Thursday, January 3, 2008

A Night with Frank Lloyd Wright

Frank Lloyd Wright (in case you didn't know) was a great designer of architechture. This week I'm at a workshop and staying at the only hotel he ever designed. I was really excited about the experience - until I had to stay here. First off, while the hotel is VERY old...it is quite nice and very classy. However, the design style of the room is well - interesting. Let me explain...


For instance...my room - NOT a typical hotel room. You might think a 'room' should be square or even perhaps a rectangle...NOT so here....

My room - is loosely based on a triangle....having well, let me count....9 - that's right NINE - different walls - just in the MAIN room!!!

My room is so narrow at the doorway - that I could NOT open the door, walk in and have my bag held at my side. I had to sort of configure my way in the room in a single file line, opening the door and dragging my shoulder bag behind me....NOT necessarily fun, but certainly a great talking point.

Now I love Wright's design style from a designers standpoint....great angles, great lines, great texture (oh, and by the way, this hotel is supposed to make you feel like you're inside a tree and completely included in nature). There are only 4 - yes - FOUR - hotel rooms on each floor. Each floor has 3 - yes THREE - small (one person, MAYBE two pepole elevators) on it - however as you'll quickly find out not each elevator goes to all of the same floors. Usually don't realize that until you're on one of the elevators that literally doesn't go all the way to the top floor.

This image - taken as I stand directly outside of my room - you can see two of the other hotel rooms across the way - where you see the lightswitch on the left, on the other side of that wall is one of the elevators - another is directly on my right imediately next to my door.

Ah, but wait...the bathrooms.....Again, based on a triangle - my bathroom has six separate walls.

(Here you can see three of the walls)... oh, and the towel racks - all copper tubing. One bonus - we have heated floors in the bathrooms! Very nice bonus - 90 degree heated floors when you step out onto a concrete floor out of the shower - VERY nice....

So...if you ever find yourself in Bartlesville, OK...be sure and take a spin at Price Towers - there is a museum with a tour available...even if you don't stay here - certainly worth a looksey!!