Unit Block Systems
Dow's investigation of block construction began after he graduated from the Columbia School of Architecture in 1931. Dow wanted a workable unit block that would enable him to carry a bold geometric pattern through the house and into the garden outside. He began to experiment with wooden cubes laid in a simple stack bond, with all vertical joints in alignment. The grid of this arrangement was visually pleasing, but had no structural stability because of the lack of interlocking or overlapping joints. Dow solved the
problem by casting rhomboid blocks with square faces. One horizontal course has blocks angled to the right, and the following course has them angled to the left. Offsetting the sides overcomes the inherent structural weakness of the stack bond without eliminating the visible square grid on walls and partitions.
With Robert Goodall's help, Dow designed 16 different block shapes to cope with corners, wall caps and window and door openings. Despite the many shapes, the look is simple, with none of the highly relieved, decorative surfaces that Wright so often cast into his walls. In fact, without the rich
curves, colors and textures of the plants and artwork found throughout the studio and residence, Dow's walls would look stark indeed.
The geometric form that defines the structure intentionally starts to break up as it meets the natural landscape. Where the walls extend outdoors, Dow left out alternate blocks in each course, creating an open screen that reveals the hidden angle of the block and also creates a subtle transition from interior to exterior space. He also positioned the unit blocks like stepping stones across the pond, farther and farther apart as they escape from the disciplined grid of the house .
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