which more than 500 resulted in completed works. He promoted organic
architecture (exemplified by
Fallingwater)
, originated
the Prairie School
of architecture. His work includes original and innovative examples
of many different building types, including offices, churches, schools,
hotels, and museums. Wright also often designed many of the interior
elements of his buildings, such as the furniture and stained glass. Many
of his buildings are notable for the geometrical clarity they exhibit.
Wright authored twenty books and
numerous articles and was a
popular lecturer in the United States and in Europe. His colourful
personal life frequently made headlines.
Already well-known during his lifetime, Wright was recognized in
1991 by the American Institute of Architects as “the greatest American
architect of all time”. He believed that humanity should be central to
all design.
One of Wright’s most famous private residences was constructed
from 1935 to 1939 –
Fallingwater – for Mr. and Mrs. Edgar
J. Kaufmann Sr., at Bear Run, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. It was
designed according to Wright’s desire to place the occupants close to the
natural surroundings, with a stream and waterfall
running under part of
the building. The construction is a series of cantilevered balconies and
terraces, using limestone for all verticals and concrete for the horizontals.
The house cost $155,000, including the architect’s fee of $8,000.
It was also in the 1930s that Wright first designed Usonian houses.
Intended to be highly practical houses for middle-class clients, the designs
were based on a simple, yet elegant geometry. He would later use similar
elementary forms between 1946 and 1951.
His Usonian houses set a new style for suburban design that was
a feature of countless developers. Many
features of modern American
homes date back to Wright; open plans, slab-on-grade foundations, and
simplified construction techniques that allowed more mechanization or at
least efficiency in building.
Later in his life and well-after his death in 1959, Wright received
much honorary recognition for his lifetime achievements.