Frank Lloyd Wright: Inside out, Outside in.

Wikipedia would state and I quote:

“Frank Lloyd Wright (born Frank Lincoln Wright, June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 projects, which resulted in more than 500 completed works. Wright promoted organic architecture (exemplified by Fallingwater), was a leader of the Prairie School movement of architecture (exemplified by the Robie House and the Westcott House), and developed the concept of the Usonian Home (exemplified by the Rosenbaum House).”

But that is Wikipedia. This is me.

I’ll start at the beginning, which in my world dates back to approximately two years ago. I was a young, enthusiastic, clueless fresher in a college for aspiring architects. At that point in time, Frank Lloyd Wright was a random name a couple of my professors threw at me and told me to research for a class assignment. Something I’d feel immense gratitude for in the future.

I can’t deny the possibility that the intrinsic connection I feel with Wright’s school of thought and works is a result of those many long hours and sleepless nights that went into the making of that particular presentation. Although, I’d rather that take a backseat to the fact that I was in fact intrigued by his philosophy with regard to architecture and design.

Frank Lloyd Wright lived an unconventional personal life; one stricken with much turmoil. He had been married three times and fathered seven children. He was famous for his unique dressing sense and often wore his own designs. He was also known to have picked up more than a speeding ticket or two in the swanky rides he owned back in the day. For a life as chaotic as his, Wright was one of the most structured thinkers, painstaking perfectionists and empathetic designers the world has ever seen.

Wright was influenced a great deal by Nature. He not only introduced, but forced the world to acknowledge the concept of Organic Architecture. The art of building while being sensitive to the surroundings thus producing designs which appeared to evolve from the relevant context. Maintaining the relationship between site, surrounding and needs of the client was key, underlining the essence of the concept as a whole. The free-flow of space from the interior to exterior and vice versa was a vital characteristic of these organic buildings. The structures seemed to stem from roots within the earth making it hard to tell immediately where the built form began and nature stopped.

“Fallingwater”, which was also regarded “The Building of the 20^th Century”, epitomizes this philosophy. It is a private residence designed over a waterfall. A radical project; one which both, put and praised the possibilities of Organic Architecture on the world map.

Fallingwater, Bear Run, Pennsylvania,

Sensitivity to the needs of the common man was a trait Wright possessed that was evident with the evolution of his “Usonian Home” concept. The term ‘Usonian’ was coined by Frank Lloyd Wright himself and referred to the average American. Usionian homes were essentially well equipped, self sufficient and spacious homes that were affordable even for a middle class American citizen. Wright believed strongly that it was possible to provide the average, growing American family with a decent space to stay, at a reasonable rate and without compromising on some necessary amenities. This included an outdoor garden area as well as a terrace space.

He introduced the use of ‘open plans’, which are basically unobstructed spaces. On many occasions the living and dining/kitchen spaces were included in a single, large space. This when viewed from a domestic context, made the life of the everyday mother and housewife, back then, much easier as she could keep an eye on the ever active young of the house, without having to abandon her work in the kitchen. In my opinion, that is in-depth thought at it’s best.

This article is merely a snippet of, or rather, my take on, one of the most reputed architectural greats that ever lived. It doesn’t even begin to do justice to the man.

So, all those who read past this,

If you are a Frank Lloyd Wright admirer yourself- I hope you enjoyed the read and will forgive it’s shortcomings;

If you have never heard of him- I hope that you’re glad you now have.

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The Works

Guggenheim Museum, New York.

Rosenbaum Home, Florence, Alabama.