The Marin County Civic Center in San Rafael, California was Frank Lloyd Wright's last commission before his death at age 92. It occurred to me while walking around it the other day just how fine the line is between genius and crap. The building's materials would be a gaudy Vegas hotel in lesser hands, the same way any Kubrick film is a breath away from being an unwatchable disaster. Originally Wright picked gold for the color of the roof, but it was determined after his death that the color wouldn't hold up to the California sun. His widow Olgivanna chose blue instead, a nice choice that I dare say improved the design. Even at the end of his career, Wright was still a controversial choice as architect and was continually challenged by unhappy board members. Now the building is a proposed UNESCO world heritage site.
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