flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Frank Lloyd Wright's posthumous gas station opens in Buffalo

Frank Lloyd Wright's posthumous gas station opens in Buffalo

This never built design is like a time-capsule that preserved the enthusiasm and optimism for cars in early 20th century United States.


By BD+C Staff | July 8, 2014
Photos courtesy of the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum
Photos courtesy of the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum

A fireplace in a gas station – imagine getting a permit to build something like that today. But that is exactly what legendary American architect Frank Lloyd Wright thought up for a gas station he designed more than half a century ago, and that was exactly what was built in the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum in Buffalo, New York, for public viewing.

The gas station was intended for creation in Buffalo at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Cherry Street, Architizer reports. From the two gas stations Wright designed, only the one in Cloquet, Minnesota was built, also posthumously in 1965.

Check out this special report from Buffalo local news station WIVBTV.

 

The gas station embodies American modernism as coined by Wright, and is not short of the early 20th century enthusiasm for cars. The station’s architecture is anchored by a large set of stairs that lead to a second-story observation room for customers to wait as their vehicles are serviced. It has a fireplace, restrooms, a copper roof ad two 45-foot poles that Wright referred to as totems.

For more information, visit the museum’s official website.

Related Stories

| Nov 14, 2011

Griffin Electric completes electrical work at Cary Arts Center

  The Griffin Electric team was responsible for replacing the previous electrical service on-site with a 1000A, 480/277V service and providing electrical feeds for a new fire pump chiller, six air-handlers and two elevators.

| Nov 14, 2011

303 East 33rd Street building achieves LEED-NC

  The 165,000 sf 12-story residential building is the first green development to be LEED certified in the Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan.

| Nov 14, 2011

VanSumeren appointed to Traco general manager

VanSumeren will draw on his more than 20 years of experience in manufacturing management and engineering to deliver operational and service excellence and drive profitable growth for Traco. 

| Nov 11, 2011

By the Numbers

What do ‘46.9,’ ‘886.2,’ and ‘171,271’ mean to you? Check here for the answer.

| Nov 11, 2011

Streamline Design-build with BIM

How construction manager Barton Malow utilized BIM and design-build to deliver a quick turnaround for Georgia Tech’s new practice facility.

| Nov 11, 2011

AIA: Engineered Brick + Masonry for Commercial Buildings

Earn 1.0 AIA/CES learning units by studying this article and successfully completing the online exam. 

| Nov 11, 2011

How Your Firm Can Win Federal + Military Projects

The civilian and military branches of the federal government are looking for innovative, smart-thinking AEC firms to design and construct their capital projects. Our sources give you the inside story.

| Nov 10, 2011

BD+C's 28th Annual Reconstruction Awards

A total of 13 projects recognized as part of BD+C's 28th Annual Reconstruction Awards.

| Nov 10, 2011

Grousbeck Center for Students & Technology opens doors

New Perkins School for the Blind Building is dedicated to innovation, interaction, and independence for students.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category


Urban Planning

Bridging the gap: How early architect involvement can revolutionize a city’s capital improvement plans

Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs) typically span three to five years and outline future city projects and their costs. While they set the stage, the design and construction of these projects often extend beyond the CIP window, leading to a disconnect between the initial budget and evolving project scope. This can result in financial shortfalls, forcing cities to cut back on critical project features.



Libraries

Reasons to reinvent the Midcentury academic library

DLR Group's Interior Design Leader Gretchen Holy, Assoc. IIDA, shares the idea that a designer's responsibility to embrace a library’s history, respect its past, and create an environment that will serve student populations for the next 100 years.

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021