Architectural Reading

#3 in the Frank L. Wright Series: The Imperial Hotel in Tokyo


1. The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
2. The Emil Bach House
3. The Imperial Hotel
This is a drawing by Wright of the Hotel

File:Imperial Hotel Wright House.jpg
This is a painting of the Imperial Hotel. 

Why I have a painting and a drawing is because in an earthquake in 1923, It was hardly damaged, but after that, it slowly started to settle in the the muddy ground it was built on. It had no deep foundation because Wright had decided that he would "just have a wide flat foundation and let it ride the earthquake like a battleship rides the ocean" As a result the foundation was not deep enough. After time it deteriorated and it was demolished. 

This was the second Imperial Hotel built in Tokyo.
This is the first one:
File:Imperial Hotel Watanabe House.jpg

And this is the third, current one:
File:Imperial Hotel TOKYO 2007.jpg
A lot of change!

It was one of Wright's biggest works, built from 1915-23.
The style is Mayan Revival though it does remind me of his prairie style homes with the brick and almost flat roofs and overhangs. 
The main materials were poured concrete, concrete block, and carved oya stone.

All in all, a very impressive building!!!


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