John Gillin Residence
Encyclopedia
The John Gillin Residence is a large single-story Usonian house, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright
in 1950 and built in Dallas, Texas
in 1958. The Gillin House is Wright's only residential project in Dallas and the last home constructed before his death.
Gillin was a successful oilman, geophysicist and electronics gadgeteer. Gillin commissioned Wright to design a work of art that would also be suitable for living and entertaining. A self-made man, Wright respected him and allowed him to design many details including all door hardware, the stainless steel kitchenettes and even the diving board support.
This sprawling Usonian is one of Wright's most extensive single-story residences. Three wings spin off a central hexagon much as might have happened had Wingspread
been based on an equilateral parallelogram rather than a square. The home is organized around a massive angular fireplace. The acute angles of 60 and 120 degrees give intimacy to the rooms with ample light-filled space and volume that is unusual for a Frank Lloyd Wright designed home. The grand living room is under a hexagonal copper dome roof and ventilator specifically copied from the Arizona Biltmore Hotel
's Aztec ballroom.
The home was designed in response to the Southwest climate and its site of seven acres overlooking a creek. Long horizontal outer walls of understated native sandstone and horizontal bands of windows converge to create a dramatic entry.
In 1996, the Gillin House was featured as Bob Mapplethorpe's house in the Wes Anderson
film, Bottle Rocket
.
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
in 1950 and built in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
in 1958. The Gillin House is Wright's only residential project in Dallas and the last home constructed before his death.
Gillin was a successful oilman, geophysicist and electronics gadgeteer. Gillin commissioned Wright to design a work of art that would also be suitable for living and entertaining. A self-made man, Wright respected him and allowed him to design many details including all door hardware, the stainless steel kitchenettes and even the diving board support.
This sprawling Usonian is one of Wright's most extensive single-story residences. Three wings spin off a central hexagon much as might have happened had Wingspread
Wingspread
Wingspread, also known as the Herbert F. Johnson House, is a house designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright for Herbert Fisk Johnson, Jr. and built in 1938-1939 in the village of Wind Point near Racine, Wisconsin. Its construction was overseen by a young John Lautner...
been based on an equilateral parallelogram rather than a square. The home is organized around a massive angular fireplace. The acute angles of 60 and 120 degrees give intimacy to the rooms with ample light-filled space and volume that is unusual for a Frank Lloyd Wright designed home. The grand living room is under a hexagonal copper dome roof and ventilator specifically copied from the Arizona Biltmore Hotel
Arizona Biltmore Hotel
The Arizona Biltmore Hotel is a resort located in Phoenix near 24th Street and Camelback Road. It recently joined the Hilton Hotels' luxury collection The Waldorf-Astoria Collection and was also featured on the Travel Channel show Great Hotels....
's Aztec ballroom.
The home was designed in response to the Southwest climate and its site of seven acres overlooking a creek. Long horizontal outer walls of understated native sandstone and horizontal bands of windows converge to create a dramatic entry.
In 1996, the Gillin House was featured as Bob Mapplethorpe's house in the Wes Anderson
Wes Anderson
Wesley Wales Anderson is an American film director, screenwriter, actor, and producer of features, short films and commercials....
film, Bottle Rocket
Bottle Rocket
Bottle Rocket is a 1996 comedy film directed by Wes Anderson. It was co-written by Anderson and Owen Wilson. As well as being Wes Anderson's directorial debut, Bottle Rocket was the debut feature for brothers Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson, who co-starred with James Caan and Robert Musgrave.The film...
.
