August 7, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Price Tower, Frank Lloyd Wright's Only Built Skyscraper, Features Copper Facade, Interiors and Furnishings
NEW YORK, NY— The Copper Development Association (CDA) is pleased to announce its sponsorship of "Prairie Skyscraper: Frank Lloyd Wright's Price Tower," an exhibition at the National Building Museum that honors the 50 th anniversary of the completion of the historic building in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. The 19-story, 37,000-square-foot Price Tower is the first and only skyscraper to be designed and built by the legendary Frank Lloyd Wright. The building, which prominently features copper throughout its interior and exterior architecture and design, is a culmination of Wright's decades long desire to build a modern, multi-use skyscraper.
"The Copper Development Association is proud to sponsor this fine exhibit that examines Frank Lloyd Wright's vision of the modern skyscraper," stated Ken Geremia, communications manager for CDA. "The Price Tower in many ways is a tribute to the versatility of copper. Its exterior design is highlighted by copper paneling that melds beautifully with intricate copper accents throughout the interior, which is filled with furniture, artwork and accessories that also prominently feature copper in both natural and patinated forms. Few architects could match Wright when it came to incorporating themes in his structures, and in the Price Tower he used copper to its fullest advantage. We encourage everyone to visit this exhibit because it chronicles one of the most architecturally important buildings of the twentieth century."
This unique edifice, located in the middle of America's heartland, incorporates the use of copper throughout its entire structure. On the exterior, copper panels line the building from ground to roof. Each panel was acid-washed prior to application, , bringing out the green patina that would have taken many years to form in Oklahoma's arid climate. In the interior, copper plays an integral role in the building's functionality. It is found just about everywhere, from the paneling and artwork that covers the walls to fireplaces in the guestrooms. The versatile metal was also used to create the coffee tables, chairs and stools in the building's lobby and public spaces.
The three-month exhibition, which ends September 17, includes over 100 scale reproductions, drawings, photographs, and actual building components including copper panels and specially fabricated window louvers. Also on display are the furnishings such as tables, chairs and a desk designed exclusively for the Price Tower by Frank Lloyd Wright himself.
Today, the tower continues to maintain its original vision as a multi-use facility. Following an extensive recent renovation, a 21-room Inn at Price Tower was installed on eight of the upper floors of the building. In addition, the Price Tower also boasts the aptly named Copper restaurant and bar, offering views of the surrounding area from its penthouse location.
For more information on the exhibit, please visit the Copper Development Association at www.copper.org and the National Building Museum at www.nbm.org.
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