The Wright Way - A Study of FLW's Home & Studio

T H E S T U D Y

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F L W ' S

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W A Y S T U D I O

VOLUME 1

AUGUST 2021

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W R I G H T

PRIYANKA MUKEHRJEE

Frank Lloyd Wright 1867-1959 Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, educator, writer and designer. He designed more than 1,000 building and structures over a vast creative period sprawled over 70 years.

Wright has had a very positive influence on me, in my four years as a student of architecture. His ideologies of defining space with a large variety of elements has taught me to develop my own styles.

Frank Lloyd Wright, according to me, will go down in history as one of the greatest minds to ever exist, even more than he is now.

Writing this piece really shed light on one of my most favourite FLW structures and I feel very honoured to have authored it.

When a twenty-two-year-old Frank Lloyd Wright began designing his first home, he probably didn’t have the faintest idea of the legacy that he had embarked upon. This building was the very first structure that Wright had complete artistic and creative control over. Located in the western edges of Chicago, the neighbourhood still stands as a break away from the crowds and hustle-bustle of the city. The significance that this modest home held was of evolution. Built for his new bride, Wright altered the original structure multiple times, housing the various needs of his growing family. With the initial concepts revolving around the functionality of the spaces, the expansions were hence very strategically implemented. The flow of each space was preserved.

Working under Louis Sullivan had helped shape Wright’s own opinion and vision in understanding organic architecture.

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Designing the Home and Studio, Wright found a place where he experimented with space, form and light, manipulating shadows and openings to create the functions of the spaces simultaneously. He skilfully intertwined materials, furnishings and various art forms into his output, and are found vividly in the minute detailing.

He used a certain extent of visual illusion, the entries to both the home as well as the studio appear hidden, hence invoking a sense of curiosity.

On observing the floor plans, it is seen how the two spaces, namely the studio and the home, are very visibly zoned. This helped create a sense of privacy for the work and study area, while also letting the home have its intimacy. With each addition, Wright would continue to adjust and alter every corner of the house. He would invite artists, writers and clients over to host

The bold and stand-out geometric forms and the unconventional shapes of the studio produces a monumental scale from the human perspective.

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them and this very act is evident throughout the home.

A major feature of the house was the way Wright portrayed his travels across the world through interior design elements.

He adorned window sills, ceiling brackets and columns using replicas of Greek sculptures, and used Japanese rice paper to dim the lights above the dining table.

The Studio section of the house, consists of the drafting room, library, office and study. With an obvious division from the main structure, the Studio became the home to a large number of Wright’s creations. The exterior shape psychology of the Studio and Study portray a direct expression of the spaces within – something that Wright had primarily aimed for. The squared base and the upper octagonal drum of the drafting room placed on the eastern side, is almost perfectly balanced by the smaller octagonal form of the library towards the west.

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The bold and stand-out geometric forms and the unconventional shapes of the studio produces a monumental scale from the human perspective. The lighting that filters into these spaces creates a functional zone where working becomes comfortable. The placement of the Studio, along with its layout helped create a space that improves concentration with absolutely no exterior forces causing disturbances. The materials used to build the Studio, Shingles and the Chicago common brick, were the same as that used in the Home, hence creating a visual integration between the two otherwise separate zones.

The ground floor of the eastern wing of the studio was the Drafting Room, which was, evidently used for architectural drafting and drawing. The balcony in this double heighted space was also often used for allied arts, such as sculptures, photography, drawing and art glass.

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What really stood out for me was the simplicity with which the interior space was designed. The wooden beams and the octagonal drum showcased the kind of aesthetic that creates a space for creative thinking. This room is the prime example of how fluidly Wright fused engineering with architecture.

On the western wing is the octagonal shaped library. This, also being a double height space, creates a monumental effect in the interior space. The design was fit to its function – a private and intimate area for reading and client consultation.

High clearstory windows on seven of the faces provided ample space on the walls for accommodating cabinets while providing a perspective view of the tree tops. The skylights made of frosted glass and high set windows result in natural light to flood into the space – the best kind of lighting for reading and studying. A short hall separates the library from the rest of the studio to provide a distinct sense of privacy within the building.

Moving into the main structure, the Home, the most iconic space for many remains to be the Playroom. It is the key example of Wright’s perception of organic architecture. This room was designed to be multi-purpose, allowing the children to do as they pleased in the large open space, creating their own bubbles and creative spaces. It went as far as holding performances, small theatre shows and Wright even taught kindergarten to other children in the Playroom.

A sort of ‘theatre seating’ was created on a small balcony, beneath which is a piano, the location of numerous theatrical performances. The piano, a Steinway, was Wright’s own, which is intact apart from the legs, which were removed so as to fit into the cavity space.

Another memorabilia from their travels, lotus lamps were added to the Playroom after the Wrights returned from Japan, and their design compliments the strikingly colourful stained-glass windows.

The mural on the back wall, painted by Orlando Giannini, is evidentally the centrepiece of the room, displaying a fisherman, genie and a Mosque in the background; a beautiful reference to Wright’s children, who liked stories such as the Thousand and One Nights.

During this time, as the Arts and Craft Movement grew and

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spread worldwide, Wright adapted to its features also. He embraced the strong philosophy of craftsmanship, simplicity and integrity in art, architecture and design within his own architecture.

The central fireplace design with cushioned seating right next to it can also be found in most of Wrights’ other designs. This was a design element where Wright aimed to accentuate the importance of time spent here reading, thinking and learning. There was always a play with the flow of space, the central fireplace being a prime example.

Although it was built as a small room within itself, the walls were open, so one could see through to the rooms – to the living spaces in front, and also, to the left and right. Wright even placed a mirror at the top of the Roman brick fireplace area to give the illusion of more space, openness and expanse. His ‘room within a room’ was a continuous and unforgettable trait.

The house continued to change and evolve, and by 1911 Wright even installed a two-car garage right next to the house.

From a critiquing point of view, I feel the interior spaces might have looked better with more neutral colours instead of the green and yellow. Lighter, more light reflective shades would easily make the spaces more open and brighter. After analysing each space – the best I could do through pictures and videos – I saw how deeply each element of the design was thought out, the minutest of details that made each and every area unique and functional.

This particular structure portrays what architecture stands for – evolution and adaptation through the years. Every part of the house was altered to accommodate the latest needs, and very creatively redone so as to still make it naturally circulatory. I tried to specifically highlight the spaces that stood out and inspired me the most.

This is what architecture worldwide should look like – rigid in its being, but flexible enough to accommodate whatever is necessary.

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THE WRIGHT WAY

PRIYANKA MUKHERJEE

Text Research References: 1. Frank Lloyd Wright Trust, FLW Home & Studio: https://flwright.org/researchexplore/homeandstudio 2. Frank Lloyd Wright Trust: https://flwright.org/visit/homeandstudio 3. Wikipedia - Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Lloyd_Wright_Home_and_Studio 4. An Evolving Aesthetic: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home & Studio in Oak Park, Illinois: http://www.thecraftsmanbungalow.com/frank-lloyd-wright-home-studio/ 5. Chicago Architecture Centre: https://www.architecture.org/learn/resources/buildings-of-chicago/building/frank lloyd-wright-home-studio/ 6. The Frank Lloyd Wright Collection at The Oak Park Public Library: https://www.lib.niu.edu/1984/il8404180.html

Priyanka Mukherjee priyanka.mukherjee604@gmail.com thebratjournal.wordpress.com @priiyankaaaa