Even in his eighties Frank Lloyd Wright had a wicked sense of humor. In 1953 the infamous architect was awarded a Gold Medal in Architecture at the American Academy and the National Institute of Arts and Letters. Another giant of architecture, Ralph Walker, presents the award and his speech begins like a bit of a roast. “Certainly you are neither a shy cowslip to be gathered casually on a lower pasture in Wisconsin, nor have you been a recluse cloistered in a garden high on Taliesin. On the contrary you have built not one but many Amazonian mousetraps and the world has beaten their well-worn and widening path in merited appreciation.”

The emboldened Wright does not hesitate to fire back, “Ladies and Gentleman I had no idea how outrageously inadequate this introduction by Mr. Ralph Walker would be.” He goes on to describe the feeling of winning awards, “I think it casts a shadow on my native arrogance and for a moment I feel coming on this disease, which is recommended so highly, of humility.” Despite all this good natured ribbing, Walker presents the award with glowing admiration and Wright accepts with all the modesty he can possibly muster.

Ralph Walker is credited with designing New York City’s first sky scraper, The Barclay-Vesey Telephone Building (now known as the Verizon Building) on 140 West Street, as well as many other art deco masterpieces. The awards were hosted by poet, writer and librarian Archibald MacLeish who you hear at the beginning and end of the recording.

Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection.

WNYC archives id: 150189
Municipal archives id: LT3423

Hear more recordings with Frank Lloyd Wright in the Archives