Frank Lloyd Wright as the Preeminent Architect Who Ever Lived in America - Essay Example

Frank Lloyd Wright Introduction Frank Lloyd Wright has often been referred as the preeminent architect ever lived in America. Wright was born on June8, 1867, in Richland Center, Wisconsin. Analyzing his personal background it is identified that after university education, he joined as the assistant Louis Sullivan, a very popular artist of that time. Later, he established his own firm and cultivated his own style which is known as Prairie school, and promoted an organic structure in the construction of homes and commercial buildings. The large number of buildings he created all over America exhorts his glorious career as an architect. Before his death on April 9, 1959, he had built up an indelible mark in the history of American architecture. It this talent helped him to earn the envious position as the father of American architecture. Wright had an innate love of nature in the childhood and it became intense while staying in his mother’s family in Spring Green. This passion for nature has really helped him to overcome the greatest heights of architecture. He has once narrated this experience thus, “The modeling of the hills, the weaving and fabric that clings to them, the look of it all in tender green or covered with snow or in full glow of summer that bursts into the glorious blaze of autumn," (Frank Lloyd Wright). Wright establishes his firm love towards nature in these words; "I still feel myself as much a part of it as the trees and birds and bees are, and the red barns" (Frank Lloyd Wright). In addition to this, his clergyman fathers playing of Bach and Beethoven and his mothers gift of geometric blocks also had great impact on him. In order to study architecture and learn the traditional, classical language, Wright, the country boy, had to go Chicago (Hurder). It has really helped him to mould his career as an architect who could infuse art and classical style in his creations. Analyzing the career and vast number of the architectural creations of Wright, it is evident that he has blended his love of nature with art that paved the way for ‘organic architecture’ in his creations. Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture Identifying the common feature of Wright’s architecture is a difficult task for a person because of the innumerable designs and structures he experimented in his creations. However, everyone would agree that Wright followed a perfect style, blended with natural resources either by slightly adapting them or maintaining their natural style. He was never ready to replace the natural one with the artificial and therefore he could maintain the real essence of art in it. Intended to preserve the natural elements and resources in constructions, he proposed a new method of architecture called, ‘organic architecture’ that brought revolutionary changes in American architecture. Organic architecture The term ‘organic’ can be interpreted in two ways; “on the one hand, Wright’s organic architecture harmonized with nature and even seemed a part of its realm. On the other hand, Wright’s description of Unity Temple reveals, organic architecture meant the complete integration of parts and the reasonable character of all actions to achieve the same type of fitness and wholeness found in the flora and fauna of the natural world” (Etlin 48). Wright introduced the word ‘organic’ into his philosophy of architecture as early as 1908, followed with the slogan, “form follows function” proposed by his mentor Louis Sullivan (Elman). Later, Wright changed this phrase to “form and function are one,” assuming the great importance to nature as the best example of this integration (Elman). According to Wright, he never claimed that the building forms were truly representing nature; instead, organic architecture is a reinterpretation of nature’s principles as they had been filtered through the intelligent minds of men and women who could then build forms which are more natural than nature itself (Elman). In order to make clear his concept, Wright states, “So here I stand before you preaching organic architecture: declaring organic architecture to be the modern ideal and the teaching so much needed if we are to see the whole of life, and to now serve the whole of life, holding no ‘traditions’ essential to the great TRADITION. Nor cherishing any preconceived form fixing upon us either past, present or future, but—instead—exalting the simple laws of common sense—or of super-sense if you prefer—determining form by way of the nature of materials...” ((Elman). Wright’s statement clearly exposes the significance of implementing organic architecture in constructions. It has also been viewed as integrating the spaces into a coherent whole, that is, the harmonious relationship between the form/design and the function of the building (Elman). Such construction considers every element as being part of the unique construction. The architect had to depend or adopt only lighting, heating and ventilation other than all other natural resources. Prairie houses In addition to all these features, Wright had implemented certain other features also in architecture. One of the most important among them is the Prairie style houses. These houses also followed natural way of construction. They had the features like, Low-pitched roof, Overhanging eaves, Horizontal lines, Central chimney, Open floor plan and Clerestory windows (Craven). Analyzing the main motives or inspirations of Wright’s work it is assumed that “Wright’s posture seemed to be derived from the traditions of Platonic thought and Christian belief. Plato’s description of the tangible world as the “mere shadow” of reality established a distinction between the ideal and material worlds and, affirms the superiority of the former” (Laseau 3). All through his constructions, Wright has tried his best to maintain the originality. Conclusion An evaluation of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture acknowledges the fact that Wright truly deserves the title, ‘the father of American architecture’. His popular works like the ‘Falling water’, ‘Unity Church’, ‘Robie House’, and so on exemplifies his love of nature and its infusion in architecture. Wright’s way of creation is really praiseworthy as he contributed all his attention to include the natural resources without adapting their natural appearance. His ‘Falling water’ becomes the best example for such creation. This new method of architecture which he introduced as ‘organic architecture’ has proved his concept, “form and function are one,” true. The harmonious relationship between the form/design and the function of his buildings help support his motto. To conclude, one can state that the analysis of the career and vast number of the architectural creations of Wright proves the blending of his love of nature with art and the buildings erected in this way have become part of the history. Works cited: Craven, Jackie. 1893-1920: Prairie Style. architecture.about.com. 2015. Web. 09 Apr. 2015. http://architecture.about.com/od/periodsstyles/ig/House-Styles/The-Robie-House.htm Elman, Kimberly. Frank Lloyd Wright and the Principles of Organic Architecture. pbs.org. 2015. Web. 09 Apr. 2015. http://www.pbs.org/flw/legacy/essay1.html Etlin, Richard A. Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier: The Romantic Legacy. Illustrated edition. Manchester University Press, 1994. Print. "Frank Lloyd Wright." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2015. Web. 09 Apr. 2015. http://www.biography.com/people/frank-lloyd-wright-9537511#synopsis Hurder, Steven. Brief Biography of Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959). oprf.com. 2015. Web. 09 Apr. 2015. http://www.oprf.com/flw/bio/ Read More