Frank Lloyd Wright

In the late 19th century and early 20th century the age of the city began to majorly develop. Cities were booming and becoming much larger. Urbanization was more of an attraction in this time. People were lured to the city because it offered new conveniences and technologies that could not be found in rural areas. With the age of the city there was the introduction to many important new things, architecture being one of them.




With all he new conveniences and technologies of the city came new occupations and jobs that had to be filled. As the city grew there would obviously need to be more buildings. The professionalization of architecture began to be in demand and became more popular. Architects began to want a more ordered lay out of the city and the result was the creation of public spaces and public buildings. Architects were designing great public buildings. The city also had to expand upward due to limited space and this was made possible with the new technologies in architecture. One of the greatest figures associated with the early development of skyscrapers was Louis Sullivan. He introduced many modern elements to skyscrapers and architecture such as large windows, sheer lines, and limited ornamentation. Frank Lloyd Wright was a student under Sullivan and used many of his innovations, applying them to low buildings as well. Frank Lloyd Wright demonstrates his influence from Sullivan especially when he used very few furnishings and large sections of window.      

Louis Sullivan was another major architect of the 20th century

Dr. Allison W. Harlan House was Wright’s first house

Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the most influential architects of his time and is still considered to be one of the greatest architects today. In 1887 Wright came to Chicago to pursue architecture and was hired by Adler and Sullivan. Wright worked directly under Sullivan for six years but eventually split from the partnership to go out on his own. Frank Lloyd Wright set standards for what would be known as the Prairie style. This style mainly had a long and horizontal theme. One of his most important works that demonstrates this style is the Frederick C. Robie House. Another prominent aspect to his architecture was the influence of nature. Wright described much of his work as organic and was constantly incorporating nature. 

More leisure time was important to the growth of architecture at this time. Since people were spending less time working, leisure time became more usual. Leisure time for women was often spent shopping. Womens importance as consumers was a result of this. Catalogs that were introduced also influenced consumerism and architecture by introducing people to new styles of home decor as well as new machinery and technology for homes. Leisure time also meant people could have time to do other activities in their homes. I believe this factor influenced architecture, especially when Frank Lloyd Wright’s buildings demonstrate the flow and brokenness of interior space.
                   
Frank Lloyd Wright stated in an interview that he wanted, “Not an end to cities, but and end to congestion.” I think this quotes especially demonstrates why Wright incorporated so much of nature into his work. With the expansion of cities there was a loss to the connection of nature. He left a legacy of organic buildings. Frank Lloyd Wright’s vision was that the inside and outside of a building be organically unified. He incorporated nature into his buildings by making the inside reach out to the outside by using many windows and even sometimes walls of glass and by the illustration of shelter with overhanging roofs.  

Fallingwater is a famous example of Wright’s organic architecture

Frank Lloyd Wright did a lot for the continuance and modernization of architecture. He was and still is a major influence in architecture. His innovations and ideas continue in architecture today. Frank Lloyd Wright’s works were especially important to the growing cities of the early 20th century.

• Frank Lloyd Wright: Inside and Out This book gave me a lot of information on Frank Lloyd Wright's style of organic architecture. It really explained how he designed his buildings to be in touch with nature and for the inside to be connected to the outside. 
• An American Architecture: Frank Lloyd Wright This book showed some important techniques that Wright used in his architecture such as the emphasis of plasticity to increase the sense of interior space and the sense of shelter which was a part of his organic architecture.    
• 20^th-Century Architecture This book reinforced the fact that Frank Lloyd Wright left a legacy of organic buildings.
• Architecture: The Words Greatest Buildings Explored and Explained This book gave me information on Wright's prairie period and his emphasis on openness, open planning, and horizontal buildings. 
• Frank Lloyd Wright, A Gatefold Portfolio This book gave me information on one of Frank Lloyd Wright's buildings, The Robie House. It explained how the architecture used to design the Robie House was ahead of its time, contributed to American culture, and demonstrated one of Wright's techniques of unbroken flow throughout the interior. 
• Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation This site gave me a lot of great information on Frank Lloyd Wright's life and biography. Also giving me more information about his work and techniques.
• Mike Wallace Interview with Frank Lloyd Wright This interview gave me an important quote from Wright that showed his desire for an “end to congestion”. This idea of his is demonstrated through his architecture.
• American History By Alan Brinkley had a lot of information on the Age of the City and the growth of cities in America. This was important to the introduction of my topic.