Synopses & Reviews
Frank Lloyd Wright's residential architecture in and around Oak Park, Illinois, in the early part of this century constitutes some of the architect's most recognizable and distinctive work. From the Oak Park Home and Studio itself, where Wright lived and practiced during this time, to the signature Robie House in Chicago, the extraordinary work from Wright's Prairie period embodies the intense creativity of his early career. Taking his cue from the vast, virgin grasslands that surrounded the Chicago area, Wright produced homes that reflect the land upon which they were built-- with unbroken roof planes, sheltering eaves, and dramatic, sweeping lines. This volume offers a succinct, site-by-site showcase of Wright's first major contribution to American design: the Prairie House.
Among the homes selected are the Frederick C. Robie House, the Mrs. Thomas Gale House, the William H. Winslow House, and the Dana-Thomas House. Exceptional color photography of Wright's finely wrought interiors-- including his own drafting room at the Home and Studio-- as well as bold exterior perspectives offer readers an inspiring view of Wright's unique architectural mission. With an informative introduction, excerpts from Wright's own writings, and rarely seen archival photographs, Frank Lloyd Wright and the Prairie is a must for all those interested in Wright's work and this definitive period in American architecture.
"We of the Middle West are living on the prairie. The prairie has a beauty of its own and we should recognize and accentuate this natural beauty, its quiet level."--Frank Lloyd Wright, 1908
Synopsis
Includes the finest examples of his celebrated, distinctive houses in and around Chicago.
About the Author
The Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that operates two Wright-designed landmarks as museums: the architect's own residence and studio in Oak Park, Illinois, and his renowned Prairie Style design, the Frederick C. Robie House on the campus of the University of Chicago. The Foundation also manages collections of Wright furnishings, objects, and artifacts, offers educational programs, and operates a research center on Wright and the Prairie School of architecture. Its mission is to educate a worldwide audience in the architectural and artistic principles of Frank Lloyd Wright, to restore and preserve the Wright-designed structures entrusted to its care, and to present those structures and their collections to the public. The Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio and the Robie House are sites of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Melanie Birk is the publications director of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio Foundation. She has written professionally on the subject of Wright's work for eight years and served as editor of a number of publications, including the book, Frank Lloyd Wright's Fifty Views of Japan. A specialist in writing about the field of historic preservation, she holds a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University.