How the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright has evolved over 70 years and changed America

In the new Architectural digestion video aboveMichael Wyetzner talks about a few buildings that we have presented over the years here on open culture: the Imperial hotelTHE House of Ennis,, Taliesin,, Falling. These are all, of course, the work of Frank Lloyd WrightWho is still the embodiment of American architecture over 65 years after his death. It is a fairly long stretch according to modern standards, but nevertheless a shorter than the career of Wright, which lasted over 70 years. During his long life, explains Wyetzner, Wright witnessed the introduction of interior plumbing, electricity, telephone, car, plane, radio, television and space trips – and even since his architecture shows a dramatic evolution.

Beginning with the learning of Wright in Chicago under Louis Sullivan, “The father of modernism”, Wyetzner continues on his development of the horizontal house-out house of “Prairie style”; its Japanese commissions and subsequent houses in Los Angeles very photographed; The emergence of its philosophy of “organic architecture” intended to unify the building with its site and its natural environment; his discovery of the desert; And its conception of the era of the depression of the “Usonian house”, which adapted its refined spatial sensitivity for the production of mass of American style. It would be more than enough for the career of the most distinguished architect. However, this does not even move to projects such as the Temple of Unity, Johnson wax locaireTHE RW Lindholm service stationTHE Museum Solomon R. Guggenheimor his first and last kennel.

Whatever Wright's career period you examine, you can find proof of his belief in the inspiration of the place, in organic aesthetics, in structural expressiveness and even in indirect moral education. However, it is also possible to imagine that, in a certain sense, a series of different Wrights Frank Lloyd existed, destroyed on several occasions and recreated by professional reverse, personal disaster, foreign stay, immersion in a new landscape, or even knowledge with new technology. No one could surely remain productive until the end of their 92 years without a small reinvention. Meanwhile, he designed more than 1,000 projects, only about half of which were built. The young architects who idolize Frank Lloyd Wright would be good to remember that he too knew very well the bite of never going to the construction.

Related content:

How Frank Lloyd Wright became Frank Lloyd Wright: a video introduction

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This distant corner: Frank Lloyd Wright in Los Angeles – A free online documentary

Frank Lloyd Wright: The greatest American architect? – a free streaming documentary

What the unusual windows of Frank Lloyd Wright tell us about his architectural genius

What is to work in the emblematic building of Frank Lloyd Wright

Based in Seoul, Colin MArshall Written and broadcastTS on cities, language and culture. His projects include the substack newsletter Books on cities And the book The stateless city: a walk through Los Angeles from the 21st century. Follow it on the social network formerly known as Twitter in @ColinmArshall.