Through August 20th fans of architect Frank Lloyd Wright can see more than 70 windows, including the famous Tree of Life window, on display at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. The windows are on loan from Martin House during its 23 million dollar restoration project in Buffalo, New York.
The sprawling, 10,000 square foot Darwin D. Martin House is an example of Wright's Prairie House concept and originally included a glass-roofed conservatory which was linked to the main house by a 100-foot-long pergola and a carriage house, a gardener's cottage and the Barton house, built for Martin's sister and her husband.
All of the buildings except the main house were demolished and replaced with apartment buildings in the late 1950s after Martin's family had suffered financial setbacks and had abandoned the property.
The windows, doors and skylights on loan during the restoration project will be reinstalled after the repairs are completed. The restoration project includes removing the existing apartment buildings and rebuilding the pergola, conservatory and carriage house as they were in 1907.
The National Historic Landmark building features broad, gently pitched roof, wide overhanging eaves, art glass windows, and cast bronze light fixtures.
