Richardson, Sullivan, and Wright: Buffalo’s Terrific Trio

Frank Loyd Wright's Martin House; photo by Biff Henrich.

Instead of hitting the beach this past Memorial Day Weekend, I shuffled off to Buffalo, taking in one of America’s greatest cities with some of the world’s best architecture. “We’re much more than just snow and chicken wings,” proclaimed Mary F. Roberts, executive director of the Martin House Restoration Corporation, while giving me a fascinating tour of the Darwin D. Martin House Complex, built by Frank Lloyd Wright between 1903-1908, receiving National Historic Landmark status in 1986, and currently being expertly restored by local firm, Hamilton Houston Lownie Architects. Consisting of 5 interconnecting buildings and many signature art glass windows, it’s one of the finest examples of Wright’s Prairie style and of his infamous tendency to go way over budget (for example, the Barton house, where Martin’s sister lived, was budgeted at $4,500 but ended up costing $12,000; the entire complex, $175,000, astronomical for those days).

The complex was recently joined by a super-contemporary structure: the Eleanor and Wilson Greatbatch Pavilion welcome center by Toshiko Mori Architect, its simplicity and transparency lying in stark yet stunning contrast with Wright’s denser style. The restoration’s completion is targeted for 2011, but tours are ongoing. University at Buffalo has a great archive of historic images.

Toshiko Mori's visitors center, Buffalo; photo by Biff Henrich.

Before Wright built the Martin complex, another of America’s architecture giants was busy at work in Buffalo: Henry Hobson Richardson. Several of his buildings still exist there, perhaps the most notable being the Buffalo State Hospital, built 1870-1896, also listed on the National Register, and in the beginning stages of adaptive reuse into a boutique hotel, visitors center, and conference facility. Its landscape, and much of Buffalo’s, was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Adler and Sullivan’s Guaranty Building, another Landmark, was built around the same time, 1895-1896. Buffalo is the only city to have buildings by Richardson, Sullivan, and Wright, plus Olmsted landscaping (and, interestingly, has one of the highest concentrations of wind farms in an urban area).

HH Richardson's Buffalo Hospital; photo by Annie Block. Adler and Sullivan Guaranty Building; photo by Ed Healy and Buffalo Niagara CVB.

But Americans were not the only ones building in Buffalo: The first important U.S. commission for Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen and son Eero was the Kleinhans Music Hall, the clean-lined curving structure dating to 1940. There is also a Harry Bertoia fountain, 1966, at M&T Plaza, the M&T Bank Building by Minoru Yamasaki.

Saarinen Kleinhans Music Hall; photo by Chuck LaChiusa and Buffalo Niagara CVB.

About 40 minutes outside Buffalo, in a verdant rural town called East Aurora, hand-craftsmanship is alive and kicking. Among the many talented artisans working and living there are potter Janice McDuffie and furniture maker Thomas Pafk. East Aurora is home to the Roycroft campus, a complex of artist studios and an inn begun by Elbert Hubbard; Roycrofters are at the forefront of the American Arts and Crafts Movement.

Elbert Hubbard Museum and Janice McDuffie pottery; photos by Annie Block.

Thomas Pafk studio; photo by Annie Block.

Of course, no trip to Buffalo would be complete without a chicken wing or two. After a morning spent at glorious Niagara Falls, I ended my whirlwind tour with a pit-stop at Anchor Bar, said to be the originator of the Buffalo wing in 1964. Yum!

Niagara Falls; photo by Annie Block.