V.C. Morris Gift Shop
San Francisco, CA 1948
Wright rejected display windows typical of retail establishments in his design for California businessman V.C. Morris. An imposing, solid brick curtain wall rises dramatically from the street, pierced by two slender strands of illuminated glass converging at the barrel-vaulted entryway. Wright intended the mysterious reticence of the facade to entice passersby through the tunnel-like entrance to the interior, which is an expansive, light-filled space. A curvilinear ramp leads to the upper level and provides additional display area along its length. Similarities between the design of the store and Wright’s concurrent work on plans for the Guggenheim Museum are obvious. A men’s fashion retailer opened in the space in 2017.
For more information:
isaia.it/content/stores#sf