Volunteers needed at the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust

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Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust seeks Volunteers for Wright’s Robie House and Home and Studio


(Oak Park, IL) – The Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust is seeking volunteers to assist at both Wright’s Robie House in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood and the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio in Oak Park. A two week spring volunteer training session at Robie House begins February 23 and at the Home and Studio March 9. Interested parties are encouraged to contact the Preservation Trust before the two week training begins.


Volunteers enjoy membership benefits, invitations to exclusive events such as excursions to art and architectural attractions and exclusive educational opportunities like architectural-based lectures, a monthly newsletter and discounts in the museum shops. Wright’s Robie House and the Home and Studio offer docents a fascinating and rewarding environment where they can develop new skills and create great new friendships.


Interested parties are encouraged to contact the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust by February 15 to receive pre-course materials. For more information about the Trust, the museums sites and volunteer opportunities please visit GoWright.org or call 708.725.3818.

AIA Chicago Chapter Bridge Program Comes to a Close

I wrote briefly of the Bridge Program in the past but haven't elaborated on it much. The intent was to pair Fellows of the AIA with emerging professionals to provide valuable mentorship. Upon its conception the mission was extended to include a community outreach project.

The bucolic setting of Frank Lloyd Wright's Frank J. Baker House.

Last Sunday the mentors and mentees were graciously invited by Walter Sobel, FAIA to his Frank Lloyd Wright designed Frank J. Baker house in Winnetka. Mr. Sobel, now in his 90's (this blog reported him to be 95 in 2008, although he doesn't look a day over 88 to me) shared some of his stories with us too. Aside from some physical ailments — he used a walker to get around — he seemed to be in good health with his mental faculties in check. Which lead me to thinking we ought to have a system in place to keep retired architects engaged with the profession. Here's a guy with 70-plus years of experience and no outlet for sharing them.

Note the bare essentials in the foreground.

Which brings me back to the bridge program. Over the last several months we mentees have been narrowing down and refining our ideas for what our community outreach project will be. The mentors dropped in from time-to-time to mingle and offer input. In the end we presented two proposals to the AIA Board of Directors who then agreed to foot the bill for us to attend the AIA Holiday Party.

The Mentor Mentee Mingle

The two programs we decided upon are a Community Interface Committee (CIC) and a group dedicated to working with a local church on a structure to support their efforts in urban farming. Here is the mission statement for the CIC:

The Community Interface Committee is dedicated to increasing the visibility and participation of architects within community groups and non-profit organizations.

The Committee will act as:

1. A network and forum for exchange of knowledge related to public interest work.

2. A point of contact for community groups and non profit groups that seek solutions.

3. A liaison between the AIA and established pro-bono design groups

4. Support for architects’ involvement in civic activities

And an interesting Matrix comparing the proposed services with those provided by local and national for-profit and not-for profit entities:

The inaugural meeting for the CIC will be on Feb. 23rd at the chapter offices of AIA Chicago. I'll keep you posted on the urban farming structure project.

So while those programs continue and carry on the legacy of the Bridge Program, it officially came to a close with the reception at Mr. Sobel's house. It was great to have some of the mentors out including Steve Burns, Dirk Lohan, Tod Desmarais, Peter Exley and his wife Sharon, Louis Garapolo, John Nelson, Jack Train, Dan Wheeler and AIA Chicago Chapter President Walter Street and AIA Illinois Delegate Laura Fisher.

Story time with host Walter Sobel, FAIA.

My thanks to the Sobels, the mentors that dedicated their time throughout the Program and attended the reception, and the AIA Chicago Chapter for taking on the initiative, lead by Matt Dumich, Mark Schwamel and Brett Taylor. It sounds like the Program has gotten other chapters to take notice.

Wright's typical Cathedral-like spaces following a low-ceiling entrance.

Volunteers needed at Wright’s Home and Studio and Robie House

From the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust:

Volunteer at the remarkable Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio in Oak Park or at Wright’s icon of modern architecture, Robie House, in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago.

Photo courtesy of the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust

Fall volunteer training at the Home and Studio begins Tuesday, September 15 and at Wright’s Robie House Tuesday, October 6. Volunteers enjoy membership benefits, invitations to special events, educational opportunities and great new friendships. Volunteering at our world-class museum sites is a fascinating and rewarding experience as our volunteers explore widespread interests and develop new skills.

Photo by Don Kalec

Support an appreciation of architecture, design and the legacy of Wright while engaging in educational and aesthetic experiences with people from around the world. Visit GoWright.org or call 708.848.1976 for more information.

In College, I held a stint working for the Facilities Manager of the Architecture Department. The school owned the Affleck House in Bloomfield Hills, MI and we were responsible for some minor maintenance and setup and breakdown of events and studios they would hold there.

It was in a beautiful setting, a creek had run through the site and under part of the building. It had been dry for some time as the adjacent area was built up. What was interesting to me was the living quarters looked out onto the creek. This valued view was in contrast to the tight quarters and extremely narrow and low corridor leading to it which also contained pipes and conduit. You had to access this corridor through a tight winding stair and I remember one day seeing a tuft of hair embedded in some of the detailing that was projecting out in the Wrightian style; someone had hit their head and it looked very painful.

Don't let this deter you, volunteer today!