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= Nelson Brackin =

Biography
Nelson Brackin is an accomplished American architect, writer, photographer, and publisher, who is located and based in Atlanta, Georgia. He was born in Miami Beach, Florida. Seeking self-expression of individualism through architecture, Brackin was inspired by Expressionist Architects such as Hans Poelzig, Fritz Höger, Bernhard Hoetger and Hugo Häring. The maternal grandmother of Nelson Brackin, a German artist named Hans Frederick Grohs, knew the Expressionist architects and was a graduate of Bauhaus master student in artist in 1919.

For college, Brackin attended Auburn University. His professor was Robert L. Faust, who introduced the work and architecture of Bruce Goff to Brackin. For three and a half years, Brackin apprenticed Bruce Goff in the seventies, and they were in the city of Tyler, Texas. Because of this, Brackin was able to work on multiple projects with Goff. Some projects they worked on together include the Donald Pollock house renovation, the Joe Price house which is formerly known as the Shin’enKan house, and the Mineola Community Center. In 1977, Nelson Brackin was able to accompany Bruce Goff to the Roots Growth and Horizons of Organic Architecture conference. At this conference, Brackin had the opportunity to meet Lloyd Wright, Brian Spencer, and Eric Lloyd Wright.

Nelson Brackin has worked on many projects within several different architectural firms in Atlanta, Georgia, where he currently resides with his three daughters. Some of his most profound commercial work includes the Emory University Bookstore, the Panavision Atlanta Studio, and the Chastain Park Amphitheater. On the other hand, he is also known for his residential work. Of his residential projects he has done, his most significant ones include the Creigh/Roll Residence, the DeGuire Residence, and the Almand Residence. Some periodicals that have been published regarding the work of Nelson Brackin include Architectural Digest and Architecture + Urbanism, among several others.

The Friends of Keybar, an international network of people that promote and support the preservation of Organic Architecture, is something that Brackin has been a member of since 1983. He was a member of the Board of Directors for the Friends of Keybar from the years of 1995 to 2014. Furthermore, from the years of 2000 to 2014, Brackin served as the second president of the organization. He is a big enthusiast and supporter of the Friends of Keybar, as he has also served as the editor, hosted several annual gatherings located at Auburn University, and has brought Keybar fans from around the United States of America for gathering tours in the Appalachian Mountains. The Friends of Keybar celebrations in the years of 2000, 2004, 2007, and 2010 were organized by Nelson Brackin himself. At these four events, architects from Australia, the Americas, and Europe all were in attendance and united.

Organic beauty and value are continually created by Brackin himself to this day. The organic principles of truth and integrity, which really come from the works and teachings of Bruce Goff, are persistent within Nelson Brackin. He helped assist author Virgina McAlester with the 2014 publish of A Field Guide to American Homes, and lectures on architecture to this day. In addition to teaching, he volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, and also serves as a tour guide at several different locations.

Donald Pollock House
Designed by Bruce Goff, the Donald Pollock House is a historic, residential house located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was built in 1957 on a corner lot, and remodeled in 1966 with the help of Nelson Brackin. Nelson Brackin accompanied Bruce Goff for the renovation of the house for Laura and Joe Warriner. The house is made of asphalt, fiberglass, limestone, and wood. Created with precise definition, a feeling of interior spaciousness is felt inside the home, as the elements of design are very geometric. For the renovation of the house, folding screens that divided the house into zones were first removed. This allowed the house to feel more open. The exterior glass walls were replaced. A fireplace and living area were added inside of the house, and the flooring was replaced. The interior of the house reinforces the crystalline geometry. Furthermore, reflecting pools surrounded the garden and complimented the house’s geometric theme.

Nelson Brackin was a hugely inspired by Bruce Goff, architect and professor from the University of Oklahoma. In 2001, the Donald Pollock House was registered into the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in December on the 13th. The description from the NRHP about the Donald Pollock House and renovation is “an excellent example of the mature architecture of Bruce Goff” and furthermore, it is “one of Goff’s finest designs.” Because of the organic, and naturalness of the landscape of the design, it is even compared to the Wilson House, another one of Goff’s famous house designs, which is located in Pensacola, Florida. Nelson Brackin’s help and incorporation for the design was helpful with the house earning its spot in the NRHP. It is one of the best examples of organic architecture. Laura Warriner described the house after the renovations by Goff and Brackin were complete as “living in a jewel.”

Shin'enKan House
Located in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, the Shin’enKan House was designed in 1956 by architect Bruce Goff. Additions were made to the house 1966 and 1974, and the house was later destroyed in 1996 by arson. The house was built for Joe Price, who is an artist. It is located in Bartlesville, Oklahoma and contained heavy Oriental influence with the design. However, it is still apparent that it is a Bruce Goff designed house, as it includes use of waste materials and intricate line designs/shapes. Waste materials included in this particular building include waste glass, cork, aluminum, and coal. Nelson Brackin was picked by Bruce Goff to help him with the renovations of the home.

Joe Price, the former owner of the Shin’enKan house, deeded the home to the University of Oklahoma in 1985. The house was used by architecture students at the University of Oklahoma to hold conferences and as a “think tank.” Charles Holland and Pat Murphy bought the house from the University in June of that year.

In 1996, the Shin’enKan house was destroyed by arson. The house was discovered completely swallowed in flames from a grass or brush fire within the area, but the exact cause of the fire is still unknown. When firefighters arrived, the house was fully burnt and destroyed. The University of Oklahoma sold the house and it was purchased by supporters six months prior to the fire in order to keep it open for the public to view and admire. There was a fund-raising campaign from supports of the Shin’enKan house to renovate the house. The renovation was going to be a $600,000 project, with a total of three phases. Plans for the house were to add a marble loft, refurbish the coal walls, and add a indoor fish pond of gold.