Students work on Frank Lloyd Wright’s Spring House

Members from IDSO, the Interior Design Student Organization, helped remove invasive plants alongside members of the Spring House Institute board and several plant experts on Saturday, January 24th.

Designed and constructed in 1954, Spring House is the only private residence in Florida designed by American’s most famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. The hemicycle form of the two-story home expresses a late, brief stage in Wright’s long, distinguished career. Despite its unique design and connection to this amazing architect, it is deteriorating and in serious need of repairs. The National Trust for Historic Preservation placed it on the 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list in 2014. Water intrusion damage can be seen throughout the interior from repeated exposure to wind storms. On the exterior, the cypress siding has noticeable damage from insects and woodpeckers. In addition, invasive plants, such as coral ardisia, nandina, English ivy and Japanese climbing ferns are threatening its foundation. IDSO members spent the winter morning carefully picking and bagging up these intrusive plants that were found throughout the five-acre property, located only miles away from Florida State University’s campus. This resulted in a huge truckload of plants for disposal and was a small step in mending of this irreplaceable home.

IDSO members were ecstatic to be a part of this preservation project. The organization hopes to have a continuing relationship with the Spring House Institute to assist them with their goal of restoring the house to its original grandeur.