Friday5 – July 2, 2021

Earlier this month, design lovers and fans of Frank Lloyd Wright celebrated the architects’ 154th birthday, which marked the perfect time to explore his architectural legacy, according to the Building Technology Heritage Library (BTHL). “While more than 40 publications in the BTHL bear Wright’s name, two 20th-century German monographs are particularly noteworthy.” The rare original copies, which provide great insights into Wright’s early career, were generously provided to the library’s digitization team. Also included in the collection are house plan catalogs, early trade catalogs, who credit Wright as a major innovator of “prairie style” houses, and the Schumacher catalog containing Wright’s textile and wallpaper designs.

When looking for a design departure from the mundane, novelty architecture is a good place to start. These types of buildings break the mold of monotony and “instead of favoring steel and glass skyscrapers that serve as landmarks in cities around the world, they aim to poke fun at architecture in a way that’s jovial, commercial, and perhaps slightly more functional and expressive.” Novelty architecture is a well known type of building in which the structures take on familiar shapes such as animals or household objects. “Without the attention of being authentic or serious, many of these buildings often become landmarks or sough-out tourist attractions,” like the iconic egg shop pictured above.