Yield Design’s innovative Architect Series candles are inspired by the distinct places and environments of key projects by a selection of their favourite 20th century architects.
Each candle is topped by a layer of terrazzo coloured soy wax flakes that melt into a solid colour block that morphs and blends with the candle, creating an interesting patina and process throughout burning. The candles are made of organic coconut wax and hand-poured in Yield’s Florida studio.
As an introduction to this new line in the shop, we thought it would be interesting to explore the inspirations behind the candles.
Inspiration: Frank Lloyd Wright
Project: Taliesin West
Wright Candle: Warm notes of Desert Rose, Sand & Amber
Completed in 1937, Wright constructed Taliesin West in Scottsdale Arizona as an escape from the cold winters of Spring Green, Wisconsin, where he taught the Taliesin Fellowship – an apprenticeship where 50 to 60 students studied under the architect.
Wright continued to use Taliesin West up until his death in 1959, at age 91. It is at this studio he drew up plans for that spiralling museum in New York City, now known as the Guggenheim Museum.
Similar to his other projects, Wright took special interest in locally available materials. He used them in similar fashion to his other projects, employing low level horizontal planes that keep the house and studio close to the ground, ensuring effective natural ventilation, protection and shade from the intense desert sun.
Further Reading: “Bring Shovels and Violins”: Frank Lloyd Wright created Taliesin West from the empty desert
Inspiration: John Entenza, owner and editor of Arts and Architecture magazine
Project: Case Study homes, Southern California
Entenza Candle: Crisp notes of Eucalyptus, Rosemary & Birch
Under Entenza's direction Arts and Architecture became a champion of American modern architecture and design.
In January 1945, Entenza introduced the Case Study House Project, which would become the publisher’s most significant contribution to modernism. The purpose was to develop modern homes for a typical small post war family. Entenza wanted to showcase how materials developed during World War II could be applied to domestic construction.
Featured: Case Study House No. 8: Eames House
The Case Study House Project was unique in that the homes were actually built and open to the public for tours. The homes included the most modern appliances and showcased modern furniture and home furnishings. Entenza handpicked eight young architects to design the first Case Study homes.
The influence of the Case Study homes on residential development in the late 20th century cannot be understated. The architects involved in the case study project have become some of the best known names in modern architecture including Eames, Saarinen and Neutra.
Further Reading: Case Study Houses: Lessons on Modern, Low-Budget and Easy to Build Living Spaces
Inspiration: Carlo Scarpa
Project: Brion Tomb and Sanctuary
Scarpa Candle: Deep notes of palo santo, leather & vetiver
While other modernists jettisoned the past, Carlo Scarpa’s work from the postwar era to the late 1970s venerated and transformed it.
Lesser known than many of his 20th Century contemporaries, Carlo Scarpa was trained as an architect, but not actually licensed to practice. He didn’t take the professional exam but did work as an architect anyway. When he was indicted for practicing architecture, he had to appear in the Manlio Capitolo courtroom which he was redesigning at the time.
Featured: Entrance to the chapel
The zenith of Scarpa’s work may be the Brion Tomb, on which he worked for nearly a decade. Nestled in rural Italy, the tomb and sanctuary is a garden that guides visitors toward a calm reflection on life and death. Upon its completion in 1977, Scarpa had created a setting that was not only a fitting memorial, but also a place for the living to engage in contemplation - his intention was to introduce greater social and civic life into death. The Brion Tomb was commissioned by Onorina Tomasi Brion, the wealthy widow of the founder of an electronics company called Brionvega.
Further Reading: Italy’s Lost Modernist Master
