Author: Barry Pickard
Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the most important architects of the 20th century. His work, known as "organic architecture," was characterised by its use of natural materials, its emphasis on harmony with the environment, and its flowing, organic forms. Wright designed over 1,000 buildings during his lifetime, with 532 of them being realised, including houses, churches, schools, museums, and skyscrapers.
In this post, I will detail the amazing Frank Lloyd Wright buildings that I have visited and give an insight on what there is to see at these sites and how to visit them. By way of introduction, I will also give a brief overview of his life and why his architecture was so important. I hope you find Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs as impressive as I do.
Don’t forget that Tailor-Made Itineraries delights in creating bespoke self-guided tours. So, if visiting any of these amazing buildings appeals to you, reach out to me by email. I would be more than happy to design a self-guided tour around your requirements incorporating the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, or indeed, any themed tour of the US.
Who was Frank Lloyd Wright?
Wright was born in Richland Center, Wisconsin, in 1867. He studied civil engineering at the University of Wisconsin and then worked for several years in the office of Louis Sullivan, another important American architect. In 1893, Wright set up his own architectural practice in Chicago.
Wright's early work pioneered what was to become known as the Prairie School of architecture, which emphasised horizontal lines and natural materials. In 1909, Wright moved to Spring Green, Wisconsin, where he built his home and studio, Taliesin. Taliesin became a center for Wright's architectural experiments and a gathering place for his apprentices.
In the 1930s, Wright began to experiment with new materials and form, designing a number of innovative houses. Wright’s work culminated in the 1950s, designing the Guggenheim Museum. Unfortunately, Wright died in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1959 at 91 years old, just six months before the Guggenheim Museum was opened.
Why was Frank Lloyd Wright’s Architecture So Important?
Wright's work was ground-breaking and innovative. He was one of the first architects to use natural materials and to emphasize harmony with the environment. His designs were also characterised by their flowing, organic forms, which were a departure from the traditional boxy architecture of the time.
Wright's architecture was functional and practical. His buildings were designed to be comfortable and efficient to live in. The architecture was beautiful, and they were also praised for their use of light and space. Wright's architecture was also influential, inspiring a generation of architects and designers.
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Visiting Frank Lloyd Wright Architecture Pennsylvania
Fallingwater
Fallingwater is a house designed by Wright in 1935 in the Laurel Highlands of southwest Pennsylvania, about 70 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. It is built partly over a waterfall on Bear Run and was designed to serve as a weekend retreat for Liliane and Edgar J. Kaufmann, the owner of Pittsburgh's Kaufmann's Department Store. They commissioned Wright to design a house that would blend in with the natural surroundings and provide them with a place to relax and escape the hustle and bustle of city life.
Wright's design for Fallingwater was revolutionary for its time. The house is built on a cantilevered structure that extends out over the waterfall, creating a sense of lightness and airiness. The walls are made of glass, which allows the occupants to enjoy the stunning views of the surrounding forest. Fallingwater is a masterpiece of organic architecture, and it has been hailed as one of the most important buildings of the 20th century.
The Kaufmanns lived in Fallingwater for 26 years, and it became a beloved family retreat. They would often spend weekends at the house, swimming in the waterfall, hiking in the forest, and entertaining guests. In 1963, the Kaufmanns donated Fallingwater to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, and it has been open to the public as a museum ever since.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: Fallingwater is one of Pennsylvania’s most popular attractions, so make sure to book your tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Reservations are required for all visits and there is no public transportation to the site, so you will need a car to access Fallingwater.
Guided Architectural Tours ($35) are available throughout the day and there are a small number of Guided Grounds Walking Tours ($25). However, it was the In-Depth Guided Tour that I chose. Although more expensive ($87), you get an in-depth exploration of the home with this option. There are two early morning tours, with a third tour later in the afternoon, depending on the season.
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Polymath Park
Polymath Park is a 125-acre resort located in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania. The park is home to two Frank Lloyd Wright-designed homes, two Peter Berndtson-designed homes, and the Treetops Restaurant.
The Duncan House, a home that Wright designed in 1957, was moved to the park in 2007 from Lisle, Illinois. The Mäntylä House, that Wright designed in 1952, was also brought to Polymath Park and rebuilt in 2018. As well as getting to enjoy the beautiful design of these two buildings, you also get to learn about the painstaking work in preserving these homes from demolition and their piece by piece reconstruction.
Both homes are built in the Usonian style, which is characterized by its simple, functional design and its use of natural materials. The homes are also designed to blend in with the natural surroundings.
There are another two homes of architectural interest in the park - the Balter House and the Blum House, both of which were designed by Peter Berndtson, an architect who had worked under Wright on projects that included the Guggenheim Museum.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: The two Wright houses are open to the public for guided tours, which can be booked online. The park also offers overnight accommodation in the four houses.
New York
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is a museum of modern and contemporary art located on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. It is famous for its iconic spiral ramp, which winds its way up through the building, allowing visitors to view the art from a variety of angles. The building is made of concrete and glass, and it is considered to be one of the most important examples of modern architecture in the world.
The Guggenheim Museum's collection includes works by Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, and other masters of modern art. The museum also hosts a variety of temporary exhibitions throughout the year.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: Purchase your timed ticket online. If you have a New York CityPass, a Go City New York Explorer Pass, New York Attraction Pass or New York Pass, you will be able to receive a discount.
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Los Angeles
Hollyhock House
Hollyhock House is located in the East Hollywood neighbourhood and was commissioned by Aline Barnsdall, a wealthy oil heiress. Built between 1919 and 1921, the house is named after the hollyhock flowers that surround it.
Hollyhock House is also notable for its Mayan Revival influences. Wright himself cited the ancient Maya as an inspiration for the design. The house is made of concrete, steel, and glass, and it features a series of interconnected terraces that create a sense of openness and flow. The house is also decorated with stylized hollyhock motifs.
Hollyhock House was originally intended to be the center of a larger arts and education complex. However, Barnsdall fell out with Wright in 1921, reportedly firing the architect, and the ultimate plans for Barnsdall Park were unrealised.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: Tickets need to be booked in advance. The tours are self-guided, but I found that the docents were very forthcoming with helpful information as I walked round. Please note that the house is only open from Thursday to Saturday.
Ennis House
The Ennis House is located in the Los Feliz neighbourhood and was commissioned by Charles and Mabel Ennis, a wealthy couple who owned a local men's clothing store. The house was built between 1923 and 1924.
The Ennis House is a striking example of Wright's textile block style of architecture. The house is made of over 27,000 interlocking concrete blocks, which are decorated with a Mayan Revival motif. It’s unique look has led to the house being used in many films and tv series, like Blade Runner, Beverly Hills Cop II, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
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Tailor-Made Top Tip: Unfortunately, Ennis House is not open to the public, but the large frontage is visible from the street. There are a number of other private Wright designed houses around Hollywood and LA which can also be inspected from the street, such as the John Storer House, the Samuel Freeman House and the Samuel Novarro House.
Wayfarers Chapel
So, not strictly speaking a Frank Lloyd Wright building, rather, the Wayfarers Chapel was designed by his son, Lloyd Wright. I decided, however to include it in this list because it was one of the most beautiful buildings I have had the pleasure to visit, and I am sure his father would have approved.
Also known as "The Glass Church," this remarkable gem stands on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, nestled within a sacred grove of redwood trees in Rancho Palos Verdes. Built for the Swedenborgian Church, the chapel features a redwood laminate (glulam) framing that mimics the surrounding trees. Its thin, transparent glass enclosure enhances the connection between the interior and the natural surroundings.
Tailor Made Top Tip: Unfortunately, due to the momentum of local land movement caused by the Portuguese Bend landslide, Wayfarers Chapel and its grounds are currently closed for public access. Indeed, as of June 2024, the chapel was being dismantled in preparation for relocation. So check their website before planning to visite to get an up to date report on the chapel's status.
San Francisco
V.C. Morris Gift Shop
In the heart of San Francisco's Financial District, you'll find a hidden gem of a Frank Lloyd Wright building: the V.C. Morris Gift Shop. This small, unassuming shop is a masterpiece of organic architecture, and it features a spiral ramp that winds its way up to the second floor. The ramp is a prototype for the spiral ramp that Wright would later use in the Guggenheim Museum.
The shop was built in 1948 for V.C. Morris, a wealthy businessman who was a friend of Wright's. Today, however, the building is now occupied by the Italian clothing boutique Isaia. An appointment must be made to gain entry to the store, but I did manage to get a photo of the interior from the doorway.
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Meyer May House
The Meyer May House is located in the Heritage Hill Historic District of Grand Rapids and is a fine example of Wright's Prairie School era, and "Michigan's Prairie masterpiece". The house was commissioned in 1908 by Meyer S. May, president of May's clothing store in Grand Rapids, and his wife Sophie. The house's appearance stands in contrast to the Victorian houses typical of the period and the Heritage Hill neighbourhood.
The Meyer May House is stylistically typical of Wright's Prairie houses, a two-story, T-plan constructed of pale brick, with hip roofs and long broad eaves, art glass windows and skylights. The first-floor windows are tucked under the eaves and raised from ground level, providing both privacy and providing light to the staircase and second floor gallery.
The Meyer May House was designed to be a showcase for the latest in modern technology and design. The house features a central vacuum system, radiant heat, and built-in lighting. The walls are made of poured concrete, which was a new and innovative material at the time. The house is also notable for its use of glass, which allows for natural light to flood the interior spaces.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: The house is open to the public for tours, but only on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. There is limited capacity on each tour, so make sure to book online well in advance. Unfortunately, I visited Grand Rapids when the house was closed for tours, but the exterior of the house is still worth seeing.
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Oak Park, Chicago
Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio
The Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio is a historic house and design studio in Oak Park, which is a suburb of Chicago. The house was designed and owned by Wright, first built in 1889 and then added to over the years. The home is furnished with original Wright-designed furniture and textiles. It has been restored by the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust to its appearance in 1909, the last year Wright lived there with his with his wife Catherine and their six children.
The house is a two-story, shingle-style house with a large studio addition. The house is made of wood and brick, and it has a steeply pitched roof and a wraparound porch. The studio is located on the side of the house, and it is a one-story, gable-roofed building with a large skylight.
Wright worked on his career and aesthetic at the studio here, designing many of his most famous works, including the Robie House and the Unity Temple.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: The house is open to the public daily for tours throughout the day. These tours should be booked online. There is no car parking specifically for the house, but I found ample free street parking on North Kenilworth Avenue.
Self-Guided Walk of the Oak Park Historic District
A tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio can be combined with an outdoor self-guided audio walking tour of the surrounding Historic District. I found this an excellent way to view six Wright homes that were designed for his neighbours on Forest Avenue and Elizabeth Court. This tour can be taken at your own pace, and the circular route is less than 500m long, taking me just over half an hour to complete.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: The tour of the home and the self-guided tour may be taken in any order. Self-guided outdoor tours are available in eight languages.
Unity Temple
Unity Temple is a Unitarian Universalist church in Oak Park and was designed and built by Wright between 1905 and 1908. Unity Temple is considered to be one of Wright's most important structures dating from the first decade of the twentieth century. Because of its consolidation of aesthetic intent and structure through use of a single material, reinforced concrete, Unity Temple is considered by many architects to be the first modern building in the world.
In 1905, a lightning strike started a fire which destroyed the wood-framed Oak Park Unity Church, Wright was one of the many architects who vied for the commission and was ultimately selected to design a new structure for the Universalist congregation. Wright was not only living in Oak Park but also came from a family of Unitarians, a faith that had many beliefs in common with Universalism.
The temple's design is simple and elegant, with a large central space that is surrounded by smaller rooms. The walls are made of concrete, and the ceiling is made of glass, which allows for natural light to flood the interior spaces.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: The guided tours of Unity Temple should be booked online. I took the Guided Interior Tour ($20) and found it to be a highly informative tour, and these tours are held from Monday to Friday. There is also the option for an Audio Self-Guided Tour ($15, Mon-Sat) and an In-depth Tour ($40, Saturdays). Finding street parking can be a little tricky, so get there in plenty time before your tour starts.
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Pleasant Home and the rest of Oak Park
Pleasant Home, also known as the John Farson House, is a less than 10-minute walk from Unity Temple. Although not designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, Pleasant Home is a great example of a Prairie style mansion and very similar in style to Wright. The house was designed by architect George Washington Maher and completed in 1897. If you are in Oak Park to see Wright’s buildings, take the opportunity to visit Pleasant Home.
The house is made of wood and brick, and it features a large, wraparound porch with a hipped roof. The house is also notable for its use of stained glass, which can be seen in the windows and skylights. The home was built for John Farson, a successful businessman who lived in the house with his wife and two children.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: Pleasant Home is open to the public for self-guided tours every Thursday, from 11am to 4pm, with no appointment necessary. Check their website for closures, however, because the Thursday I visited, it was closed due to emergency renovations. There are also periodic weekend guided tours available.
Oak Park, and the neighbouring River Forest area, boasts a total of 35 Wright designed buildings. Many are noted on Google Maps and you can have fun trailing around these beautiful neighbourhoods. If you don't want to venture too far, there are a number of Wright houses just a couple of minutes on foot from the Home & Studio, such as the Harrison Young House, the Robert P. Parker House, and the Walter Gale House shown below.
Chicago
Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House
The Robie House is located in the Hyde Park neighbourhood of Chicago. Built between 1909 and 1910, the house is considered one of the most important examples of the Prairie School of architecture.
The home was commissioned by Frederick C. Robie, a wealthy businessman who was a friend of Wright's. It is made of red brick and concrete, and it features a long, horizontal form with a low-pitched roof. The house is also notable for its use of large windows and overhangs, which provide plenty of natural light and shade.
The interior of the Robie House is just as impressive as the exterior. The house features open spaces and flowing lines, and it is decorated with some pieces of Wright's signature furniture and art.
The three-car garage has been converted into an excellent shop and reception area, having a fascinating range of Wright inspired gifts and books. I found it ironic that this is reputedly the first ever three-car garage designed in the US, being at the advent of the automobile age, yet Wright was later known for his distaste of designing homes with garages!
Tailor-Made Top Tip: Tours should be booked online. I took the Robie House: A Modern Home guided interior tour ($20, Thursday to Monday) and found this to be highly informative and interesting. There is also an Inside and Out tour ($30) and an In-depth tour ($75) available.
Charnley-Persky House
The Charnley-Persky House is located in the Gold Coast neighbourhood of Chicago. It was nominally designed by renowned architect Louis Sullivan and built in 1892, however, Frank Lloyd Wright, who worked for Sullivan when in his twenties, later stated that it was himself who designed the house. Whoever designed the house, you can see the start of the progression from Sullivan’s style and architectural thought to the revolutionary designs of Wright. The house is arguably the first example of the Prairie School style, which is characterized by its use of horizontal lines, natural materials, and open floor plans.
The Charnley-Persky House is open to the public for tours. Visitors can learn about the history of the house, its architecture, and its role in Chicago's architectural development. The house is also a great place to see some beautiful original furniture and decorative details.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: Tours can be booked online for Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Try and book the mid-week slot to take advantage of a free tour. Tickets for the other two days cost $10.
Chicago History Museum & The Art Institute of Chicago
Any trip to Chicago wouldn’t be complete without a visit to these two museums, and they both hold surprises for any lover of Frank Lloyd Wright.
The Chicago History Museum is the perfect place to learn about the city’s fascinating story. The museum has a variety of exhibits that cover everything from its early days as a fur trading post to its current status as a global metropolis. The museum also has a small display of beautiful furniture designed by Wright, as well a beautiful window created by the architect.
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The Art Institute of Chicago, meanwhile, has a world-renowned collection of art spanning over 5,000 years. Some of the museum’s most famous works include Edward Hopper’s ‘Nighthawks,’ and Grant Wood’s ‘American Gothic.’ In amongst these iconic artworks are further examples of Wright’s beautiful furniture and glass panels.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: Wright’s works in The Chicago History Museum can be viewed in within the ‘Chicago: Crossroads of America’ exhibit, while those in the Art Institute of Chicago can be viewed in gallery 179.
Conclusion
There are many amazing Frank Lloyd Wright buildings to visit all over the United States. From the iconic Fallingwater to the lesser-known Unity Temple, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you are a fan of architecture or simply looking for a unique travel experience, I encourage you to add these buildings to your next itinerary and start visiting the Frank Lloyd Wright architecture that can be seen throughout the US. This is only a small percentage of Wright buildings that can be visited in the US, but it doesn't take many visits to become totally enthralled in Wright's genius. I hope that you have enjoyed my selection of designs and I will update this post as and when I visit more of Wright's architecture.
If you would like to learn more about Frank Lloyd Wright and to visit many of the buildings that he designed, check out the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy
Related Blog Posts
If you are interested in architecture, please view the Tailor-Made Itineraries posts below:
Comment below and let us know what your favourite Frank Lloyd Wright building was.
Don’t forget that Tailor-Made Itineraries delights in creating bespoke self-guided tours. So, if visiting any of these amazing buildings appeals to you, reach out to me by email. I would be more than happy to design a self-guided tour around your requirements incorporating the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, or indeed, any themed tour of the US.
Join me next time on my adventures when I go off the beaten trail and discover the delights of Harrison County, Ohio. Tailor-Made Itineraries posts every two weeks, and you can subscribe to the latest blog and newsletter here. Until then, happy reading and safe travels.
Barry
Contact Me: tailoritineraries@gmail.com
Tailor-Made Itineraries creates one-of-a-kind bespoke self-guided travel itineraries for adventurous and curious travellers.
These self-guided tours deliver a personalised and exciting holiday experience that takes the effort out of trip planning.
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