- - The original note follows - -
From: rbmurray@xxxxxxxxxx (Robert B. Murray)
Subject: Re: Wright's concrete blocks
Date: Wed, 20 Jul 1994 02:53:31 GMT
Jeff Edman (edman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) wrote:
: I recently saw a reference to FLLW designed house (I believe it was in
: "The Wright Style") that said that the house had built by the owner who
: cast his own concrete blocks and assembled them. I can't remember
: exactly, but the book implied that this owner-builder technique was
: encouraged by Wright.
: Does anyone know if his technique of casting concrete blocks is described
: somewhere? Just curious how it was done and how the design was integrated.
: Thanks,
: Jeff Edman
I studied this system in the late 60's and looked at four houses in the
L.A. area at that time. Also one in Seattle that was derivative, but
using what appeared to be conventional unit masonry. I'll
try to dig up my references. If I can find them, I'll post them...
The "blocks" were supposed to be fabricated as _rammed_ concrete panels
about 2 inches thick, dry enough to turn out of the mold almost
immediately (basically adobe brick making technology). Each edge of a
panel had a groove for rebar and grout, the bottom of the mold was a
reverse of the desired face pattern. The molds were fairly complex, as
you can imagine, and the process of ramming the panels was slow, hard
work.
Exterior walls and some partitions were made of two layers of panels
spaced about 6 inches apart. For the life of me I can't say how the layers
were tied together. The air space was supposed to provide insulation.
Wright promoted the idea as a low-tech, do-it-yourself approach, but the
process was so slow and arduous that the idea died of natural causes. I
_believe_ all of the completed houses were done professionally.
The effect is very nice. Evocative of mayan tombs (which I believe was
part of Wright's idea), especially with the characteristic Wright
decorative motifs and scale.
From: rbmurray@xxxxxxxxxx (Robert B. Murray)
Subject: Re: Wright's concrete blocks
Date: Wed, 20 Jul 1994 02:53:31 GMT
Jeff Edman (edman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) wrote:
: I recently saw a reference to FLLW designed house (I believe it was in
: "The Wright Style") that said that the house had built by the owner who
: cast his own concrete blocks and assembled them. I can't remember
: exactly, but the book implied that this owner-builder technique was
: encouraged by Wright.
: Does anyone know if his technique of casting concrete blocks is described
: somewhere? Just curious how it was done and how the design was integrated.
: Thanks,
: Jeff Edman
I studied this system in the late 60's and looked at four houses in the
L.A. area at that time. Also one in Seattle that was derivative, but
using what appeared to be conventional unit masonry. I'll
try to dig up my references. If I can find them, I'll post them...
The "blocks" were supposed to be fabricated as _rammed_ concrete panels
about 2 inches thick, dry enough to turn out of the mold almost
immediately (basically adobe brick making technology). Each edge of a
panel had a groove for rebar and grout, the bottom of the mold was a
reverse of the desired face pattern. The molds were fairly complex, as
you can imagine, and the process of ramming the panels was slow, hard
work.
Exterior walls and some partitions were made of two layers of panels
spaced about 6 inches apart. For the life of me I can't say how the layers
were tied together. The air space was supposed to provide insulation.
Wright promoted the idea as a low-tech, do-it-yourself approach, but the
process was so slow and arduous that the idea died of natural causes. I
_believe_ all of the completed houses were done professionally.
The effect is very nice. Evocative of mayan tombs (which I believe was
part of Wright's idea), especially with the characteristic Wright
decorative motifs and scale.