The Stately Wayne Manor and Wayne Tower Thread

[Art Vandelay]

Personally, I find Fair Lane to be both way too ugly, and way too nondescript, and the surrounding grounds too unscenic to stand in for Wayne Manor. For someone who lives in the public eye, I can't see Bruce living in a place like that. I'd like to see something more elegant, or grand.

I posted this in another thread, but here's Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum in Glasgow

Belton House, Lincolnshire

Fountains Hall, Yorkshire

Not sure what building this is

 

[Gamma Goliath]

Given the gothic influences here I wonder what Arkham would look like...

 

[DKDetective]

Personally, I find Fair Lane to be both way too ugly, and way too nondescript, and the surrounding grounds too unscenic to stand in for Wayne Manor. For someone who lives in the public eye, I can't see Bruce living in a place like that. I'd like to see something more elegant, or grand.

Fountains Hall, Yorkshire

Well, we are just going to have to agree to disagree. Fair Lane is a historically significant work by Frank Lloyd Wright, the premier American architect of the the early 20th century. It is gorgeous and a wonderful mix of Gothic and Baronial elements with modern Prairie School design. It has large modern windows that allow the sort of dramatic nighttime shots seen in Year One,The Dark Knight Returns, and BTAS, while maintaining the aesthetic of an old, historic family home.

I find your comments regarding the grounds also surprising. The house is situated on a large, secluded forested estate. It is perched dramatically on the banks of a scenic river, with a waterfall, and has its own hydro electric dam to power the estate. I don't understand how that is at odds with Bruce Wayne's public persona. It is elegant and grand and the very rich often treasure their privacy. Also, the moodiness and seclusion fits Bruce's Batman persona perfectly. I can believe that there is Batcave on the grounds with a hidden exit for the Batmobile without problem.

Also, historic titans of industry like the Ford family are the best real life analogues for the Waynes. Surely, if Fair Lane reflects their tastes, it reflects the Waynes' tastes?

 

[OutOfBoose]

I don't like Fair Lane at all. Especially as Wayne manor.

I think the building needs to be 200+ years old or so. FLW is too "new wave" for it.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Well, we are just going to have to agree to disagree. Fair Lane is a historically significant work by Frank Lloyd Wright, the premier American architect of the the early 20th century. It is gorgeous and a wonderful mix of Gothic and Baronial elements with modern Prairie School design. It has large modern windows that allow the sort of dramatic nighttime shots seen in Year One,The Dark Knight Returns, and BTAS, while maintaining the aesthetic of an old, historic family home.

I find your comments regarding the grounds also surprising. The house is situated on a large, secluded forested estate. It is perched dramatically on the banks of a scenic river, with a waterfall, and has its own hydro electric dam to power the estate. I don't understand how that is at odds with Bruce Wayne's public persona. It is elegant and grand and the very rich often treasure their privacy. Also, the moodiness and seclusion fits Bruce's Batman persona perfectly. I can believe that there is Batcave on the grounds with a hidden exit for the Batmobile without problem.

Also, historic titans of industry like the Ford family are the best real life analogues for the Waynes. Surely, if Fair Lane reflects their tastes, it reflects the Waynes' tastes?

Regarding the grounds, keep in mind I'm only basing that on the photos you've posted.

Also, I think Nolan's films may have set a particular look in my mind for what Wayne Manor should look like, so I tend to think of more Gothic look buildings. It just comes down to personal taste, though. Plus, I'm focusing on looking for buildings in Europe.

 

[BRGomes]

Wentworth Woodhouse

Somerleyton Hall

 

[Art Vandelay]

The building I posted previously is Flintham Hall.

Knightshayes Court, England

Aston Hall, England

Whatever building ends up standing in for the Manor, I want it to be imposing. Like something a date would be driven to, and suddenly make her go "Oh my!".

 

[The Vafrous]

Some of the exterior shots of the school in Sex Education reminds me of Wayne Manor. I think its filmed in Wales.

Also Thomas Shelby's home in Peaky Blinders looks pretty Wayne Manor-y.

 

[Boom]

There is some good ****ing content in this thread.

 

[BRGomes]

Some of the exterior shots of the school in Sex Education reminds me of Wayne Manor. I think its filmed in Wales.

Also Thomas Shelby's home in Peaky Blinders looks pretty Wayne Manor-y.

Arley Hall

And, yes, it would be a great choice.

 

[BrollySupersj]

"Stately" Wayne Manor, I have not seen Wayne Manor refered to as such since the Diet Coke commercial on the 89 movie VHS.

 

[Boom]

"Stately" Wayne Manor, I have not seen Wayne Manor refered to as such since the Diet Coke commercial on the 89 movie VHS.

No lie, I was referencing a MST3K episode (Ator).

 

[Schlosser85]

There’s various choices here that would all be fine.

 

[Boom]

I'm looking for an estate that has some character to it.

 

[Sawyer]

The building I posted previously is Flintham Hall.

Knightshayes Court, England

Aston Hall, England

Whatever building ends up standing in for the Manor, I want it to be imposing. Like something a date would be driven to, and suddenly make her go "Oh my!".

I like these. I don’t want anything too Buckingham Palace-y. These seem just down to earth enough for me to be into it.

 

[Boom]

I like these. I don’t want anything too Buckingham Palace-y. These seem just down to earth enough for me to be into it.

That's kinda my thought too. Like even for a manor, the estate used for the Nolan films was a little too museum-y for my tastes.

 

[C Prometheus]

"Stately" Wayne Manor, I have not seen Wayne Manor refered to as such since the Diet Coke commercial on the 89 movie VHS.

Funny enough, I've only ever remembered that description from Return of the Joker! I'm sure I've seen it referred to as such in other places before too, but that's the one example that's always come to my mind when I see it.

 

[DKDetective]

I like these. I don’t want anything too Buckingham Palace-y. These seem just down to earth enough for me to be into it.

That's kinda my thought too. Like even for a manor, the estate used for the Nolan films was a little too museum-y for my tastes.

I very much agree with you both. A lot of the previous choices have looked too old and historical for my taste. They look too much like European baroque palaces. I want Wayne Manor to have a certain new world feel. I would also love to see a certain Art Deco influence like the BTAS version:

It has always been my personal favourite depiction of the Manor. I find the art deco design influences give it a great unique personality and style. The big modern windows I found always really gave dramatic nighttime scenes a great deal of mood and atmosphere.

Although the very Gothic manor design is the classic look from the comics, I think BTAS did it better and improved upon it by going art deco instead. It gives it a very American feel as opposed to just trying to ape Old World palaces. I was a big proponent of Fair Lane as a result because I think has a distinctly American look by blending a Gothic Stone facade with FLW and Prairie School elements. However, since Reeves is using London and Glasgow to double for Gotham, I suspect that Fair Lane would look out of place now with that aesthetic.

 

[Art Vandelay]

While looking up the filming locations for the movie, I noticed two particular entries on the movie's IMDb page.

2 Temple Place, Temple, London

I think the interior could certainly pass for the interior of Wayne Manor.

The other location is Somerset House, in London

Maybe not Wayne Manor, but Gotham City Hall?

 

[godisawesome]

I very much agree with you both. A lot of the previous choices have looked too old and historical for my taste. They look too much like European baroque palaces. I want Wayne Manor to have a certain new world feel. I would also love to see a certain Art Deco influence like the BTAS version:

It has always been my personal favourite depiction of the Manor. I find the art deco design influences give it a great unique personality and style. The big modern windows I found always really gave dramatic nighttime scenes a great deal of mood and atmosphere.

Although the very Gothic manor design is the classic look from the comics, I think BTAS did it better and improved upon it by going art deco instead. It gives it a very American feel as opposed to just trying to ape Old World palaces. I was a big proponent of Fair Lane as a result because I think has a distinctly American look by blending a Gothic Stone facade with FLW and Prairie School elements. However, since Reeves is using London and Glasgow to double for Gotham, I suspect that Fair Lane would look out of place now with that aesthetic.

Yeah, Batman is a Knight, and Bruce Wayne is a blue-blood... but Batman a knight of the New World, and Bruce Wayne is a blue blood scion of “Titans of industry,” not landed gentry.

He’s a patrician, but he’s a patrician who’s family line was “novus homo” until recently, in the grand scheme of things. You should be able to think that his mansion was built by the same people who built Gotham City.

If we have any palatial, throwback aristocratic houses that seem even more overblown and bloated... that would fit for, say, any Court of Owls members who might consider themselves even more older and more blue blood than the Wayne’s.

 

[DKDetective]

Yeah, Batman is a Knight, and Bruce Wayne is a blue-blood... but Batman a knight of the New World, and Bruce Wayne is a blue blood scion of “Titans of industry,” not landed gentry.

He’s a patrician, but he’s a patrician who’s family line was “novus homo” until recently, in the grand scheme of things. You should be able to think that his mansion was built by the same people who built Gotham City.

If we have any palatial, throwback aristocratic houses that seem even more overblown and bloated... that would fit for, say, any Court of Owls members who might consider themselves even more older and more blue blood than the Wayne’s.

 

[shauner111]

The mansions i’ve seen in Scotland are my favourite so far.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

Also, historic titans of industry like the Ford family are the best real life analogues for the Waynes. Surely, if Fair Lane reflects their tastes, it reflects the Waynes' tastes?

Yeah, I believe it was Alan Wayne (Bruce's great-great-grandfather) who refashioned the family business as a true corporate power during the 19th century's Industrial Revolution. This, of course, led to the formation of Wayne Chemical, Wayne Manufacturing, etc. In that sense, you're right to say that Bruce, by way of Alan or his more recent forebears in general, has a good bit in common with an industrial pioneer like Henry Ford. But here's the thing: Despite being rich as all get-out, Ford lacked some of the prestige that comes with being inherited wealth. "Money marrying society." That's how the newspapers disparagingly referred to his son Edsel upon learning of his plans to tie the knot with Joseph Hudson's niece, who was a little higher on the social ladder--just to give you some added context. Bruce, on the other hand, has almost always been portrayed across mediums as upper crust, which is what I'm getting at.

It's also worth noting that the underpinnings of what would eventually become the Wayne fortune originated with Bruce's 17th-century ancestors, long before Alan's efforts took root. And much in the same way that American dynasties as old as the Carnegies and Rockefellers owe their inception to peddlers and fur traders (if you go back far enough), these 17th-century Waynes are described as merchants. Likewise, I'd say that the Waynes are a composite of sorts, borrowing from Ford's mechanical genius (I imagine that's what you're mostly alluding to) and the higher pedigree of a... DuPont perhaps?

Getting back on topic, Fair Lane definitely works for me. The castle's a little much, though, and I say that as someone who generally likes Hibernian architecture.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

Yeah, Batman is a Knight, and Bruce Wayne is a blue-blood... but Batman a knight of the New World, and Bruce Wayne is a blue blood scion of “Titans of industry,” not landed gentry.

He’s a patrician, but he’s a patrician who’s family line was “novus homo” until recently, in the grand scheme of things. You should be able to think that his mansion was built by the same people who built Gotham City.

If we have any palatial, throwback aristocratic houses that seem even more overblown and bloated... that would fit for, say, any Court of Owls members who might consider themselves even more older and more blue blood than the Wayne’s.

Well, first off, Bruce is an American aristocrat. When we refer to him as old money and such, we're essentially saying that he belongs to the upper echelons of a hierarchy determined not only by wealth but also by how long that wealth has been maintained from generation to generation. In the old days (and if we're being honest, even to this day), social status is additionally determined by one's heritage, religion, etc. "Old money" families are almost exclusively Protestant, for example. Anyway, as far as the wealth and inheritance factor goes, you can't have one without the other. Wealth on its own is not sufficient; if you came over on the bloody Mayflower, that doesn't mean a thing if you came w/ empty pockets. Whatever the case, unless there's been some recent change in the comics, I'd argue that the Wayne family has long been a part of said establishment. Actually, scratch that; it's not even up for debate.

This last part you have the other way around. The older the pedigree, the more conservative your taste. The newer you are to money, the more likely you are to waste it on extravagant gifts, pretentious-looking houses and so forth. The former doesn't need to show off; the latter often does. That said, I'm just generalizing. "New money" types can be just as modest as old; it ultimately depends on one's upbringing.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

As far as Scottish properties go, I think Borthwick Hall in Heriot, Midlothian, would be a good fit for the Manor. Built in the 19th century by architect John Henderson on behalf of Sir Charles Lawson, the then-Lord Provost of Edinburgh and a renowned horticulturalist, the mansion sits on 12 acres of secluded land and boasts all the value propositions one might expect. On top of 10 bedrooms (a refreshingly modest number compared to some Baronial houses/castles), 6 bathrooms, a sauna as well as a garden room and wine cellar, there's also a large driveway and an impressive study on the ground floor, the latter especially could make for a nice bust of Thomas Wayne whereby a certain bat out of hell might perch itself upon.

I appreciate that both hall and vicinity evince a kind of understated elegance, rather than an overt one, as shown in some of the aforementioned houses/castles.

^ I can easily imagine Wayne forebears, Solomon, Silas, Alan, Catherine (van Derm), et al. in place of those Lawson portraits up there.