Robert and Rae Levin House - Textile Blocks

Textile Blocks

Textile blocks are concrete blocks designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and were used to build the Levin House. Some blocks contained patterns and some had cut outs with glass inserted, to allow light to filter through.

The Association was told there was going to be a machine to help with the making of the blocks. A machine was never made available to them like Wright said. An engineer, who was part of the Parkwyn Association, built a mold for making the concrete blocks. First, concrete was poured into the mold, and then the mold was removed and the block was set outside to cure overnight. Proper curing strengthens the blocks and makes them more durable. Water is needed to cure the blocks and the closest supply was from the nearby pond, so that was the water used. The color added to the blocks was a mix of red and yellow, creating a shade of orange. Rae Levin chose the color for the blocks. Unskilled laborers were hired from a local university to make the blocks. They were mostly college students interested in the project. Over 15,000 blocks were built.

Due to the pond water, a white residue was left on the blocks. The unskilled laborers did not understand that the blocks were not going to be covered by plaster or wallpaper but were going to be seen from the inside. The discoloration was an annoyance to the owners.

The house was assembled without mortar between the bricks, but with a steel rod for the inner foundation. This method of assembling the blocks was also used for the Imperial Hotel.