Frank Lloyd Wright Research Papers

Frank Lloyd Wright was a very influential designer and architect who inspired the next century of builders to go beyond their normal standards and break free from the confines of the current building barriers. He used aspects of nature to compliment his buildings, and knew how to perfectly arrange the complex angles and structures to set his projects apart from all others. Frank Lloyd Wright changed the future of architecture with his high attention to interior design, detail, simplicity, and environmental influences.

Born in Lebanon, Ohio, in 1904, Russel Wright studied in Cincinnati before moving to New York City in 1924, where he took courses in sculpture at the Art Students League. Wright then would go on to studying law at Princeton University for two years, during which he is introduced to theatrical set design, working under Norman Bel Geddes, who was one of the leading industrial

Without a doubt, Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the greatest architects in American history and the greatest architect of the 20th century. Nature was his muse and his architectural structures embodied organic qualities. He took full advantage of the technological advances of the 20th century but redirecting the concept of space and employing new techniques; Wright was known for his modern and innovative designs. He believed that, “architecture was not just about buildings, it was about nourishing the lives of those sheltered within them”. Wright is not only one of the most well known architects in America but he is also thought of as one of the most influential architects in the world.

“Frank Lloyd Wright was a modern architect who developed an organic and distinctly American style. He designed numerous iconic buildings” (biography.com). Frank Lloyd Wright was instrumental in developing the “Prairie Style” of architecture. In 1893, when Frank Lloyd Wright founded his architectural practice in Oak Park, a village in Chicago, he had no idea that his Oak Park Studio

Frank Wright (1867-1959), is an American architect born on June 8th in Richland Center, Wisconsin (Biography.com n.d.). A modern design, he produced an organic and clear American style (Architectural Digest n.d.). Wright founded his own firm and developed the Prairie School- single-story homes with low, slanted roofs and extended rows on the windowpane, using the available materials from local business and clean and not painted wood (The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica 2017). The Robie House (Figure 1) located in Chicago and Unity Temple placed in Oak Park (Biography.com n.d.). Wright was known mainly in Europe but not in the United States. In 1913, Wright designed his home on his maternal ancestors land in Spring Green, Wisconsin (Architectural Digest n.d.). This home was named Taliesin, sadly it got burnt down twice and he still remodeled it again (The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica 2017). Wright wrote two books in 1932: “An Autobiography” and “The Disappearing City,” both are known as architectural literature (Biography.com n.d.). In addition, to publishing the two books, he

Frank Lloyd Wright was born in the year 1867, in Richland Center, Wisconsin. Both an architect and writer, he is considered a genius of the American architecture (Kaufmann 1). Wright went to the University of Wisconsin at Madison for a few terms where he took engineering courses (Kaufmann 3). He finally left Madison after a few years and found work with J.L. Silsbee, in architectural detailing. After a few years he opened his own architectural practice. One of his styles that became the residential design of the 20th century in the United States was the Prairie Style. The Prairie architecture was known for its revolutionary approach to the building of modern homes. Wright built about 50 prairie houses in ten years. Two of his major works that stand out is the Guggenheim Museum located in New York and the Marin County government Centre located near San Francisco.

In 1887, Wright worked with Louis Sullivan in Chicago, a well-known architect of the time who also wanted to separate from European style, until 1893. After Wright had stopped working with Sullivan’s firm, he made what is considered his first masterpiece, his home in Oak Park, Illinois known as the Frank Lloyd Wright home and studio. This structure was also his first work designed with his “Prairie” style. This style involved single-story homes with many horizontal lines, spacious living areas, and many casement windows. They were built with nearby materials and the wood used was not painted, expressing natural beauty. Wright later designed many more of his works in this styles, such as the Robie House and Unity Temple. In later years, he designed more well-known buildings, such as Taliesin, his home in Wisconsin, and Fallingwater, a building built on a waterfall in Pennsylvania. Later, he built public buildings, for instance, the Monona Terrace Civic Center, the SC Johnson Wax Administration, and the Guggenheim Museum. Wright also designed Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel in 1915, which he stated was “earthquake-proof” and, later, ended up being the only building involved in the 1923 Japanese earthquake to remain unscathed. Wright had also designed Usonian houses, which were the predecessors of today’s ranch-style homes. These homes had natural heating and cooling, and included carports, which were invented by Wright. All in all, Wright designed more than 1,100 structures. Frank Lloyd Wright died on April 9th, 1959, at age 91.

A tour through Taliesin West would start at his office. But right before you enter, your attention is interrupted by the vibrant, yet complex Asian sculpture that stood in front of the entryway. The idea of him incorporating Asian art within his structure did not surprise me however. Ever since his visit to the Columbian exhibition in Chicago, Wright was closely influenced by Asian architecture and art, and had symbolized his appreciation for the arts by incorporating them throughout his buildings. The sculpture that lies by the front entrance of Taliesin West is one of many sculptures that’s scattered around the building, and it symbolizes a transition into the following area.

In 1888, Wright began working for the Adler and Sullivan firm. The firm was looking for someone to finish the drawings for the inside of an Auditorium Building. Wright was quickly chosen for the job and soon became an apprentice in the firm. However, while working at this firm, he did not get along with the other draftsmen. Sullivan knew of this, took care of Wright, and

The prominent and imaginative Wisconsin born American architect, interior designer and author, Frank Lloyd Wright hit his architectural milestone in the mid-1930s when he designed his world-renowned master piece in Bear Run, Western Pennsylvania, “Fallingwater” also referred to as Kaufmann Residence. Owing to his unique perspective in architecture which he refers to as “organic”, the structure looks as though it sprung naturally amidst Bear Run's trees and water. Frank Lloyd Wright’s complete body of work was so broad that till date he still remains highly recognized as the greatest architect of all time. His career which lasted for approximately seventy two years was apostrophized with global fame, artistic conquests as

Vincent Van Gogh did not bat much of an eye towards the concept of Japonisme at first. It was not until his move to Paris in early 1886 that he became fully submerged/engaged within the idea Japanese art. It was in Paris where his eyes became open to artworks that were not specifically Western, Van Gogh had begun to see that the Oriental works “were equal to the great masterpieces of Western art history” (“Inspiration from Japan”). Prior to this point, his views towards Oriental art mirrored that of his brother as they believed that “Japanese art is something like the primitives” (“Inspiration from Japan”). The notion of viewing Japanese works of art as primitive could have been what sparked the interest of many artists of this time alongside Van Gogh and

Wright created the philosophy of "organic architecture," the center principle of which maintains that the building should develop out of its natural surroundings. From the outset he exhibited bold originality in his designs for both private and public structures and rebelled against the ornate neoclassic and Victorian styles favored by conventional architects. Wright believe that each building should have its own identity and it should be determined in each case by the particular function of the building, its environment, and the type of materials used in the structure. He used various building

I will also be looking at other biographies by architectural historians and critics that are far more concerned with a true and factual account of his life. Letters and academic essays are other genres of writing that need to be considered. As many personal letters show us the very close interactions between ‘Wright’s clients and co-workers and also his buildings.’ Essays give us a clear overview and insight into Wright, often bringing together many resources giving us a more well rounded and balanced view of him. However, depending on the critic they can highlight his “extraordinary ability to synthesize and transform” as something mythical the truth or with a harsh analytical approach, and a keen thirst for the truth, can pursue the “debunking of almost everything” that Wright claims.

Frank Lloyd Wright born in June 8, 1867 to April 9, 1959 was an American architect, interior designer, writer, and educator, who designed

Frank Lloyd Wright’s career was just beginning to take off in Oak Park, Illinois. One of the most significant projects from his early career is Unity Temple near his home and studio in Oak Park. Unity Temple was a replacement church for Unitarian Universalist Church that had burned down in 1905. Unity Temple was not just an ordinary commission for Wright since he was a parishioner of the Unitarian Church in Oak Park. When Unity Church burned to the ground in June 1905, Wright was awarded the commission. He wanted a modern building that would embody the principles of “unity, truth, beauty, simplicity, freedom and reason.”