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Comment by pm215 | Hacker News Reader

A house that is uninhabitable in winter is not fit for purpose; it would be a work of art, not of architecture. Any architect who builds impracticable houses should expect their subsequent owners to fix the problems as best as they can. The alternative is usually that the building falls into disrepair, because how many people can afford to own an entire building just for its looks?

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FLW was a genius. That's why people still know his name. What are your credentials?

The Johnson Wax HQ in Racine, WI was an FLW building, and is still in use, year round. I've actually been in it. They had to do a lot of work to make it leak-proof and (I assume) weather-proof.

Many (or even most) of his buildings are operated by non-profits, and the maintenance costs have always been enormous. You don't buy a Monet because the colors go with your couch.

> A house that is uninhabitable in winter is not fit for purpose

Is not an opinion that needs expert credentials.

Just an uninformed one.

Like saying Jackson Pollack just splashed paint around.

It is completely fit for purpose. That was an era of millions of rural and lake cabins built for a season or two and not intended for year round habitation. There are many of these in rural areas and now we have problems with people wanting them to be year round when the seasonal infrastructure is from the 50’s.

And as far as FLW was concerned, it was art, and you were just being given the luxury of living in it.

It's right in the Chicago metro area, not off on a rural lake.

Well, Lake Michigan adjacent in winter has always been considered uninhabitable by millions.

"Terraform Chicago!" I always say.

Oak Park in the 19th century was not quite as urban as it is now.

This house was built in 1911, the population was over 20k which puts the population density at the time at over 4000 per square mile. That's not exactly rural.

The current population is only at 54k or so now.

It was built in the 20th century.

Unless you’re FLW and you built a work of art and it’s not fell into disrepair because it’s a work of art.

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