Bruce Goff facts for kids

Bruce Alonzo Goff (born June 8, 1904 – died August 4, 1982) was an American architect. He was known for his unique and creative designs for houses and other buildings. His style is often called organic architecture, which means his buildings blended with nature and used unusual shapes and materials.

A magazine article in 1951 said that Bruce Goff was "one of the few US architects whom Frank Lloyd Wright considers creative." Wright, another famous architect, also said Goff "scorns houses that are ‘boxes with little holes.'" This shows how much Goff disliked plain, boxy buildings.

Early Life and Learning

Bruce Goff was born in Alton, Kansas, on June 8, 1904. His family moved around a lot when he was young, living in places like Tulsa, Oklahoma, Henrietta, Skiatook, and Hominy. In Hominy, he saw Native Americans in ceremonial dress. Their patterns and colors really impressed him.

He started school in Skiatook. There, he was fascinated by a picture of the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City. This was his first real look at architecture beyond simple frontier buildings. Later, he began drawing amazing buildings on wrapping paper.

In 1915, Goff's family moved back to Tulsa. Bruce was mostly self-taught in art and drawing. At age 12, he started working for an architectural firm called Rush, Endacott and Rush. His bosses were very impressed with his talent. Soon, they let him design houses and small commercial buildings.

One of his first designs was a house at 1732 South Yorktown Avenue in Tulsa. Another early design was the McGregor House in 1920. This house was later added to the National Register of Historic Places. During this time, Goff learned a lot from letters he exchanged with famous architects Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan. They both told him to keep working at the firm instead of going to a formal architecture school. They felt that school might limit his creativity. Goff became a partner in the firm in 1930.

He also helped design the Boston Avenue Methodist Church in Tulsa. This church is a great example of Art Deco architecture. In 1927, Goff designed the Tulsa Club Building, a historic landmark in downtown Tulsa.

Chicago Years

In 1934, Bruce Goff moved to Chicago. He started teaching part-time at the Academy of Fine Arts. He designed several homes in the Chicago area. He also worked for a company that made "Vitrolite", a special type of architectural glass.

Military Service

In 1942, Bruce Goff joined the U.S. Navy. He was part of the Naval Construction Branch, known as the "Seabees". He served for about three years. During his time in the Navy, he designed various buildings like clubhouses and mess halls. These designs had to follow strict military rules and use available materials.

One notable project was the McCann Memorial Chapel at Camp Parks in California. For this chapel, Goff used two large, curved Quonset huts. These were like big metal shelters. He showed how creative he could be even with limited materials.

After the War

After leaving the Navy in 1945, Goff began teaching at the School of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma. Even though he was mostly self-taught, he became the chairman of the school in 1943. This was a very busy time for him. He designed many homes in the American Midwest. He continued to develop his unique style of organic architecture. His buildings were always designed specifically for the client and the location.

In 1955, Goff faced some unfair challenges. Because of these difficulties, he decided to resign from the university.

Goff then moved his studio to the Price Tower in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. This building was designed by his mentor, Frank Lloyd Wright. From there, Goff continued to create new designs. He also traveled a lot and gave lectures. Many articles about his ideas appeared in architecture magazines.

His Unique Work

Bruce Goff designed about 500 projects, and about a quarter of them were built. His designs changed and grew over time. He started with more traditional styles. Then, he moved towards the Prairie Style of Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan. Finally, he developed his own truly original style.

Goff found inspiration in many different places. These included the works of architect Antoni Gaudi, Balinese music, Japanese prints, and even seashells. His later work was truly one-of-a-kind. He used unusual and recycled materials in his buildings. These included things like gilded zebrawood, cellophane strips, cake pans, glass pieces, and even white turkey feathers! His designs often blurred the lines between what is considered normal and unusual in architecture.

Goff believed that architecture should always be new and exciting. He once said, "Every time we do a building, it should be the first and the last. We must begin again and again..."

Some of Goff's original designs are on display at the Art Institute of Chicago. Two documentaries have also been made about his work: Goff in the Desert (2002) and Goff (2019).

Selected Buildings

Bruce Goff worked from the 1920s until his death. Many of his buildings are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Here are some of his important works:

• 1926: Boston Avenue Methodist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
• 1927: Page Warehouse, Tulsa (this building was later taken down)
• 1928: Riverside Studio, Tulsa, Oklahoma
• 1938: Turzak House, Chicago, Illinois
• 1947: Ledbetter House, Norman, Oklahoma
• 1948: Bachman House, Chicago, Illinois
• 1950: Bavinger House, Norman, Oklahoma (this building was taken down in 2016)
• 1955: John Frank House, Sapulpa, Oklahoma
• 1968: Glen Mitchell House, Dodge City, Kansas
• 1970: Glen Harder House, Mountain Lake, Minnesota
• 1978: Pavilion for Japanese Art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, California

Legacy and Awards

Bruce Goff's work is highly praised in the history of 20th-century architecture. His collection of drawings, paintings, and papers is kept at the Ryerson & Burnham Libraries at the Art Institute of Chicago.

His Bavinger House received the Twenty-five Year Award from the American Institute of Architects in 1987. The Boston Avenue Methodist Church was named a National Historic Landmark in 1999.

Death

Bruce Goff died in Tyler, Texas, on August 4, 1982. He is buried in Graceland Cemetery in Chicago, Illinois. His headstone was designed by one of his students, Grant Gustafson.

Images for kids

• 

  The unique exterior of the Bavinger House.

• 

  The Ledbetter House, designed by Bruce Goff.

• 

  The Bachman House, another one of Goff's designs.

• 

  Bruce Goff's headstone, designed by his student Grant Gustafson.