IMPERIAL HOTEL – FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT – EARTHQUAKES – HAITI (ISSUE 341)

The past few weeks, the news has been dominated to some degree about the horrors of the earthquake in Haiti. Like so many other disasters, news report slants are changing somewhat from Rescue and Recovery to human interest stories, some great and heroic and some which leave a bad taste in one’s mouth.

Stories about trafficking of children, for prostitution and slave-labor are particularly disturbing. We can expect to hear more stories about the use of all the money poured into Haiti and the distribution of goods and services.

Apparently Haiti is a country with a corrupt government and absence of building codes, which resulted in large buildings, like the Palace and Montana Hotel, crumbling like matchsticks.

I’m reminded of the great earthquake in Japan in 1923, a terrible disaster which happened before most of us were born. The city of Tokyo was practically leveled and hundreds of thousands lost their lives, but one building withstood the the power of the earthquake and remained standing. The question is, why did it stand, when all around crumbled? The answer lies in the genious of the great architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, and the way he built the grand Imperial Hotel.

I lived in Japan four years and stayed at the Imperial Hotel many times. I always loved going there, staying in a suite, and shopping in the many small shops on the lower level. I have many pictures of the hotel, and a menu from the dining room, plus items I purchased there, like a beautiful beaded purse, which I still cherish.

I always enjoyed sitting in the lobby and seeing all the beautifully dressed guests, many in their native country garb. I recall thinking, this is like the crossroad of the world. The hotel suites were large and very comfortable, the dining room food was outstanding, and browsing and shopping in their shops was great fun.

I understand the hotel has been torn down and reassembled and erected in another area. However it is the original construction of the hotel, in the early part of the twentieth century, and the earthproofing construction, as a result of Frank Lloyd Wright’s design, which I find so fascinating.

Relying upon my memory of the story of the construction, what Wright did was lay a foundation of molten rock, and constructed the hotel in such a manner it moved on its foundation, rather than crumbling, during earthquakes. The structure swayed as the earth underneath moved. I recall seeing areas of floor buckling on the lower level, where all the shops were, a reminder of the 1923 earthquake.

The story goes, Frank Lloyd Wright got the idea for construction from his son’s Lincoln log building playset. Reminded of the story last year playing with my 4 year old grandson and his Lincoln log set.

I’m aware, this is an early aftermath time and focus is on lives and health of the citizenry of Haiti. However, soon will begin an era of rebuilding from the destruction of the structures in the country. And seems to me apropo to consider abandoning any idea of prior flimsy rebuilding, and check into the construction methods of the great architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, relative to future construction. And learn from lessons of his famous Imperial Hotel and how it withstood a huge earthquake, when all around crumbled.

Building of the future can be much improved by heeding history of the past.

LET FREEDOM RING

JUST ME
AC

email: annecleveland@bellsouth.net

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