There’s a Wright house in Tallahassee? I first learned of Spring House some eighteen years ago when entering into Architecture school at FAMU. Architecturally speaking, I was pretty green at the time and really didn’t know what a “Wright house” should look like. I would later visit a number of his buildings, but at the time, other than slides that were shown in first year Architecture classes, I didn’t know what to look for or what would distinguish a Wright house from any other, nor could I get a straight answer as to its location.
Word was that it sat on a hill top above the banks of Lake Jackson north of town. Mr. Wright adamantly did not build on “hill tops” I would later
learn. “If you build on top of the hill, you lose the hill” he once said.
It just happened that I spent some time at the lake with friends during
the summer and one day I saw it. A beautiful house on a hill supported by massive white columns surrounded by what else but majestic oaks. That must
be it! At least that is how I remember it. I may have been mistaken.
When I finally saw the REAL Spring House for the first time, there was no mistake. No mistake, no question, “…there”. I could barely see the bow through the natural landscape but with no doubt – “that is it”.
There is something about a building in which the author has poured himself into every detail. It’s like he is there somewhere. It has a soul. The soul of the family that has lived there…the soul of the master who put it to paper.
My name is Seth Keys Coffin. I am an architect here in Tallahassee Florida and I am privileged to serve as a board member of the Spring House Institute and hopefully impress upon you through these blogs, the importance of our mission.
This represents our first blog so we thought it wise to make proper introductions.
There is an overwhelming spirit that lives within Spring House. And thank you to the Lewis family for allowing it to be an experience that we ALL can
share.
Continue to visit our blog and please join us - become a FOSH!
(Friend of Spring House)
Word was that it sat on a hill top above the banks of Lake Jackson north of town. Mr. Wright adamantly did not build on “hill tops” I would later
learn. “If you build on top of the hill, you lose the hill” he once said.
It just happened that I spent some time at the lake with friends during
the summer and one day I saw it. A beautiful house on a hill supported by massive white columns surrounded by what else but majestic oaks. That must
be it! At least that is how I remember it. I may have been mistaken.
When I finally saw the REAL Spring House for the first time, there was no mistake. No mistake, no question, “…there”. I could barely see the bow through the natural landscape but with no doubt – “that is it”.
There is something about a building in which the author has poured himself into every detail. It’s like he is there somewhere. It has a soul. The soul of the family that has lived there…the soul of the master who put it to paper.
My name is Seth Keys Coffin. I am an architect here in Tallahassee Florida and I am privileged to serve as a board member of the Spring House Institute and hopefully impress upon you through these blogs, the importance of our mission.
This represents our first blog so we thought it wise to make proper introductions.
There is an overwhelming spirit that lives within Spring House. And thank you to the Lewis family for allowing it to be an experience that we ALL can
share.
Continue to visit our blog and please join us - become a FOSH!
(Friend of Spring House)