Organic Architecture is an amorphous thing. It’s not so much a style as a philosophy of design which seeks to bring the domestic into communion with the natural. The term, itself, was coined by American architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. It was an extension of his mentor, Louis Sullivan’s conviction that “form follows function.” Wright adopted this ethos, finding proof of concept in the natural world. As such, he developed a certain reverence for nature, designing so as not to infringe upon it but rather, to amplify its virtues and facilitate closer connections with its rhythms. He made nature hospitable, allowing the environment to guide his creations and, in turn, the lives lived within them. Wright was, however, not the only architect to take up the mantle of Organic Architecture. Read on for a brief exploration of a few shining examples of this integrative design philosophy…

 

Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright

 

Naturally, we’ll start with Frank Lloyd Wright’s posterchild of Organic Architecture: Fallingwater. He designed the house in 1935 for the Kaufmann family. It sits in rural Pennsylvania, sequestered amidst trees and, most notably, perched on a waterfall. The structure is set into the waterfall itself, with torrents rushing out from beneath. It almost cascades down the waterfall, becoming integrated not only with the solid natural environment but also the water which flows through it. This was very much an intentional choice. Wright could have positioned the house anywhere on the property but instead, he placed it so as to inspire a visceral proximity to nature, drawing in all the senses.

 

 

Wright made certain design choices which amplified this union of art and nature. Fallingwater’s cantilevered format echoes the striated shelves of rock surrounding the house. The structure is also unified with the natural environment through his use of stone masonry, inside and out. The effect is a home which is in and of its natural setting, striking a sense of harmony with its environment and perfectly encapsulating the essence of Organic Architecture.

 

Casa Orgánica by Javier Senosiain

 

Just as Wright took his cues from the dynamism of Fallingwater’s natural environs, Mexican architect, Javier Senosiain followed the contours of the land within which Casa Orgánica sits. The landscape offered by Naucalpan, an enclave just northwest of Mexico City, is soft, undulating, and tropical. So, when designing the house in 1984, Senosiain envisioned a structure which flowed and swirled, with one space giving way to the next in a primordial procession. There’s a sense of venturing ever closer to the earth’s core, with molten forms hardened to become habitable, by chance. The element of discovery was key, infusing his family home with an air of whimsy.

 

 

Casa Orgánica’s connection to Organic Architecture is made clear not only through its forms but also its layout. In his book, ‘The Breaking Wave: New Organic Architecture’, architect and planner, David Pearson codified a charter which suggests a product of Organic Architecture should “unfold, like an organism, from the seed within.” It should also “celebrate the spirit of youth, play, and surprise.” Senosiain has fulfilled both qualifications with aplomb, making his intentions clear from the sketching stage. Even the finishing touches on Casa Orgánica connect it with the earth. The built environment is all curves, with portals framing free-flowing passageways between the interior and exterior. There’s a sense of continuity between functional components, with shelving and seating sculpted out of the structure, as well as tables extruding from walls or erupting from the floor. The sandy, monochromatic carpets are irregularly cut at the edges, seemingly lapping at the walls. The overall effect is emphatically fluid, with the built environment melting into the natural landscape.

 

 

TWA Flight Center by Eero Saarinen

 

Wright’s ideas on Organic Architecture have since rippled beyond the wild, making their way into even the most unlikely of environments. Eero Saarinen’s 1962 TWA Flight Center is one such example. He designed the structure as a hub for Trans World Airlines at New York’s JFK airport. As such, Saarinen focused on fostering a connection to the skies, finding ways to draw the natural elements of light and space into his built environment. He incorporated skylights, opening space between each wing-like facet of the roof to invite the sun in. He frames the exterior in swooping curves and articulates the interior with mercurial forms, not unlike those found in Senosiain’s Casa Orgánica.

 

 

In the TWA Flight Center we see a very different take on Organic Architecture – one unified with its environment and purpose, holding true to these key tenets of the philosophy. Saarinen sought to capture the sensation of flight, ushering in topical elements of nature and framing them in organic forms. His iteration is tinged with a space-age sensibility and includes key hallmarks like pops of Saarinen red amidst an otherwise monochromatic interior. He connects a certain sleekness appropriate to the city environment with natural elements, demonstrating an urban take on a nature-informed philosophy.

 

Organic Furniture Design

 

As a furniture designer, Tom often seeks inspiration in nature. His creations draw upon the shapes, colours, and proportions which reign supreme in the wild. His Lily cocktail tables are key examples, borrowing their silhouettes from lily pads. The amorphous tops float on sleek, elongated stems, drawing in natural materials like richly patterned marble. Other options, like cast Venetian glass, capture the colours of nature, ushering verdant green or golden yellow into built environments.

 

 

Tom’s Papillon screen is also a product of the natural world. Its inspiration is rooted in the wings of butterflies, unfolding in panels of sinuous curves, which can be punctuated by opalescent dichroic glass. The effect is transfixing, merging contemporary design with certain qualities plucked from the outdoors.

 

 

The Cloud cheval mirror takes on a nebulous form, with an irregular, nature-inspired shape cast in crisp, contemporary metal. It looks spectacular in a natural context, though it’s designed to bring the outdoors in. With a form that’s all curves, it takes on a soft character harmonious with the world beyond walls.

 

 

Tom’s newest Skye collection is also an ode to the outdoors. He envisions these monolithic forms in the far-flung wilds of the Scottish Hebrides. He designed them with context in mind, working off the natural environment to evoke a sense of contrast that’s carefully balanced to feel just right. The Cloud, Papillon, Lily, and Skye collections all carry a little bit of nature in with them, making them beautifully suited to any space touched by the philosophy of Organic Architecture.

 

 

 

Text by Annabel Colterjohn