Frank Lloyd Wright (Father of Architecture) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. Over seventy years, he designed more than 1,000 structures. His “Prairie Style” became the basis of twentieth-century residential design in the United States. He was born on June 8, 1867, in Richland Center, Wisconsin, and died on April 9, 1959, while living in Phoenix, Arizona. Ironically, this is the same year Robert M. Scarano Jr., owner of Scarano Architect, PLLC, and Architect, was born (September 23, 1959). As one great architect left this earth, another came into the world.
Wright believed in designing in harmony with humanity and the environment, a philosophy he called “organic architecture.” If you ask the average citizen to name a famous architect, they’ll likely name Frank Lloyd Wright first. Highly creative, Wright changed how we build and live. He actually designed 1,114 architectural works of all types, of which 532 were realized. Wright created some of the most innovative spaces in the United States. His visionary work cemented his place as the American Institute of Architects’ “greatest American architect of all time.” Wright believed that architecture could be genuinely transformative and he devoted his life to creating an aesthetic that would enhance society’s well-being. . “Above all integrity,” he said: “buildings like people must first be sincere, must be true.” To Wright, architecture was not just about buildings, but about nourishing the lives of those within them.
Frank Lloyd Wright was a truly organic builder who developed a structure from within and worked outward. In this way, he stayed in harmony with the time, place, and inhabitants. Wright felt that in organic architecture it was impossible to consider the building as one thing, the furnishing as another, and its setting and environment as yet another. He strongly believed these elements must be conceived together to work as one. To accomplish this, Wright designed furniture, rugs, fabric, art glass, lighting, dinnerware, and graphic arts.
Frank Lloyd Wright devoted his life to promoting architecture as “the great mother art.” He drew inspiration from the Japanese idea of a culture in which every object, every human, and every action were integrated to make the entire civilization a work of art. Ultimately, his vision served beauty. He firmly believed that every man, woman, and child had the right to live a beautiful life in beautiful surroundings. Throughout his career, he sought to create affordable architecture for all, driven by that inspiration.
Many of Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs are legendary. Here are just a few:
- Fallingwater, located in Mill Run, PA (1939).
- Kentuck Knob, located in Dunbar, PA (1956).
- Graycliff, located in Derby, NY (1926).
- Darwin D. Martin House, located in Buffalo, NY (1905).
- Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, located in NYC, NY (1959).
- The Crimson Beech, located in Staten Island, NY (1959).
- Congregation Beth Sholom, located in Elkins Park, PA (1954).
- Pope-Leighey House, located in Alexandria, VA (1941).
Wright aspired to provide his clients with environments that were not only functional but also “eloquent and humane.” He pursued architecture for everyman rather than every man for “one architecture.” Wright lives on through the beautiful buildings he designed as well as through the powerful and enduring idea that guided his work — that buildings should serve to honor and enhance the natural beauty surrounding them. His famous quote exemplifies this: “I would like to have free architecture. Architecture that belongs where you see it standing, and is a grace to the landscape instead of a disgrace.”
Wright embraced new technologies and constantly pushed the boundaries of his field. His fascination with the new and his desire to be a pioneer help explain Wright’s tendency to test his materials, sometimes to the brink of failure, to achieve effects he could claim as uniquely his own. His texts testify that his ability to articulate himself matched his genius with brick, concrete, and glass. His books offer readers a glimpse into the life and work of the complex architect he was.
Frank Lloyd Wright died on April 9, 1959, at age 91, just six months before the Guggenheim Museum opened its doors. Its unique design helped define Wright as the greatest architect of the twentieth century and, most likely, the greatest American architect of all time. His timeless architectural style emphasized simplicity and natural beauty, in contrast to the elaborate, ornate architecture that prevailed in Europe. Wright had endless energy and great persistence. Of his more than 1,100 building designs, nearly one-third came during his last decade of life. We continue to pay tribute to this great man and know his genius will live on through his immortalized designs.