martinhouseclr

13 5 // TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS The Landscape Today and Tomorrow Despite this cultural importance very little remains of the Martin House landscape today. The CLR analysis and evaluation shows that much of the landscape has been lost to modification over the past eight decades. Indeed, the blank landscape is clearly evident and plant material from the Martin family’s tenure is nearly non-existent. Currently, only the relationships between the setting and Wright’s arrangement of buildings and low horizontal masonry features act to define outdoor spaces. What did exist during the proposed Period of Significance (1903-1929) was a unique combination of naturalistic shrub massings at the property peripheries, English border gardens near the house, and the extensive use of deciduous shade trees. The gardens were a unique blend of the formal and informal, an exploration of the immense diversity of plants, and subtle appreciation of ecology and nature as influenced by the Transcendentalist views of its three principal stewards – Wright, Martin, and Griffin. Recognizing the importance of the house in Wright’s catalogue of work, the not-for- profit Martin House Restoration Corporation (MHRC) has worked for decades, along with many individuals and the community at-large, to preserve and restore the property. What had been a prominent Wright work nearly destroyed by lack of resources, resulting in the 1960’s demolition of structures and infill apartment development, is now a painstakingly reconstructed complex and an incredible asset to the world’s design heritage. The MHRC now operates the house museum and, through the research and understanding developed as part of this CLR, will continue to interpret and promote the historic property in new ways that include the landscape as an essential component. To advance the MHRC mission and once again make the landscape visible, the CLR recommends that rehabilitation is the appropriate primary treatment for the historic property under National Register treatment guidelines. Rehabilitation allows for the replacement of documented missing landscape features while allowing the flexibility to accommodate and support the current use as a house museum. This treatment approach will meet the MHRC’s functional, maintenance, and management intentions. Supporting this treatment approach within the CLR are a series of recommendations, guiding principles, and individual rehabilitation tasks that will guide decision making when undertaking projects and replacing missing landscape features. - Documenting the Landscape Much of the CLR serves to accurately document the design and evolution of the landscape using primary sources. While useful as an interpretive resource, the research ultimately supports the analysis and evaluation presented within this document. Along with establishing the historic period and providing supporting context, this analysis and evaluation section recommends modifications to the existing National Register nomination that should be completed. This nomination is the basis for local and national preservation activities and serves as the official record of a property’s historic importance. Among other revisions, the record should be updated to include expanded areas of significance, include the landscape as a contributing feature, and expand the description of the design relationship between architecture and site.