Nov 5 2007
What does Frank Lloyd Wright and a Bahamas-inspired penthouse pool have in common: The Metropolitan, a new luxury high-rise condominium located in downtown Kansas City.
It's no mistake that one of the most luxurious urban condos in Kansas City emulates the famous architectural design of Frank Lloyd Wright. His trademark horizontal lines and use of indigenous Midwest materials such as slate and limestone are reflected in the lobby and residences of the building. The building's warm palette of colors capture guests with an inviting coziness. The Metropolitan's style has the level of sophistication of a New York City or Chicago high-rise - tasteful and timeless - but it is also unique in its context. You can only get this particular blend of style here in Kansas City.
Phillip Gesue, director of acquisitions and development of Time Equities, the company that developed the Metropolitan, was actively involved in the interior design process. "The building's modernist lines attracted us to it and its location in a great Midwest city made us think of Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright was famous for his use of local materials and horizontal lines. A lot of the color, shapes, rooflines and window lines really reflect what Wright would have done if he were alive today," Gesue said.
Mitchell Freedman, the Vancouver-based Canadian interior designer, who was given the task to create an upscale, modernistic, architectural movement. He concurred that the use of long horizontal slate is reminiscent of Wright. "Wright often utilized the materials native to the area he was designing in. His dessert creations would be made of clay while a home in Los Angeles may be made completely of cinder blocks. This style is emulated at the Metropolitan," said Freedman.
But it's the penthouse pool that gives the Wright-inspired architecture an almost-tropical twist. Rees Masilionis Turley Architecture, a Kansas City firm, designed the space to achieve a W Hotel feeling that was comfortable but not overdone. The Bermuda color and material-scheme features retractable antique skylights for open-air relaxation and a plush lounge equipped with oversized seating, plasma screen TV's and a refreshment bar. The use of sisal carpeting, teak woods and dark furniture is indicative of the traditional yet tropical feel of Bermuda. It's everything a resident could desire under Kansas City's starry skies.