Inside Frank Lloyd Wright's First Home and Studio in Oak Park
I explore the history of Frank Lloyd Wright's Oak Park Home and Studio, his primary residence from 1889 to 1909 where he launched his career and designed early Prairie-style masterpieces. This living laboratory reveals his evolving architectural eye, from the modest shingle-style home to the attached studio wing, before its eventual restoration by the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust.
It was his living laboratory, trying to see what designs worked in place as he was living through them.
- shooker435
> Wright left Oak Park and separated from Tobin Wright in 1909. Before leaving, he divided the studio and the home, allowing Tobin Wright and the children to live in the studio wing and rent out the house for income. Wright sold the property in 1925 and later owners divided the building into six units and neglected to preserve the historically significant property.
This is a really generous interpretation of what happened... He ran off to Europe with one of their neighbors, and his ex-wife (not divorced yet, though!) was left high and dry with no money and was forced to turn the studio into apartments for income.
- burkaman
I know houses used to be cheaper but I was still struggling to understand how a 22-year-old from what doesn't sound like a very rich family could have afforded this. His foundation website says "he negotiated a five-year contract with Sullivan in exchange for the loan of the necessary money" and then "it was not long before escalating expenses tempted him into accepting independent residential commissions". I guess you really did used to be able to get whatever you wanted just by going to college and working hard.
- twright
It never ceases to amaze me how Wright's style was so ahead of the times. A lot of people immediately think the houses are mid-50's but they're in fact 20 to 30 years earlier! If you happen to be driving through somewhere near one of the houses that are under conservancy[1] they are well worth a stop.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Frank_Lloyd_Wright_wor...
- Zigurd
I grew up in Oak Park and I've been in the home and studio several times. It's a remarkably homey home, in contrast with Wright's reputation for art over practicality. It's also what you'd expect from a tech nerd's work at home home: it has a whole house audio system in the form of a player piano built into a central stairway.
- iammjm
I guess it’s pretty basic to like FLW but god damn did he make some lovely houses. Incredibly cozy and livable, just a pleasure to simply reside in them. I just love their shapes, materials and spaciousness.