Frank Lloyd Wright is inarguably one of history's
most influential architects. He designed thousands of buildings,
all following the principle that architecture should be
in harmony with nature Luckily, many of these
structures are still standing today and can be
visited and toured, so the public can enjoy
these sublime designs. This list, in no particular
order, highlights several must-see Frank Lloyd Wright buildings.
Kicking off our list at # 1 is
Price Tower. Located in Bartlesville Oklahoma, it was
originally built by Frank Lloyd Wright for Harold
C. Price as a corporate headquarters for his
pipeline construction company. The Tower commission also allowed
Wright to design objects within the building, including
both built-in and free-standing furniture fixtures textiles, and
decorative artwork.
The Price Tower Arts Center is located inside
the skyscraper its ongoing mission is to preserve
the Price Tower, inspire visitors, and celebrate art
architecture, and design. The center hosts numerous exhibitions
and events throughout the year.
Next up, at # 2 is the Smith
House in Bloomfield Hills Michigan. This example of
Wright’s Usonian ideal, which aimed to build quality
houses for the American middle class, is located
on the grounds of the Cranbrook Art Museum.
The restored home, which Wright called My Little
Gem during a 1951 visit, features an L-shaped
floor plan and horizontal, cantilevered roof planes.
The structure is one of several historic buildings
on view at the museum. Others include Saarinen
House, an art deco building, and Cranbrook House,
designed by Albert Kahn in 19 08 and
surrounded by 40 acres of gardens featuring fountains
and statuary.
The # 3 entry is Unity Temple, located
in Oak Park Illinois. The structure is one
of the earliest public buildings in the United
States to feature exposed concrete, and the last
surviving building from Wright’s Prairie Period. In 19
70 Unity Temple was designated a National Historic
Landmark.
The Unity Temple Restoration Foundation was created in
19 73 by volunteers dedicated to restoring and
preserving the building. Over time, the organization evolved
to promote architecture awareness and education through programs
and events, introducing public audiences to Unity Temple
and to the design principles that inspired it.
Coming in at # 4 is Taliesin the
home studio school, and estate of Frank Lloyd
Wright. Located in southwestern Wisconsin, the area includes
buildings from nearly every decade of Wright’s career
from the 18 1890s to the 19 1950s.
Taliesin is a designated National Historic Landmark and
part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A nonprofit organization founded upon the recommendation of
a commission authorized by Governor Tommy Thompson in
19 88 Taliesin Preservation works to maintain and
care for Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and the
additional buildings on the estate. The work includes
physical preservation repair, and restoration of furniture and
materials.
For our next entry # 5 we present
the Frank Lloyd Wright House in Ebsworth Park.
This residence, built for Russell and Ruth Kraus,
was Wright's first building in the St. Louis
area, and is one of only five of
his designs in Missouri. Typical of Wright's other
Usonian homes, the building has an open living
area, a central hearth, concrete slab floors, and
a wall of glass doors.
Today, the nonprofit of the same name remains
responsible for the preservation and operation of the
house museum. The organization also serves as a
focal point in the St. Louis region for
educational programming on Wright’s legacy, as well as
architecture and design in general.