue magazine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles L. Manson House</span> House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

The Charles L. and Dorothy Manson home is a single-family house located at 1224 Highland Park Boulevard in Wausau, Wisconsin. Designated a National Historic Landmark, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 5, 2016, reference Number, 16000149.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theodore A. Pappas House</span> Historic house in Missouri, United States

The Theodore A. Pappas House is a Frank Lloyd Wright designed Usonian house in St. Louis, Missouri. The Pappas house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, when it was only 15 years old. It is one of two houses in St. Louis designed by Wright, and the only Usonian Automatic in Missouri. Wright designed it between 1955 and 1959 at the Pappas’ request, and Theodore and Bette Pappas built the house together with the help of day laborers between 1960 and 1964. The Pappas house is a rambling four-bedroom house, and after the Gerald B. and Beverley Tonkens House, is the largest of the Usonian Automatics built.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Lamberson House</span> Historic house in Iowa, United States

The Alice and Jack Lamberson House, also known as the Peter Maunu and Irmi Maunu-Kocian house, is a historic residence located in Oskaloosa, Iowa, United States. It is one of seven Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Usonian houses located in Iowa, and one of two that were constructed in Oskaloosa. Both were completed in 1951. The Lamberson house is unique from the other Iowa Usonians for its extensive use of 60º and 120º angles. It features a low, sweeping pitched roof that makes the house look deceptively large, yet it is the second smallest of Iowa's Usonians. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goetsch–Winckler House</span> United States historic place

The Goetsch–Winckler House is a building that was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, built in 1940. It is located at 2410 Hulett Road, Okemos, Michigan. The house is an example of Wright's later Usonian architectural style, and it is considered to be one of the most elegant. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 and is #95001423.

The Ray Brandes House is a Frank Lloyd Wright designed Usonian home located at 2202 212th Avenue SE, Sammamish, Washington It was constructed in 1952. The home is constructed in Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian style which is designed to create flow between nature, the home and its interior. It is one of the better preserved examples of this style, and one of three homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in Washington State. Landscaping was selected from local flora and fauna, typical of Frank Lloyd Wright's preference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvin Miller House</span> Historic house in Iowa, United States

The Alvin Miller House is a Usonian home beside the Cedar River in Charles City, Iowa. It was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and constructed over a five-year period completed in 1951. The single-story structure features a two-level flat roof which allows for clerestory windows. It was severely damaged in the flood of 2008. Restoration efforts surrounding the house after the flooding are detailed in the Alvin Miller House website.

The Sharp Family Tourism and Education Center is a posthumous addition to Frank Lloyd Wright's Child of the Sun collection at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Wright oversaw the construction of twelve buildings on Florida Southern's campus between 1938 and 1958. He also designed a Usonian house in 1939 meant to be used for faculty housing. Wright produced plans for 14 of the homes to be built on the college campus, but the plan was never carried through. In 2013, the College completed construction of the design as the featured structure in the Sharp Family Tourism and Education Center.

The Louis Fredrick House is a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright at 19 W. County Line Road in Barrington, Illinois. The house was built in 1957 for Louis Fredrick, an affluent interior designer. The house's design is typical of Wright's later work, in which he adapted his Usonian design principles to larger homes for wealthier clients. Fredrick played a role in the design process as well, rejecting Wright's original plan on account of its concrete block walls and providing input on decisions such as coloring. The house's design includes a brick exterior, long horizontal window bands, a low roof covered with cedar shakes, and a large chimney.

References

  1. "Chapman, John Jay, 1862-1933. John Jay Chapman letters to Theodore Baird and other papers: Guide". Oasis.lib.harvard.edu. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
  2. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  3. 1 2 "Frank Lloyd Wright Buildings Complete Listing - Buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright". Architecture.about.com. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
  4. "Frank Lloyd Wright : Timeline of Wright's Life". planetclaire.org. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
  5. "Theodore Baird | Amherst College". Amherst.edu. January 17, 2006. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "NRHP nomination for Theodore Baird House". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  7. 1 2 Caroline Knight, Frank Lloyd Wright, p. 162, Parragon; 2004.
  8. B. B. Pfeiffer, P. Gössel, G. Leuthäuser, Frank Lloyd Wright, p. 138–139, Taschen Verlag; 1991.