View Frank Lloyd Wright’s Early Work on a Chicago Architecture Walk
This annual spring tour features Chicago-area homes by the master of Prairie-style architecture and those who worked with him
Bud Dietrich, AIA
April 11, 2016
Houzz Contributor. My name is Bud Dietrich and I am an architect located in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. I am licensed to practice architecture in Illinois, Florida, New Jersey & Wisconsin. Since 1996 I have worked from my home office and provide full architectural services exclusively to the single family residential market. My passion is to transform my clients' houses into their homes. I strive to have the "new" home accommodate my clients' lives without fighting them at every junction. I look to add curb appeal to encourage a beautiful streetscape. And I design any addition to look and feel like it has always been there.
Our projects have won numerous design awards as well as having been featured on television (CBS News Sunday Morning, HGTV, CLTV, etc.), in magazines (Better Homes...
Houzz Contributor. My name is Bud Dietrich and I am an architect located in the Tampa... More
Robin Williams said, “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’” And a springtime party in Chicagoland that shouldn’t be missed is the annual Wright Plus Housewalk, organized by the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust. Now in its fourth decade, this tour is a chance to get inside some of the great houses of the Prairie style and have a lunch alfresco after the long, cold Chicago winter.
This year’s collection of houses on tour includes some regulars, such as the Wright Home and Studio and Robie House, as well as gems rarely open to the public, such as Wright’s “bootleg” houses and the Winslow House. In fact, the Winslow House, which hasn’t been on the tour since 1977, is one of the iconic early designs by Wright and a harbinger of his fully developed Prairie houses.
Wright Plus Housewalk: May 21, 2016, in Oak Park and River Forest, Illinois; tour $95 Frank Lloyd Wright Trust members, $110 nonmembers, box lunch $15. Space is limited; call (312) 994-4000 to reserve a spot. Ticket info
This year’s collection of houses on tour includes some regulars, such as the Wright Home and Studio and Robie House, as well as gems rarely open to the public, such as Wright’s “bootleg” houses and the Winslow House. In fact, the Winslow House, which hasn’t been on the tour since 1977, is one of the iconic early designs by Wright and a harbinger of his fully developed Prairie houses.
Wright Plus Housewalk: May 21, 2016, in Oak Park and River Forest, Illinois; tour $95 Frank Lloyd Wright Trust members, $110 nonmembers, box lunch $15. Space is limited; call (312) 994-4000 to reserve a spot. Ticket info
Thomas Gale House, 1892
Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright
Young architects often moonlight while working at large architectural firms. As head draftsman at Adler & Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright was no different. Even though Wright’s mentor, Louis Sullivan, forbade moonlighting, Wright took on several commissions. These houses, known as the “bootleg houses,” were designed for Wright’s neighbors in Oak Park.
This year’s walk includes the Thomas Gale House of 1892. This bootleg house is Wright’s version of the popular Queen Anne style of the time. And while it certainly has Queen Anne elements (the steeply pitched roof and corner turret), the house — from its horizontal banding, deep overhangs and banded windows — is all Wright.
Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright
Young architects often moonlight while working at large architectural firms. As head draftsman at Adler & Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright was no different. Even though Wright’s mentor, Louis Sullivan, forbade moonlighting, Wright took on several commissions. These houses, known as the “bootleg houses,” were designed for Wright’s neighbors in Oak Park.
This year’s walk includes the Thomas Gale House of 1892. This bootleg house is Wright’s version of the popular Queen Anne style of the time. And while it certainly has Queen Anne elements (the steeply pitched roof and corner turret), the house — from its horizontal banding, deep overhangs and banded windows — is all Wright.
William Winslow House, 1893-94
Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright
The Winslow House, built from 1893 to 1894, and was one of Wright’s first independent commissions upon leaving Adler & Sullivan. With its terra-cotta ornamentation at the door, and windows that are punched openings in the wall, much of the design is straight out of the Louis Sullivan playbook. But there are also elements, like the hip roof with broad overhangs and the horizontal banding, that show Wright’s early thinking about an architecture of the prairie. In fact, in less than a decade, Wright — while maintaining the hip roof, broad overhangs and horizontal banding — would explode the box at the Darwin Martin House, his first truly mature Prairie-style design.
While this house marks a turning point in the history of architectural design, it was such a departure from the standard suburban house of the time that it was quite controversial. In fact, William Winslow stopped taking the train to Chicago so he wouldn’t have to listen to other commuters deride the house.
Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright
The Winslow House, built from 1893 to 1894, and was one of Wright’s first independent commissions upon leaving Adler & Sullivan. With its terra-cotta ornamentation at the door, and windows that are punched openings in the wall, much of the design is straight out of the Louis Sullivan playbook. But there are also elements, like the hip roof with broad overhangs and the horizontal banding, that show Wright’s early thinking about an architecture of the prairie. In fact, in less than a decade, Wright — while maintaining the hip roof, broad overhangs and horizontal banding — would explode the box at the Darwin Martin House, his first truly mature Prairie-style design.
While this house marks a turning point in the history of architectural design, it was such a departure from the standard suburban house of the time that it was quite controversial. In fact, William Winslow stopped taking the train to Chicago so he wouldn’t have to listen to other commuters deride the house.
Harry and Louisa Goodrich House, 1896
Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright
Another one of Wright’s earliest houses on this year’s walk is the Harry and Louisa Goodrich House of 1896.
This house seems to me to be evidence of Wright’s struggle between the standard Shingle and Queen Anne styles, both in vogue at the time, and his desire to invent a new style. In just a few years, the double pitched roof, broad overhangs and projecting would become the hip roof, deep overhangs and projecting volumes of his Prairie-style houses.
Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright
Another one of Wright’s earliest houses on this year’s walk is the Harry and Louisa Goodrich House of 1896.
This house seems to me to be evidence of Wright’s struggle between the standard Shingle and Queen Anne styles, both in vogue at the time, and his desire to invent a new style. In just a few years, the double pitched roof, broad overhangs and projecting would become the hip roof, deep overhangs and projecting volumes of his Prairie-style houses.
William E. Drummond House, 1910
Architect: William Drummond
As in the past, Wright isn’t the only Prairie-style architect to be featured on the walk. Another notable architect who is represented is William Drummond.
Drummond, a chief draftsman during Wright’s Oak Park years, was part of the studio when Robie House and so many other great Wright works were designed and built. In 1910, he constructed a home for himself in River Forest, most likely based on Wright’s design for the Fireproof House of 1907. Surely Drummond, who worked for Wright at the time the Fireproof House was published in Ladies’ Home Journal, knew of the design, and may even have been involved in preparing the design and the drawings of the house for publication.
Architect: William Drummond
As in the past, Wright isn’t the only Prairie-style architect to be featured on the walk. Another notable architect who is represented is William Drummond.
Drummond, a chief draftsman during Wright’s Oak Park years, was part of the studio when Robie House and so many other great Wright works were designed and built. In 1910, he constructed a home for himself in River Forest, most likely based on Wright’s design for the Fireproof House of 1907. Surely Drummond, who worked for Wright at the time the Fireproof House was published in Ladies’ Home Journal, knew of the design, and may even have been involved in preparing the design and the drawings of the house for publication.
Charles J. Barr House, 1912
Architect: William Drummond
Drummond’s Charles J. Barr House of 1912, with its front porch, hip roof and trim work, reminds me of the Collier Brown House that Wright designed in 1905. Again, surely Drummond would have been very familiar with, if not the principal designer and draftsman for, the Collier Brown House.
Architect: William Drummond
Drummond’s Charles J. Barr House of 1912, with its front porch, hip roof and trim work, reminds me of the Collier Brown House that Wright designed in 1905. Again, surely Drummond would have been very familiar with, if not the principal designer and draftsman for, the Collier Brown House.
Mary Greenlees Yerkes House, 1912
Architect: John S. Van Bergen
Another variant of the Fireproof House on the walk this year is the Mary Greenlees Yerkes House of 1912. Architect John S. Van Bergen didn’t start to work for Wright until 1909 so wouldn’t have been involved with the Fireproof House project. He did, however, finish up the drawings for the iconic Robie House as well as the Mrs. Thomas H. Gale House.
The ganged windows, low roof with broad overhangs and the stress on the horizontal are features of the Prairie style. And while the exterior is always available for public viewing, the interior, with original built-ins and fixtures, is seldom open to visitors.
Architect: John S. Van Bergen
Another variant of the Fireproof House on the walk this year is the Mary Greenlees Yerkes House of 1912. Architect John S. Van Bergen didn’t start to work for Wright until 1909 so wouldn’t have been involved with the Fireproof House project. He did, however, finish up the drawings for the iconic Robie House as well as the Mrs. Thomas H. Gale House.
The ganged windows, low roof with broad overhangs and the stress on the horizontal are features of the Prairie style. And while the exterior is always available for public viewing, the interior, with original built-ins and fixtures, is seldom open to visitors.
Telfer McCarthur House, 1928
Architects: Charles White & Bertram A. Weber
The Telfer McCarthur House of 1928 is an excellent example of the Arts and Crafts style that came into vogue in the 1920s. With a steeply pitched roof, leaded casement windows and masonry construction, this house is evocative of the storybook designs that Americans and others desired during the boom years of the Jazz Age. Perhaps all that technological advance, easy money in the market and Prohibition-inspired crime made Americans desire homes that weren’t as rootless and modern as the Prairie style. Maybe they just wanted a refuge-like home that reminded them of simpler times.
In any event, I’d end my walk with this house to get a firsthand glimpse at how American domestic design changed over three-plus decades.
More
Roots of Style: Prairie Architecture Ushers in Modern Design
More about Wright’s work and legacy
Architects: Charles White & Bertram A. Weber
The Telfer McCarthur House of 1928 is an excellent example of the Arts and Crafts style that came into vogue in the 1920s. With a steeply pitched roof, leaded casement windows and masonry construction, this house is evocative of the storybook designs that Americans and others desired during the boom years of the Jazz Age. Perhaps all that technological advance, easy money in the market and Prohibition-inspired crime made Americans desire homes that weren’t as rootless and modern as the Prairie style. Maybe they just wanted a refuge-like home that reminded them of simpler times.
In any event, I’d end my walk with this house to get a firsthand glimpse at how American domestic design changed over three-plus decades.
More
Roots of Style: Prairie Architecture Ushers in Modern Design
More about Wright’s work and legacy
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Yes, the tour includes access to the interiors.
I am dying to go there...thanks for this !