Dream House - Frank Lloyd Wright with a Twist in Shanghai China
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For inquiries or further information, please contact:
Marcus at +86 150 0012 6903
marcusmingliu@icloud.com
See also: http://shanghai-dream-house.weebly.com/ for periodic updates on this house.
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Frank Lloyd Wright is one of the most famous architects in the world. Wright believed in designing homes and structures that were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture.
The Green Antiques design team attempted to incorporate Wright’s organic architecture philosophy in the design and construction of the 7,000 sq.ft. Dream House, the exterior of which is loosely modeled after the world renowned prairie style Robbie House, and which is located within a gated community in Shanghai China. The two main living floors provide glimpses of Wright’s style in nearly every room. The entertainment floor, a walk out basement only partially underground, is something else entirely - an ultra funky bright and modern version of a Chinese courtyard home and garden - take a look for yourself in the photo’s below!
Although Wright never traveled to China, his great work in Japan and his fascination with things Oriental had a significant impact on his later works.
Allowing Frank Lloyd Wright's style to morph into the 21st century, the kitchen is open and large. The cabinets and island panels are custom made from 300 year old salvaged wood, and include a Wright inspired geometric pattern trim design. Psst...here comes an unexpected design secret - all of the kitchen drawers use Ikea hardware which the team has found to be both economic and extremely durable. The kitchen has beautiful modern glass tile backsplash, bar "garlic" lighting from India, and an island that also doubles as a breakfast bar.
The huge bright red antique Chinese temple altar cabinet is re-purposed for use as a sideboard / hutch in the formal dining room. The built in settee to the left of the room shifts the entire room to one side in order to allow for more walking space on one side and also to enable the owners family and visitors to more easily admire the alter cabinet.
The comfy family room at Dream House. Note the wood floor boards, which are hand hewn from salvaged beams from ancient homes and temples. The wood floors cover nearly all of the two main living floors, and beautiful rugs are liberally used throughout the home to add color, style and softness to the rooms and hallways.
The Frank Lloyd Wright bedroom - This room has Frank Lloyd Wright written all over it, with the dark wooden trim running around, as well as up and over, the walls. Small antique Chinese cabinets serve as end tables on either side of the bed. Note one of the double closet doors at the top right corner of the photo - the doors are custom made from 300 year salvaged boards, and include a simple geometric lattice pattern Qing dynasty window panel inserted into the middle of the door.
The upstairs living room. Notice the antique Chinese geometric design lattice window panels which have been incorporated into the center of all of the custom made doors at Dream House. The antique wood panel painting on the wall is the God of Longevity. The crane, deer and peach in the picture are often painted together with this god and also symbolize longevity. The framed orange background Batik cloth with a row of monks was purchased by the homeowner in Sumatra Indonesia in the 1980's. The coffee table is custom designed custom made. The red lacquer alter table is a reproduction.
The stage is set as one walks down the steps from the main floor living area to the lower floor at Dream House: first a bust of Chairman Mao in a staircase niche invites visitors to continue down the steps to see what lies ahead; then the walls suddenly change from the modern flat walls of the upstairs living rooms to walls made from small rough grey antique bricks salvaged from ancient Qing Dynasty homes which have been knocked down as China forges ahead into the 21st century, and antique green porcelain lattice work tiles fixed in the wall introduces the visitor to the Chinese garden theme.
The lower floor entertainment area is designed to create the feeling of being in a Chinese garden surrounding ancient Chinese courtyard homes. This photo shows the "exterior" garden area with brick walls and exterior lanterns, with a typical Chinese garden entrance in the shape of a vase at the end of the hallway, which symbolically separates the "outside" garden, from the "inside" courtyard home beyond. The stunning ceiling is actually a salvaged porch ceiling from the entrance to a late Ming Dynasty house, which has been slightly altered to permit the addition of LED lighting which can be set to any color, or allows for imperceptibly slow transitions from one color to another. The lanterns are antique but have been electrified. The room which is slightly visible to the left is the "ladies" bathroom which incorporates a beautiful custom made mosaic of pink birds and white trees set against a black background, with pink chandelier, black commode and black marble floor.
Moving from the "exterior" garden area hallway into the "inside" courtyard home. The ceiling effect is made with numerous octagonal Chinese lattice panels painted silver. Japanese electronic / mechanical slot machines pool table, mahjong / poker table, air hockey, and table shuffle board make this room a highlight of any family gathering or party.
The bathroom in the lower entertainment area is a mix of old and ultra modern. Note the antique Chinese cabinet which serves as the vanity (including a hand pounded brass sink with a fish motif - unfortunately not visible in photo), and the under floor stone carving. The antique bricks are salvaged from ancient houses and the bright red tiles are of course new. The LED lighting is added for a whimsical effect.
Spectacular super comfy in-home Chinese Theater. You and a dozen or more of your closest friends and family can cuddle up, eat popcorn, and watch a ballgame, or catch a movie in high definition style day after day and night after night, right along with the Qing Dynasty dieties in the wall niches! The owners say they love watching movies, sports and even playing rad video console games on the awesome, insanely huge, 200 inch, floor to ceiling totally high definition, professional Mitsubishi TV / movie system, coupled with an incredible BOSE theater surround sound speaker system.
Exterior view of Dream House - A typical symmetric and geometric Frank Lloyd Wright style design. Although Wright would probably not have approved of a front entrance which is not in someway hidden from the street, the typical rules found in gated communities prevented the owners from building a wall or otherwise hiding the entrance. Note the fanciful antique Chinese stone lanterns on the porch, and the contemporary Chinese style pot with modern pattern, which add a touch of chinoiserie right here in Shanghai China! ++++++++++++++++++++++ For inquiries or further information, please contact: Marcus at +86 150 0012 6903 marcusmingliu@icloud.com See also: http://shanghai-dream-house.weebly.com/ for periodic updates about this house. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dream House's formal living room incorporates an interesting mixture of modern white leather sofa, modern curved wooden chairs, and modern coffee table, accented with little antique Chinese baskets and buckets on the tables and desks that have been re-purposed to hold plants. Note the early 20th century "old Shanghai" style end tables which have become a desk with the addition of a glass top in the top left corner of the photo.
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