Modern Arch Since 1900 Ch7

the architectural system of frank lloyd wright

Turn of the century Chicago saw an influx of middle class businessmen. Frank Lloyd Wright would solidify an architecture for these people. His clients wanted an aesthetic that matched their lifestyle: a contrast of economy with with wealth.

Wrights work consisted mainly in houses so his architectural metaphors spoke of the domestic life. These houses were primarily suburban and emphasized a detachment from the urban city to something more pastoral. His key motifs were the central fire place and the horizontal lay out.

The fire place is a very old motif that may have lost its ritual importance by the early modern period, but none the less still translated as a metaphor for domestic life.

The language of tall office buildings were about being vertical. The horizontal layout was a hallmark of the house. It allowed easy access to the whole house and suggested simplicity. It was well embraced as a template for an appropriate house.