NPR reports on an often overlooked collection of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings in Florida on the campus of Florida Southern College. Wright designed the master plan for the campus, as well as 18 unique buildings, 12 of which were built. Unfortuately, In the grand tradition of FLW Buildings, the campus buildings are crumbling apart. In fact, they’re degrading so quickly that they have been included on the list of the 100 most endangered sites by the World Monument Fund. Phase one of the restoration project will be completed later this month, and the university is hoping to raise the 50 million dollars required to completely restore, and in some cases improve, the remaining Wright structures.
The buildings may owe their degradation to Wright’s experimental designs, but their construction probably has something to do with it as well. Many of the campus structures were building by actual Florida students who paid off their tuition by serving as construction laborers. Students actually building. It’s a great idea that more architecture schools seem to be embracing today.
For more photos, information on the specific campus buildings, and a little gossip, check out the article at NPR.org.