Frank Lloyd Wright. Sure, he’s a famous architect with a household name. But what’s the big deal? As an architectural historian, I often get asked what my favorite architectural style or time period is. The second most common question I get is my opinion of Frank Lloyd Wright. People love to have opinions about Frank… Read More Five Things to Like About Frank Lloyd Wright
Roadside architecture, from motels to rest areas and campgrounds, is an architectural genre all its own. Much of this architecture corresponds directly with the growth of America’s highway system in the 1950s and 60s, and the popularization of the American road trip. It should come as no surprise that I’m endlessly intrigued by this topic:… Read More The Architecture of Rural Rest Stops
Three houses stand on the south side of Chicago Avenue, just a block from Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and studio, that stand out slightly from their surroundings. They aren’t average suburban houses but they aren’t obvious Frank Lloyd Wright designs, either. What’s the deal? These three houses are known as Frank Lloyd Wright’s “bootleg houses.”… Read More Frank Lloyd Wright’s Bootleg Houses
One of the things I love about Chicago is the widespread use of brick (not surprising for a city with a world famous fire in its history). Not only that, but Chicago features a diversity of brick in type, bond (layout pattern), and color. Of course I’m not the only one that has been intrigued… Read More Featured: Brick of Chicago
An hour and a half north of Chicago, in the small town of Racine, Wisconsin, the S.C. Johnson headquarters (originally Johnson Wax) sits mere blocks from the broad, blue expanse of Lake Michigan. With historic neighborhoods and old factory buildings on either side, S.C. Johnson’s iconic research tower is an unusual beacon to visitors: this… Read More S.C. Johnson: the Wright Office Building
