American architect Frank Lloyd Wright is one of the most influential architects of the 20th century. He designed over 1,000 structures and more than 500 of them were built over his 70-year career.
June 8 is Wright’s birthday, so we wanted to celebrate the late architect by sharing some of his masterpieces with you — and some of the amazing photos Local Guides have taken of them.
- The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City
The Guggenheim is a modern and contemporary art museum instantly recognizable by its spiral shape. Wright started working on the building in 1943. Sixteen years, six separate sets of plans, and 749 drawings later, his masterpiece was finally built. Unlike traditional art museums that have a series of interconnected rooms, visitors explore exhibitions by making their way down a continuous ramp. The Guggenheim is one of the most significant architectural icons of the 20th century. In 1990, it was designated an official landmark of New York City.
Never made it to The Guggenheim yourself? Explore it on Google Street View.
- Fallingwater in Mill Run, Pennsylvania
Frank Lloyd Wright designed this stunning house in the mountains of Southwestern Pennsylvania to be a private retreat for its owners. The owners asked that the house be built across from the waterfall in the area so that they could see it from their windows. Instead, Wright integrated the waterfall into the design. The house is right on top of the waterfall which flows beneath it.
- Frederick C. Robie House in Chicago
In the early 1900s, many American architects designed houses based on European styles such as Italianate and Gothic Revival. Instead, Wright was inspired by the broad, flat landscape of the America’s Midwest where he grew up. He was part of a group of young architects in Chicago who developed Prairie style, the first uniquely American architectural style. It’s characterized by horizontal lines, open floor plans, and a connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. Frederick C. Robie House is renowned as Wright’s greatest example of this style.
- Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin
Wright built a lot of houses for other people, but this is one he lived in himself. The home is situated on his 800-acre country which included Wright’s studio and school. In honor of his Welsh heritage, he named both the estate and his house after the Welsh poet Taliesin whose name means “shining brow.” The home has big, wide windows, an open floor plan, and balconies that look out onto the beautiful surrounding landscape. The walls of made of a mix of limestone from a nearby quarry and sand from a local river. Wright had to rebuild Taliesin twice after two separate fires destroyed its living quarters. The first fire happened in 1914 and the second in 1925.
Over the years, Wright drew up many of his iconic designs at Taliesin including Fallingwater and the Guggenheim.
What’s your favorite Frank Lloyd Wright building? Tell us in the comments.
