Isn’t it remarkable how a house can embody an architect’s vision? That’s precisely what the Dorothy G. Turkel House achieves. Frank Lloyd Wright designed this home for Dorothy G. Turkel in 1955. This 4300-square-foot concrete house stands as Wright’s only building within Detroit city limits.
Wright named the style of the Dorothy G. Turkel House “Usonian”. He characterized this style by its modest size and L-shape. Native materials and cantilevered overhangs also define it. The Dorothy G. Turkel House is also unique. It is the only two-story Usonian Automatic in the world.
The Dorothy G. Turkel House uses over 6000 concrete blocks. These blocks come in 36 different patterns. Steel bars interconnect them. Notably, the house lacks a basement or an attic.
Wright called the living room the music room. It rises a full two stories high. Over 200 pierced blocks adorn two sides. These blocks allow light to filter through. A balcony overlooks this grand music room. Eight doors open to a second-floor balcony. From here, one can enjoy views of the gardens. The study, master suite, and two additional bedrooms are on the second floor.
The Dorothy H. Turkel House features an understated main entrance on the west side. Its cantilevered balcony stands out. Steel-frame glass doors provide access from a forty-eight-foot-long gallery on the second floor. Wright avoided air conditioning. He wanted to encourage circulation between interior and exterior spaces. Radiant sub-floor heating warms concrete surfaces in winter.
Concrete surfaces of the ground-level terrace and second-floor balcony are finished bright red. This contrasts with the building’s blue window frames. The interior features architect-designed furniture and mahogany paneling. Built-in cabinets and fixtures complete the design.
Completed in 1958, the Turkel House exemplifies Wright’s Usonian Automatic style. Wright began his career in 1888. He apprenticed with Adler and Sullivan in Chicago. In the early 1950s, Wright started designing Usonian Automatic homes. These modest-sized buildings could be easily assembled. They used prefabricated materials on site. Concrete blocks minimized interior and exterior finish work. Usonian Automatic structures aimed to avoid high costs. These homes would be affordable to working-class homeowners.
Dorothy S. Turkel commissioned this house. She had just finished reading Wright’s book, The Natural House. In it, he describes his ideal of organic architecture. Usonian Automatic construction began with a concrete slab. Courses of precast concrete blocks followed from the ground up. Each block had a semicircular groove along its unexposed faces. The courses were laid without mortar. Reinforcing rods were placed inside the grooves. The voids were filled with grout. This tied the blocks together into a rigid wall.
Today, the Dorothy G. Turkel House stands as a testament to Wright’s vision. It also embodies Dorothy Turkel’s desire for organic architecture. As we conclude our visit here, consider the legacy of innovation. Think about the beauty of a home designed to harmonize with nature.