At Home on the Prairie: The Houses of Purcell and Elmslie (Archetype Press Books) - Hardcover

Leger, Dixie; Korab, Christian

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0811850412 ISBN 13: 9780811850414

Publisher: Chronicle Books, 2006

Synopsis

The houses of William Gray Purcell and George Grant Elmsliebuilt mainly in the Midwest and Northeastare the embodiment of the early 20th century marriage of fine craftsmanship and modern technology. Masterpieces of the Prairie Style, each home was designed with the groundbreaking idea that comfort and utility could harmonize with grace and style. Characterized by open plans and site-specific designs, Purcell and Elmslie residences are tied to the land by local materials and low, spreading forms. Their signature use of nature-based ornament and brilliant color further distinguished them from their contemporaries, Frank Lloyd Wright's houses among them. In 24 residential profiles and gorgeous new photographs, Prairie Style expert Dixie Legler and photographer Christian Korab vividly bring to life the pair's enduring dedication to simple elegance and honest design. "At Home on the Prairie" is the deluxe treatment that this ingenious duo deserves.

About this title

About the Author:

Built at a time when comfort and utility went hand in hand with beauty and grace, the revolutionary residences of William Purcell and George Elmslie bear witness to the powerful convergence of fine craftsmanship and modern technology that typified the architectural innovation of the early twentieth century. The resulting architectural idiom--known as the prairie style--was characterized by plans more open than ever before, site-specific design, and organic details. Each of Purcell and Elmslie's houses was created with a specific place, client, and usage in mind, and was tied to the land by local materials and low, spreading forms. What set the pair's work apart from their Prairie School contemporaries, including Frank Lloyd Wright, was their masterful signature use of ornament and color, as seen in swirling nature-based shapes of wood and terra-cotta and exquisite art glass windows. In At Home on the Prairie, Purcell and Elmslie's enduring dedication to simple elegance and honest design is brought vividly to life. This is the first book to exclusively examine the work of these two visionary architects, who began a revolution in home design the impact of which is still felt today.

Synopsis:

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About this edition

• Publisher: Chronicle Books
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0811850412
• ISBN 13: 9780811850414
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192