Architecture, Design, and Houses: A Brief Frank Lloyd Wright Biography

Frank Lloyd Wright is known as one of the most significant modern architects in American history. His influences are still felt through the modern-day structures of American homes, buildings, and skyscrapers.

Who Was Frank Lloyd Wright?

Frank Lloyd Wright was an architect and an educator in the span of his life. Although he had Wisconsin roots, his career took him from Chicago to Arizona.

• Frank Lloyd Wright Biography: The content of this article is centered around giving quick facts on Frank Lloyd Wright’s upbringing as well as a descriptive timeline on his work and accomplishments.
• About Frank Lloyd Wright: This article focuses on Wright’s childhood and how it led to a notable career in architecture.
• Ten Things You Didn’t Know About Frank Lloyd Wright: Out of all of the facts presented in this article, one of the most fascinating is that Wright was instrumental in the invention of Lincoln Logs.

What Was Frank Lloyd Wright’s Style?

Wright’s style had a strong emphasis on the natural beauty of each building. He cared less about lavish decorations and more about letting the beauty of each structure speak for itself.

• Frank Lloyd Wright: Innovative Techniques and Styles: Providing a very brief overview, this article gives more insight into Wright’s style.
• Frank Lloyd Wright: Natural Design, Organic Architecture: On this page, there is a more in-depth description of Wright’s organic approach to building and designing homes. One of the most important facts to note is that Wright preferred to build with nature in mind and design environmentally conscious houses.

How Many Buildings Did Frank Lloyd Wright Design?

With a constant desire to improve architecture and styles, Wright designed more than 1,000 buildings in his lifetime, of which 532 were constructed. Many of his buildings were residences that have since been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

• Eight Frank Lloyd Wright Buildings Nominated for UNESCO World Heritage List: Learn more about Wright’s buildings that have been nominated for this worldwide honor.
• The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Timeline: Here is a timeline of the Guggenheim Museum’s history, starting with Wright’s foundation and influence on building it. This was his last project, and it is considered to be a historic landmark.
• Frank Lloyd Wright in 45 Essential Works: This interactive map shows many places where Wright’s buildings were constructed.

Prairie School Architecture

Following his move to Oak Park, Illinois, near Chicago, Wright opened up his own architecture firm, where he cultivated what is now known today as Prairie School architecture.

This specific style was based on his inspiration from the American Midwest and the way the landscape was crafted with perfect charm.

• Prairie School Architecture: Definition and Architects: This article provides an in-depth look into the history of Prairie School architecture with an emphasis on the bigger picture.
• Prairie School: Uniquely American From the Heart of the Midwest: Learn more about this style of architecture on this page.
• Prairie Homes and Prairie School Architecture: Looking at Prairie School from another angle, this article goes into detail about Wright’s holistic and organic approaches to building.

Taliesin Fellowship

In 1909, Wright left behind his wife and family, fleeing to Europe with Martha Borthwick Cheney, a wife of one of his clients. After a few years, both Wright and Cheney returned to the U.S. and lived in a house he built and named Taliesin.

But in 1914, one of Wright’s servants attacked Borthwick and her two children with a hatchet and set the house on fire. He immediately rebuilt the house, but it would burn down again 11 years later.

Wright rebuilt the house again, and he went on to develop his own school of architecture, naming it the Taliesin Fellowship.

• About the School of Architecture at Taliesin: The history of the Taliesin Fellowship has been preserved through the School of Architecture at Taliesin. This page talks about how Wright built the Taliesin Fellowship and why it was preserved for students to this day.
• The Fellows: Continuing the legacy of the Wright’s Taliesin Fellowship, alumni of the school grouped together to form the Taliesin Fellows. On this page, there is a description of their history and motivation behind keeping the legacy alive.
• The Legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West Lives On: Not only did Wright start the Taliesin Fellowship, but he also created his own haven for the winter, called Taliesin West. This page describes the history of Taliesin West and why its importance has turned it into an Arizona landmark.
• Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West: Learn about Taliesin West as a historical site and find out how to visit on this page.

Fallingwater Residence

In his later years, one of Wright’s students was Edgar Kaufmann Jr. During Kaufmann’s stay as a student at Taliesin Fellowship, his parents came to visit and fell in love with Wright’s style and design. Shortly after, they commissioned him to build a house on their property that perched over a waterfall. The house he built would become known as Fallingwater.

• On Frank Lloyd Wright’s Organic Architecture: Wright coined the term “organic architecture” because of his belief in building in harmony with nature. This article discusses Fallingwater in conjunction with Wright’s organic approach.
• What Is Fallingwater? Find out more about the history of Fallingwater in this piece.
• Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright: This piece describes the history of Fallingwater as well as providing visuals and a floor plan.

Early Life

Frank Lloyd Wright was born in Richland Center, Wisconsin to William Carey Wright and Anna Lloyd Jones on June 8, 1867.

Wright’s father was a preacher and a musician, leading the family to move around from time to time due to his ministry work.

As he went through childhood, Wright spent many summers with his mother’s family in Wisconsin, and the landscapes there inspired his taste for nature.

Following his parents’ divorce, Wright went on to study engineering at the University of Wisconsin, but he later decided to pursue his true calling in architecture.

• A New Musical Legacy for Frank Lloyd Wright’s Father: This article discusses Wright’s father and his musical influence. During his upbringing, Frank Lloyd Wright was surrounded by music and became inspired by his father’s incredible musical talents.
• Frank Lloyd Wright’s Illinois: In this article, Wright’s influence on Chicago and the state of Illinois is written about in detail.

Wright’s Death and Legacy

Wright died at age 91 on April 9, 1951, leaving behind a legacy that is still felt today. Due to his contributions to the classic American architectural style, architects revere him as one of the greatest of their profession. In addition, many of his buildings have been declared national landmarks and become tourist destinations.

• How Frank Lloyd Wright Worked: This article talks about many of Wright’s accomplishments throughout his lifetime.
• History of the Guggenheim Museum: The Guggenheim Museum in New York City, designed by Wright, is one of the city’s most iconic museums.
• Seven Designs of Frank Lloyd Wright Besides Fallingwater: Although Fallingwater may be one of Wright’s most famous buildings, his legacy is also felt through many other structures.

Frank Lloyd Wright on the Internet

• Frank Lloyd Wright Biography
• Frank Lloyd Wright and the Principles of Organic Architecture
• Frank Lloyd Wright Influence on Chicago
• What You Need to Know About Usonian Homes
• The Oak Park Studio: History
• Frank Lloyd Wright’s Life and Greatest Buildings
• Frank Lloyd Wright’s Influence in Buffalo, NY
• Ada Louise Huxtable Podcast Episode on Frank Lloyd Wright
• The Construction of Fallingwater: An Animation
• Frank Lloyd Wright Architecture Chronology in Photos

Do you admire Frank Lloyd Wright’s work? Have you always fantasized about building your own home? Take a small step toward that goal. Talk to an architect in your area to see if the home of your dreams can become as real as Fallingwater.

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