Via Edward Lifson of Huffington Chicago, the Farnsworth House is STILL flooded because Landmark Ilinois and The National Trust can’t raise enough money to start the cleanup. More photos on the house’s website.
If you want to help with the restoration effort, contribute here. I’d say “do it for Edith” but somehow I think these floods vindicate her – sort of. Do it for Mies. Do it for modern architecture. Or just do it because it’s pathetic to see something so cool in such peril. You can’t really help the economy, but you can help the Farnsworth House.
That’s a pretty amazing before and after. I know it’s sacrilege to suggest it, but maybe the fund-raising ought to go to moving the house out of the flood zone. I wonder if anyone has ever discussed that — clearly, it wouldn’t be the same. But at least it would be less wet.