FRANK LLOYD
WRIGHT

An Ingenious Life in Numbers and Dates

"The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes."

Frank Lloyd Wright is widely regarded the greatest American architect. But how can you measure his greatness? Is it possible to gain new insights by looking at his achievements through the prism of numbers?
Or by juxtaposing his creative output next to the dates of events in his personal life with its many tragedies and triumphs? Or by plotting historical events and the life of the genius on the same axis?
Let's try, shall we?

Consider this: Frank Lloyd Wright was born two years after the American Civil War and died two years short of Neil Armstrong walking on the Moon. His career spanned 72 years, with his first commission secured at the age of 22 and his last at 90. He never earned a degree, but he did open an influential architectural school (just to make ends meet during the Great Depression). He built the architectural gem of the Falling Water house at 70 and his masterpiece, the Guggenheim Museum, at the age of 76.

Eight of Wright's buildings were given the status of World Heritage Site by UNESCO—a recognition of global significance—alongside treasures like the Parthenon, the Great Wall of China, and the Eiffel Tower, to name a few.

Almost two thirds of Wright's legacy is in private hands and is not open to the public. While it would probably be heartwarming for Wright to learn that so many of the homes he built are still enjoyed by families and host private lives rather than a stream of tourists, the fact that preserving a historical building takes resources and dedication puts many of those houses in jeopardy.

Many houses the architect built have vanished either by accident or intent. The most recent demolition of a Wright building—a medical clinic in Montana—was in 2018. Preservation enthusiasts were unable to prevent this since the building was not on the list of designated National Historic Landmarks. This highlights the importance of such designations to preserving Wright's legacy.

WRIGHT'S ARCHITECTURAL LEGACY AT A GLANCE

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Throughout his career, Wright was keen to create houses with character on a human scale, focusing later in life on building for people of modest means. Usonians are the best example of this endeavor and the lasting impact of his ideas on modern housing. "As with many architectural ideas that we now take for granted, Wright was there first," says Diane Maddex in her book Wright-sized Houses. "He suggested dining rooms just big enough for the family—or better yet, a combined living-dinning area. He built in furniture along the walls to free up the center. He used open plans whose spaces flowed around corners, shielding views while adding mystery. He dramatized high ceilings with eye-fooling details. He turned solid walls into glass screens, breaking down barriers between outside and in. He designed step-saving kitchens lighted by skylights. He divided houses into quiet and living zones and embraced views of nature by adding outdoor rooms. He experimented with prefabricated designs to help would-be homeowners stay within a budget."

Not surprisingly, 77% of his legacy is comprised of residential buildings, more than all other functions combined. While he did not shy away from ambitious projects like museums, large-scale administrative buildings, and churches, his real passion was always in creating "houses of moderate cost."

"I would rather solve the small house problem than build anything else I can think of."

—Frank Lloyd Wright

ARE WRIGHT'S HOUSES EXPENSIVE?

Since many of Wright's houses are privately owned, they are put on the market regularly.

The price of a Frank Lloyd Wright house can vary widely, depending on the home's size, location, and features. The most expensive Wright home ever sold was the Clinton Walker House, which fetched $22 million.

Here are some recent sales and listings.

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Wright's life has long been a source of fascination for biographers, writers, architects, and laypeople alike. There are at least 35 extensive biographies (spanning from 1946 to 2022) and countless books on different aspects of his works.

Wright himself wrote an autobiography at age 65, in which, as many of his researchers note, he embellished details of his life.

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It is hard not to be amazed by how Wright persevered. He suffered an unimaginable tragedy—a massacre that claimed the lives of his lover, her two children, and four other people while reducing the beloved home he had designed to ashes—and a slew of smaller catastrophes—two divorces, numerous scandals, one bankruptcy, one FBI investigation, two world wars, and one great depression. Yet he still managed to live a fulfilling life, perpetually creating and staying curious. Let's explore his 72 year architectural career and personal journey.

“I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen.”

—Frank Lloyd Wright

PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL TIMELINE

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No matter how much you have heard or read about the genius of Wright, you must visit his houses to appreciate their magic. As one of his fans put it "...walking into a Wright home is like walking into a piece of three-dimensional art. It surrounds you."

The map below is intended as an easy reference to the places you can include in future trips and even stay in—there are seven houses in five states that you can rent to experience the Wright's design first-hand.

“The good building is not one that hurts the landscape, but one which makes the landscape more beautiful that it was before the building
was built.”

—Frank Lloyd Wright

HOUSES YOU CAN VISIT OR STAY IN

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Many organizations and enthusiasts contribute to preserving Wright's legacy, and you can be part of the effort by paying fees when visiting his sites, signing up for memberships, donating directly, and even organizing conservation initiatives yourself.

Adams, J. (2022). Frank Lloyd Wright: The Architect of Defiance. The Royal Society of Architects in Whales.

Hendrickson, P. (2019). Plagued by Fire: The Dreams and Furies of Frank Lloyd Wright. Alfred A. Knopf New York

Johnson, D.L. (1990) Frank Lloyd Wright versus America: The 1930s. MIT Press.

Maddex, D. (2003). Wright-Sized Houses: Frank Lloyd Wright's Solutions for Making Small Houses Feel Big. Archetype Press, Inc.

Articles

El-Hai, J. (2017). Unwanted Attention: From the FBI Files on Frank Lloyd Wright. Frank LLoyd Wright Quarterly.
https://franklloydwright.org/unwanted-attention-from-the-fbi-files-on-frank-lloyd-wright/

Hawthorne, C. (June 8, 2017). Lloyd Wright at 150: Why his Los Angeles houses deserve a closer look. Los Angeles Times.
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-frank-lloyd-wright-houses-20170608-htmlstory.html

New York Times (April 10, 1959). Obituary.
ttps://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0608.html

O’Donnell, C. (2020). The Plan for Greater Baghdad: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Urban Planning. Urban Utopias. https://urbanutopias.net/2020/01/15/flw-other-designs/