Tag Archives: Tulsa

Architecture: A Tour Of 1929 Frank Lloyd Wright ‘Westhope’ Home In Tulsa

Sotheby’s International Realty – Frank Lloyd Wright’s Westhope is a masterpiece. In every project Wright undertook, the goal of enhancing and elevating human experience was always foremost. Tulsa’s Westhope was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

The mansion, constructed in 1929 is one of only three Wright-designed structures in Oklahoma and one of only a handful of homes constructed at this scale. It is made with alternating piers of square glass windows and cement “textile” blocks. A limited number of such concrete block homes were built in between Wright’s better-known Prairie and Usonian houses, making Westhope a remarkable rare jewel. It is one of the largest residences Wright ever built.

Architectural Digest waxed poetic about the beauty of Westhope in a 2022 article: True to Wright’s nature-inspired “organic architecture” ethos, furniture, built-in cabinets, and drawers at the home are all constructed of similar wood, achieving the visual and spatial harmony for which his signature aesthetic is known. Built for Wright’s cousin, Tulsa Tribune publisher Richard Lloyd Jones, it is awash in natural light. Its walls seamlessly integrate concrete blocks with 5,200 glass panes arranged in pillar-like forms, creating a vertical pattern streaming pretty natural light into the interior while keeping all who enter visually connected to the ever-changing landscape.

The home’s distinctly public and private spaces make it perfect for entertaining and eminently livable. At slightly more than 10,000 square feet, there are 5 bedrooms, 4.1 baths and a large reception area which flows into the dining room. The home’s placement on the 1.5 acre grounds is classic Frank Lloyd Wright. He nestled it perfectly among the trees and added a lovely pool and outdoor living spaces. To purchase Westhope is to become the steward of a living masterpiece, a timeless treasure, an iconic residence awaiting its next great chapter.

News: Top 5 Stories For June 1, 2021 (Reuters)

June 1, 2021: Biden to visit Tulsa massacre site, Texas voting bill, assailants open fire on a crowd in Florida, indigenous groups in Canada demand a nationwide search for further graves

1. Joe Biden will be the first sitting U.S. president to visit the site of the Tulsa massacre, where hundreds of Black Americans were killed by a white mob. Biden’s trip is a sharp contrast to a year ago, when then-President Donald Trump, a Republican who criticized Black Lives Matter and other racial justice movements, planned a political rally in Tulsa on June 19, the “Juneteenth” anniversary that celebrates the end of U.S. slavery in 1865. The rally was postponed after criticism.

2. Democrats in the Texas House of Representatives boycotted a legislative session, blocking a vote on an election reform bill critics say would make it harder for Blacks and Hispanics to vote.

3. A shooting in Miami early on Sunday, killed two people and wounded more than 20, police and media reported. Assailants opened fire on a crowd outside a concert.

4. Indigenous groups in Canada are calling for a nationwide search for mass graves at residential school sites after the discovery of the remains of 215 children at one former school last week shocked the country.

5. China’s decision to allow families to have up to three children was met with skepticism, with doubts expressed on social media whether it would make much difference.