LEARNING FROM THE MARTIN HOUSE

SEAN MALONE

We are pleased that Sean Malone, the newly appointed CEO of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, chose to kick off a national tour of major public Wright sites with the Darwin D. Martin House.  Sean was drawn to the Buffalo success story but he came with existential and visionary questions:  “Who do we (the FLW Foundation) exist to serve?” he asks,  “What are the deep, meaningful needs that no one else is providing? Of those needs, which are we uniquely positioned to serve?” Sean’s visit coincided with that of a contingent of officials from the Wright-designed campus of Florida Southern College – also drawn to the Martin House story – where they are building a Usonian house, designed for the campus by Wright, that is to serve as an orientation center for the more than 20,000 visitors to the campus annually. Exciting discussions ensued, none more affecting than the question of Wright’s continued relevance in a world of diminishing natural resources, commercialism, and virtual realities.