flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

Frank Lloyd Wright's posthumous gas station opens in Buffalo

Frank Lloyd Wright's posthumous gas station opens in Buffalo

This never built design is like a time-capsule that preserved the enthusiasm and optimism for cars in early 20th century United States.


By BD+C Staff | July 8, 2014
Photos courtesy of the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum
Photos courtesy of the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum

A fireplace in a gas station – imagine getting a permit to build something like that today. But that is exactly what legendary American architect Frank Lloyd Wright thought up for a gas station he designed more than half a century ago, and that was exactly what was built in the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum in Buffalo, New York, for public viewing.

The gas station was intended for creation in Buffalo at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Cherry Street, Architizer reports. From the two gas stations Wright designed, only the one in Cloquet, Minnesota was built, also posthumously in 1965.

Check out this special report from Buffalo local news station WIVBTV.

 

The gas station embodies American modernism as coined by Wright, and is not short of the early 20th century enthusiasm for cars. The station’s architecture is anchored by a large set of stairs that lead to a second-story observation room for customers to wait as their vehicles are serviced. It has a fireplace, restrooms, a copper roof ad two 45-foot poles that Wright referred to as totems.

For more information, visit the museum’s official website.

Related Stories

Healthcare Facilities | Mar 18, 2024

A modular construction solution to the mental healthcare crisis

Maria Ionescu, Senior Medical Planner, Stantec, shares a tested solution for the overburdened emergency department: Modular hub-and-spoke design.

Codes and Standards | Mar 18, 2024

New urban stormwater policies treat rainwater as a resource

U.S. cities are revamping how they handle stormwater to reduce flooding and capture rainfall and recharge aquifers. New policies reflect a change in mindset from treating stormwater as a nuisance to be quickly diverted away to capturing it as a resource.

Plumbing | Mar 18, 2024

EPA to revise criteria for WaterSense faucets and faucet accessories

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to revise its criteria for faucets and faucet accessories to earn the WaterSense label. The specification launched in 2007; since then, most faucets now sold in the U.S. meet or exceed the current WaterSense maximum flow rate of 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm). 

MFPRO+ New Projects | Mar 18, 2024

Luxury apartments in New York restore and renovate a century-old residential building

COOKFOX Architects has completed a luxury apartment building at 378 West End Avenue in New York City. The project restored and renovated the original residence built in 1915, while extending a new structure east on West 78th Street. 

Multifamily Housing | Mar 18, 2024

YWCA building in Boston’s Back Bay converted into 210 affordable rental apartments

Renovation of YWCA at 140 Clarendon Street will serve 111 previously unhoused families and individuals.

Healthcare Facilities | Mar 17, 2024

5 criteria to optimize medical office design

Healthcare designers need to consider privacy, separate areas for practitioners, natural light, outdoor spaces, and thoughtful selection of materials for medical office buildings.

Construction Costs | Mar 15, 2024

Retail center construction costs for 2024

Data from Gordian shows the most recent costs per square foot for restaurants, social clubs, one-story department stores, retail stores and movie theaters in select cities.

Architects | Mar 15, 2024

4 ways to streamline your architectural practice

Vessel Architecture's Lindsay Straatmann highlights four habits that have helped her discover the key to mastering efficiency as an architect.

Healthcare Facilities | Mar 15, 2024

First comprehensive cancer hospital in Dubai to host specialized multidisciplinary care

Stantec was selected to lead the design team for the Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Hospital, Dubai’s first integrated, comprehensive cancer hospital. Named in honor of the late Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the hospital is scheduled to open to patients in 2026.

Codes and Standards | Mar 15, 2024

Technical brief addresses the impact of construction-generated moisture on commercial roofing systems

A new technical brief from SPRI, the trade association representing the manufacturers of single-ply roofing systems and related component materials, addresses construction-generated moisture and its impact on commercial roofing systems.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category

Construction Costs

New download: BD+C's April 2024 Market Intelligence Report

Building Design+Construction's monthly Market Intelligence Report offers a snapshot of the health of the U.S. building construction industry, including the commercial, multifamily, institutional, and industrial building sectors. This report tracks the latest metrics related to construction spending, demand for design services, contractor backlogs, and material price trends.




halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021