Springfield, Illinois, is perhaps best known for its association with President Abraham Lincoln. It is home to Lincoln’s house, office, and tomb. Its historically significant architecture, however, do not stop there. In 1902, just 41 years after Lincoln was elected president and moved from Springfield to Washington, DC, a woman named Susan Lawrence commissioned Frank… Read More Discovering the Dana Thomas House
This weekend, a selection Frank Lloyd Wright’s buildings joined the Unesco World Heritage List. The listing, named the 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, includes eight buildings across the United States: Unity Temple (Oak Park, IL) Robie House (Chicago, IL) Taliesin (Spring Green, WI) Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House (Madison, WI) Fallingwater (Mill Run, PA) Hollyhock House (Los Angeles,… Read More Frank Lloyd Wright: New UNESCO World Heritage Site
Frank Lloyd Wright was an architect amidst a lot of material innovation, and finding new ways to use these materials was one of his strong suits. Just look at all of his work with concrete, from Unity Temple to the fascinating Ennis House in LA. Wright’s early career was developing at the same time as… Read More A Journey in the Art Glass of Frank Lloyd Wright
Taliesin is best known as the home of Frank Lloyd Wright, famous architect. But it was far more than a home. On my recent visit to Taliesin, just as each curving hill revealed a different building on the estate, each space provided a new story–and not necessarily the one I expected. Here I’ve collected a… Read More 5 Surprising Things About Taliesin
Shingle Style has its roots in New England and it often gives off a coastal vibe. The style, which is characterized by wood shingles on the exterior walls, is echoed in west coast beach towns, particularly in Northern California and Oregon. It isn’t limited to the coasts, though: Shingle style emerged in the Midwest in… Read More Shingle Style’s Unlikely Appearance in the Midwest
I took a long weekend and went up to Wisconsin. It is always a great getaway from the city (see previous trips I’ve made here and here) and I’ve been wanting to get to Spring Green ever since I moved to Chicago. Spring Green is where Frank Lloyd Wright was raised and where he moved… Read More Views of Spring Green, Wisconsin
Frank Lloyd Wright. Sure, he’s a famous architect with a household name. But what’s the big deal? As an architectural historian, I often get asked what my favorite architectural style or time period is. The second most common question I get is my opinion of Frank Lloyd Wright. People love to have opinions about Frank… Read More Five Things to Like About Frank Lloyd Wright
Three houses stand on the south side of Chicago Avenue, just a block from Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and studio, that stand out slightly from their surroundings. They aren’t average suburban houses but they aren’t obvious Frank Lloyd Wright designs, either. What’s the deal? These three houses are known as Frank Lloyd Wright’s “bootleg houses.”… Read More Frank Lloyd Wright’s Bootleg Houses
An hour and a half north of Chicago, in the small town of Racine, Wisconsin, the S.C. Johnson headquarters (originally Johnson Wax) sits mere blocks from the broad, blue expanse of Lake Michigan. With historic neighborhoods and old factory buildings on either side, S.C. Johnson’s iconic research tower is an unusual beacon to visitors: this… Read More S.C. Johnson: the Wright Office Building
I spent the last week in Nevada and California, and upon my return to Chicago, I was greeted by a fresh layer of snow. It was the perfect day for snowy photography, being in the 20s, so I had to pull together a little photo essay of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio. Wright… Read More Snow + Frank Lloyd Wright
Susie Trexler 