Posthumous realisation
Joseph Massaro House
- Architect
- Frank Lloyd Wright
- Place
- Lake Mahopac, New York, United States
- Construction
- 2004–07
- Design / archive date
- 1949
Massaro House , built between 2003 and 2007 on Petra Island, Lake Mahopac, New York.
Architecture & history
Massaro House is a residence on privately owned Petre Island in Lake Mahopac, New York, roughly 50 miles (80 km) north of New York City. Inspired by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the home's design and construction have had a complex and controversial history. Wright's plan was initially known as the "Chahroudi House", for the client who commissioned it back in 1949, and for whom Wright designed and built a much smaller cottage on the island when his proposal for the main home proved prohibitively expensive for the local engineer.
In 1996 sheet metal contractor Joe Massaro acquired Petre Island and the long dormant drawings for the main home. In developing a plan to construct the home with numerous modifications, including some reflecting improved systems and technologies, a conflict arose over the project's authenticity with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, which successfully legally disputed Massaro's right to refer to the structure as a Wright design.
Due to the subsequent out-of-court settlement between Massaro and the foundation the home can only be described as being "inspired by Wright" rather than a faithfully rendered, certified Wright design.
Reference overview adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting adapted for Arch Moods.
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