Born 150 years ago: architect Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the most famous architects of the United States. With his "organic" approach, he built some of the most innovative buildings of the 20th century.
The Guggenheim: a long and disputed process
It is Frank Lloyd Wright's most famous work: the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. After its completion in 1959, the new art temple on Fifth Avenue quickly turned into a tourist magnet. Wright prepared over 700 sketches and spent years fighting with his clients, building authorities and the public. The museum was nevertheless completed - 16 years after it was initially commissioned.
Too spectacular for the artworks?
Wright's concept for The Guggenheim was revolutionary: Unlike in other museums until then, visitors were not to go from one room to the other, but rather discover the museum's collection displayed along a spiraling ramp with a slight slant. Critics believed the stunning architecture would steal the show from the museum's artworks.
Emancipation from Europe
Wright became famous with his Prairie Houses, among them the Robie House (1910) on the campus of the University of Chicago (picture). Wright was one of the first US architects to develop a personal style that wasn't borrowed from European architecture. The Prairie Houses are characterized by horizontal lines and are designed to integrate well into the surrounding landscapes.
A house over a waterfall
Wright aimed to develop an "organic" architectural style. He perfected this approach with Fallingwater - designed as a residence, today a museum - near Pittsburgh. It has been one of the most famous US residential buildings ever since its completion in 1939 - and has also been falling apart ever since, threatened by the structural frailty of the balconies and the humid environment of the house.
Experiencing nature with all senses
The interiors of Fallingwater are unusual as well. The walls are made of stone found in the surroundings. Boulders are built into the floor. Even the furniture was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright himself. The presence of water can always be felt as well: The waterfall flowing under the house can be heard in every room.
Potential UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Wright influenced a whole generation of architects. The complex of buildings for the S.C. Johnson & Son headquarters, built between 1936 and 1950, is one of the 11 works designed by Wright that were nominated to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. His "work represents an outstanding creative contribution to both 20th-century architecture and to architecture as a whole," the submission states.