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Architecture is the triumph of Human Imagination over materials, methods, and men, to put man into possession of his own Earth. It is at least the geometric pattern of things, of life, of the human and social world. It is at best that magic framework of reality that we sometimes touch upon when we use the word 'order.' - Frank Lloyd Wright, 1930, 1937 |
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Frank Lloyd Wright was born in Richland Center, Wisconsin in 1867. He and his family settled in Madison, Wisconsin in 1877. He was educated at Second Ward School, Madison from 1879 to 1883. After a brief sting at the University of Wisconsin where he took some mechanical drawing and basic mathematics courses, Wright departed for Chicago where he spent several months in J. L. Silsbee's office before seeking employment with Adler and Sullivan.
Wright evolved a new concept of interior space in architecture. Rejecting the existing view of rooms as single-function boxes, Wright created overlapping and interpenetrating rooms with shared spaces. He designated use areas with screening devices and subtle changes in ceiling heights and created the idea of defined space as opposed to enclosed space.
Through experimentation, Wright developed the idea of the prairie house - a long, low building with hovering planes and horizontal emphasis. He developed these houses around the basic crucifix, L or T shape and utilized a basic unit system of organization. He integrated simple materials such as brick, wood, and plaster into the designs.
In 1914 Wright lost his wife and several members of his household when a servant burned down Taliesin, his home and studio in Wisconsin. Following the tragedy, he re-directed his architecture toward more solid, protective forms. Although he produced few works during the 1920s, Wright theoretically began moving in a new direction that would lead to some of his greatest works.
In 1932 Wright established the Taliesin Fellowship - a group of apprentices who did construction work, domestic chores, and design studies. Four years later, he designed and built both Fallingwater and the Johnson Administration Building. These designs re-invigorated Wright's career and led to a steady flow of commissions, particularly for lower middle income housing. Wright responded to the need for low income housing with the Usonian house, a development from his earlier prairie house.
During the last part of his life, Wright produced a wide range of work. Particularly important was Taliesin West, a winter retreat and studio he built in Phoenix, Arizona. He died at Taliesin West in 1959.
La Miniatura, Pasedena, California
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The La Miniatura, located in Pasedena, California is a small residencial building tucked away in a leafy suburb of Pasedena. This is a private house, and care should be taken not to intrude on the residents. Visitors are likely to be interested by the nearby Gamble house, by Green and Green. |
The Imperial Hotel, Tokyo
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Most texts suggest that the Imperial Hotel, built in Tokyo 1916-1922, and which survived the earthquake of 1923 which destroyed many buildings constructed around the same time by Wright's sceptics and detractors, was demolished in 1968. As can be seen from the pictures below, the lobbyof this exquisite building was in fact saved, and moved to a "museum", Meiji Mura, just outside Nagoya. |
Marin County Civic Center, California
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The Marin County
Civic Center, located in California, started its construction in 1957 and
still under construction at the time of
Wright's death in 1959. The Center is visible from Route 101 from San Francisco which passes to the West. The first illustration on
the top left hand side shows the (for some reason, seemingly rarely shown)
roof of the building, looking down
The second illustration shows
the Post Office. Wright also designed a Post Office in the same style,
located at the entrance driveway to the East of the Center.
This bottom illustration shows a restaurant in the compound of the Marin County Civic Center. The photograph was actually taken from a walkway next to the spire. |
What this building achieves with perhaps more drama than any other single
private residence is the
placement of man in relation to nature. This important aspect of man
and the landscape was deeply
rooted in Wright. Fallingwater is famous the world over, principally
as it is seen in photographs, from below the cascades looking up towards
the cantilevered balconies and terraces .
What Wright did in this house is to put the occupants in a close relationship
to the glen, the trees, the
foliage and wild flowers. Wherever one is within the building, the
glory of the natural surrounding is accentuated, brought in, and made a
component part of daily life.
Frank Lloyd Wright has said lots of famous quotes about life, the government, on nature and of course not forgetting Architecture.
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