Frank Lloyd Wright

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Introduction

Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect who is considered one of the greatest architects of all time. He designed more than 1,000 buildings during his long career. His unique style of architecture has inspired many, and his buildings are admired all over the world. Wright's ideas about architecture changed the way people thought about how buildings should look and function. This biography will explore his life, work, and the lasting impact he had on architecture.

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Early Life

Frank Lloyd Wright was born on June 8, 1867, in the small town of Richland Center, Wisconsin, in the United States. His full name was Frank Lincoln Wright, but he later changed his middle name to "Lloyd" to honor his mother's family. Wright’s parents were William Cary Wright, a preacher and musician, and Anna Lloyd Wright, a teacher.

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Frank grew up in a large family with two sisters and several half-siblings. His family moved often, which made it hard for Frank to make friends and settle in one place. Despite this, his mother always encouraged his interest in building and designing things. She even hung pictures of famous buildings in his room and gave him sets of wooden blocks to play with, hoping he would become an architect.

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Education and Early Career

When Frank Lloyd Wright was 15 years old, his parents separated, and he moved to Madison, Wisconsin, with his mother. There, he attended high school and later enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study engineering. Although he was interested in architecture, the university did not offer a degree in that field, so he studied civil engineering instead.

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Wright did not finish his degree. After two years, he left the university in 1887 and moved to Chicago, a city that was rapidly growing and had many opportunities for young architects. In Chicago, he worked as an assistant to the famous architect Louis Sullivan, who became his mentor. Sullivan taught Wright important lessons about design, especially the idea that "form follows function," which means that the shape of a building should be based on its purpose.

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Prairie School and Early Designs

In 1893, Wright opened his own architectural practice in Chicago. He began to develop his unique style, which became known as the "Prairie School" style. This style was inspired by the flat, open landscapes of the American Midwest, where Wright had grown up. Prairie School buildings were long, low, and seemed to blend into the landscape. They often had large, open floor plans, horizontal lines, and overhanging roofs.

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One of Wright’s most famous Prairie School designs is the Robie House, built in 1909 in Chicago. The Robie House is a masterpiece of design, with its strong horizontal lines, large windows, and open interior spaces. It was one of the first homes to have an open floor plan, which means that the rooms flowed into each other without many walls separating them. This idea of open space in a home was revolutionary at the time and has since become very popular.

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Fallingwater and Organic Architecture

As Wright’s career progressed, he continued to develop new ideas about architecture. In the 1930s, he began to focus on what he called "organic architecture." This meant designing buildings that were in harmony with their surroundings and looked like they were a natural part of the landscape. One of his most famous examples of organic architecture is Fallingwater, a house built in 1935 in rural Pennsylvania.

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Fallingwater is perhaps Wright’s most famous work. The house is built over a waterfall, with the sound of the rushing water heard throughout the home. The building is made of local stone and has large windows that let in natural light and provide stunning views of the surrounding forest. Fallingwater seems to grow out of the rocks and trees, making it one of the most beautiful and unique homes ever built.

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Usonian Houses and Later Work

In the 1940s and 1950s, Wright began to design smaller, more affordable homes that he called "Usonian" houses. These homes were meant to be simple, practical, and inexpensive, so that average American families could afford them. Usonian houses had many features that are still popular today, such as open floor plans, large windows, and carports instead of garages.

One of Wright’s most famous Usonian houses is the Jacobs House, built in 1937 in Madison, Wisconsin. The Jacobs House is a modest home with a simple design, but it has many innovative features, such as radiant floor heating, where hot water runs through pipes under the floor to keep the house warm. Wright believed that good design should be available to everyone, not just the wealthy, and his Usonian houses reflected that belief.

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Wright also designed many public buildings during his later years, including museums, office buildings, and even churches. One of his most famous public buildings is the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City, which was completed in 1959. The Guggenheim Museum is known for its unique spiral shape, with a ramp that curves upward through the building, allowing visitors to view art as they walk along the path. The museum’s design was unlike anything people had seen before, and it became an instant landmark.

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Personal Life

Frank Lloyd Wright’s personal life was often as complex and dramatic as his buildings. He was married three times and had seven children. His first marriage was to Catherine Tobin in 1889, and they had six children together. However, Wright left Catherine in 1909 to be with a woman named Mamah Borthwick Cheney, who was also married at the time. This caused a scandal, and Wright and Mamah moved to Europe for a time.

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When they returned to the United States, Wright built a home and studio called Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin, where he and Mamah lived together. Tragically, in 1914, a servant at Taliesin set fire to the house and murdered Mamah and her two children. Wright was devastated by the loss, but he rebuilt Taliesin and continued his work.

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Wright married his second wife, Miriam Noel, in 1923, but the marriage was troubled, and they divorced in 1927. In 1928, Wright married his third wife, Olgivanna Lazovich Milanoff, a dancer from Montenegro. They remained married until Wright’s death in 1959.

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Legacy

Frank Lloyd Wright died on April 9, 1959, at the age of 91. He had a long and productive career, designing more than 1,000 buildings, with over 500 of them being built. Wright’s influence on architecture is still felt today, and many of his buildings are considered masterpieces.

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Wright’s ideas about organic architecture, open floor plans, and the importance of designing buildings that fit their surroundings have become central to modern architecture. His work has inspired countless architects and designers, and his buildings are studied and admired around the world.

In addition to his buildings, Wright also established a school for architects at Taliesin, where he taught his ideas to the next generation of architects. The school continued to operate for many years after his death, helping to spread his influence even further.

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Conclusion

Frank Lloyd Wright was not just an architect; he was a visionary who changed the way people think about buildings and design. His innovative ideas and unique style have left a lasting mark on the world of architecture. From the low, horizontal lines of the Prairie School to the harmonious, nature-inspired forms of organic architecture, Wright’s work continues to inspire and amaze.

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Today, many of Wright’s buildings are preserved as historic landmarks, and his designs are still studied by architects and students around the world. Whether it’s the iconic Fallingwater, the groundbreaking Robie House, or the spiral-shaped Guggenheim Museum, Frank Lloyd Wright’s buildings stand as a testament to his genius and his belief in the power of good design.

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Glossary for Frank Lloyd Wright

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1. Architect - A person who designs buildings.

2. Design - A plan or drawing to show what something will look like.

3. Building - A structure with walls and a roof, like a house.

4. Prairie - A large, flat area of land with few trees, often covered with grass.

5. Modern - New, with styles and ideas from recent times.

6. Nature - Trees, plants, animals, and the environment.

7. Structure - Something built or constructed, like a house or a bridge.

8. Materials - The things used to build something, like wood or stone.

9. Influence - The power to change or inspire people.

10. Famous - Known by many people.