The Ultimate Guide to Frank Lloyd Wright

From the legendary architect’s most iconic projects to homes that you can actually rent, we’ve compiled our Frank Lloyd Wright stories into a single archive so that they’re all one click away (you’re welcome).
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With more than a thousand projects to his name—created over a 70-year career that straddled the turn of the century and made way for modernism—it’s safe to say Frank Lloyd Wright is among the most masterful and beloved architects of our time. Today, his impact continues because of his enduring design philosophies and formal teachings.

As a salute to the great FLW and his achievements, we’ve created a compendium of our recent reporting on him and his sphere of influence. Whether you’re looking to learn more about the architect’s design thinking or just poke around inside Frank Lloyd Wright homes that have surfaced on the market, scroll ahead and indulge.

Top Projects and Deep Dives

When it comes to Frank Lloyd Wright, we’ve covered everything from book launches and peer remembrances to preservation efforts and demolitions. Delve into these pieces that elucidate his oeuvre.

A Profile of Taliesin West’s Resident Photographer, the Late Pedro Guerrero, Reveals Wright’s Collaborative Nature and His Eye for Imagery

Dwell traveled to Florence, Arizona, to speak with Guerrero, who was hired at age 22 by Wright to be Taliesin West’s house photographer, marking the start of an artistic bond that would last until the architect’s death in 1959.

Frank Lloyd Wright at the Reisley House in Usonia, a cooperative housing development in Pleasantville, New York, 1952.  

Frank Lloyd Wright at the Reisley House in Usonia, a cooperative housing development in Pleasantville, New York, 1952.  

Take the Official Frank Lloyd Wright Trail and See 9 of the Architect’s Buildings in His Home State

This self-guided motor trail weaves through southern Wisconsin, stopping at nine of Wright’s most impressive buildings along the way.

The SC Johnson Building’s one-half acre Great Workroom in Racine, Wisconsin, is known for its tree-shaped columns, which Wright referred to as "dendriform." The state's industrial commission refused to approve the columns until Wright proved they they could withstand sixty tons of weight—or ten times the required amount. 

The SC Johnson Building’s one-half acre Great Workroom in Racine, Wisconsin, is known for its tree-shaped columns, which Wright referred to as "dendriform." The state's industrial commission refused to approve the columns until Wright proved they they could withstand sixty tons of weight—or ten times the required amount. 

Over 80 Years Later, Fallingwater Still Has Lessons to Teach Us

It made the cover of TIME magazine in 1938—touted as Frank Lloyd Wright’s "most beautiful job"—and was recently added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. To truly appreciate Fallingwater, you have to experience Fallingwater. So, Dwell went there, and reported back. 

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater home has been a catalyst for tourism since it opened for tours in 1964. Most travelers come from more than four hours away and explore other Wright-designed gems in the region.  

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater home has been a catalyst for tourism since it opened for tours in 1964. Most travelers come from more than four hours away and explore other Wright-designed gems in the region.  

Go Inside a Classic Wright Usonian Home That Impresses Despite $100K in Fire Damages

The Boulter House in Cincinnati—one of Wright’s Usonian home designs—has all the classic features of its type, including an open floor plan, abundant horizontal lines, and material combinations of wood and concrete. 

The homeowners, who purchased the dwelling for $630,000 when it hit the market earlier in the year, were out of town during the blaze.

The homeowners, who purchased the dwelling for $630,000 when it hit the market earlier in the year, were out of town during the blaze.

Explore Wright’s Unbuilt Precursor to the Guggenheim Museum Through Photorealistic Renderings

Spanish architect David Romero resurrects one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s unrealized designs for a car-centric, circular ziggurat atop Sugarloaf Mountain, Maryland, with a planetarium at its heart.

Designed as a tourist attraction for Maryland’s Sugarloaf Mountain, the Gordon Strong project was meant to heighten the summit’s dramatic views.

Designed as a tourist attraction for Maryland’s Sugarloaf Mountain, the Gordon Strong project was meant to heighten the summit’s dramatic views.

Tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s Little-Known Prefabs Across the Country—from New York to Wisconsin 

Learn more about the architect’s career-long obsession with creating affordable, sometimes prefabricated, housing for the masses.

The only grouping of Frank Lloyd Wright’s early American System-Built Homes—built by Arthur Richards and designed with standardized components for mass appeal to moderate-income families—is situated in the Burnham Park neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The only grouping of Frank Lloyd Wright’s early American System-Built Homes—built by Arthur Richards and designed with standardized components for mass appeal to moderate-income families—is situated in the Burnham Park neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Originally Built for an Estimated $10K, This Frank Lloyd Wright Home in Chicago Is Still a Case Study for Affordable Design

In 2019, the book Frank Lloyd Wright’s $10,000 Home: History, Design, and Restoration of the Bach House was published, exploring how the 1915 residence distilled the tenets of Wright’s work. The property’s current owners have also made it available for nightly rentals on Airbnb.

The Bach House, built in 1915 for a brick maker’s son in Rogers Park, Chicago, is a 2,700-square-foot, two-story home that offers beauty and practicality at an approachable price tag.

The Bach House, built in 1915 for a brick maker’s son in Rogers Park, Chicago, is a 2,700-square-foot, two-story home that offers beauty and practicality at an approachable price tag.

Frank Lloyd Wright Homes on the Market

It’s not every day that a Frank Lloyd Wright home becomes available for sale, and when one does, it usually doesn’t stay listed for long. While the following homes have most likely found buyers, at least the listings allow for a look inside.

Even With a Bargain Price, the Flared Dormers and Pagoda-Style Details of This Wright-Designed Home in Chicago Were a Surprise for Most Chicago Buyers

Location: Chicago, Illinois
Year Built: 1900
Previous Asking Price: $175,000 (sold for $135,000)

The 1900 Foster House is located along South Harvard Avenue in Chicago’s West Pullman neighborhood. The roomy home was built as a summer residence for attorney and land association president, Stephen A. Foster.

The 1900 Foster House is located along South Harvard Avenue in Chicago’s West Pullman neighborhood. The roomy home was built as a summer residence for attorney and land association president, Stephen A. Foster.

A Wright-Designed Schoolhouse With His Iconic "Kinder-Symphony" Windows Is Now a Spacious Family Home

Location: Riverside, Illinois
Year Built: 1912
Previous Asking Price: $650,000 (sold for $550,000)

The 1912 Avery Coonley Playhouse was originally commissioned as part of a larger, Wright-designed estate that included the equally famous Avery Coonley House. Just a few years after the school’s completion in 1912, its owners hired architect William Drummond to convert the structure into a single-family residence, as it remains today.

The 1912 Avery Coonley Playhouse was originally commissioned as part of a larger, Wright-designed estate that included the equally famous Avery Coonley House. Just a few years after the school’s completion in 1912, its owners hired architect William Drummond to convert the structure into a single-family residence, as it remains today.

The Beloved Ennis House by Wright in Hollywood Trades Hands After a Nearly $17M Renovation

Location: Los Angeles, California
Year Built: 1924
Previous Asking Price: $23,000,000 (sold for $18,000,000)

Set on a 0.3-acre hilltop, the Ennis House perfectly encapsulates Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous quote: "No house should ever be on a hill or on anything. It should be of the hill. Belonging to it. Hill and house should live together, each the happier for the other."

Set on a 0.3-acre hilltop, the Ennis House perfectly encapsulates Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous quote: "No house should ever be on a hill or on anything. It should be of the hill. Belonging to it. Hill and house should live together, each the happier for the other."

Listed For Sale in 2021, Wright’s 1920s Freeman House Benefits from Upgrades by Architects Rudolph Schindler, John Lautner, and Gregory Ain

Location: Los Angeles, California
Year Built: 1925
Previous Asking Price: $4,300,000 (still for sale as of August 2021)

According to historical records, the Freemans approached Wright with a $10,000 commission (although the project would ultimately cost $23,000) to create a residence that would host guests including Edward Weston, Martha Graham, and Clark Gable.

According to historical records, the Freemans approached Wright with a $10,000 commission (although the project would ultimately cost $23,000) to create a residence that would host guests including Edward Weston, Martha Graham, and Clark Gable.

This Usonian-Style Home in Indiana Is One of Only 8 Homes Wright Built In The Hoosier State

Location: Portage, Indiana
Year Built: 1939
Previous Asking Price: $1,200,000 (later removed from the market)

Completed in 1939, the tri-level Andrew F. H. Armstrong House is located in the coveted lakefront community of Ogden Dunes. Inside and out, the structure offers many signature details—including board-and-batten walls, handsomely articulated brickwork, and, of course, built-ins galore.

Completed in 1939, the tri-level Andrew F. H. Armstrong House is located in the coveted lakefront community of Ogden Dunes. Inside and out, the structure offers many signature details—including board-and-batten walls, handsomely articulated brickwork, and, of course, built-ins galore.

Known as Wright’s "Favorite Small House," the Compact Goetsch-Winckler House Remains in Nearly Original Condition

Location: Okemos, Michigan
Year Built: 1939
Previous Asking Price: $479,000 (sold for an undisclosed sum)

The 1939 Goetsch-Winckler House spreads across the wooded lot with a wide floor plan. A pair of roof planes set a different heights emphasize the horizontal design, and one section cantilevers off the back to create a carport.

The 1939 Goetsch-Winckler House spreads across the wooded lot with a wide floor plan. A pair of roof planes set a different heights emphasize the horizontal design, and one section cantilevers off the back to create a carport.

This Artistic Masterpiece Showcases Wright’s Early interest in Overlapping Circular Masonry—a Style He Later Perfected with His Guggenheim Museum Design

Location: Pleasantville, New York
Year Built: 1948
Previous Asking Price: $1,500,000 (sold for $1,310,000)

Located an hour outside of Manhattan in Pleasantville, New York, the Sol Friedman house (also called Toyhill) is one of a handful of homes that Wright personally designed as part of his Usonian homes project, which was intended to offer beautifully designed, affordable homes to middle-income buyers.  

Located an hour outside of Manhattan in Pleasantville, New York, the Sol Friedman house (also called Toyhill) is one of a handful of homes that Wright personally designed as part of his Usonian homes project, which was intended to offer beautifully designed, affordable homes to middle-income buyers.  

A Longtime Architect-Resident Painstakingly Expanded This Home That Hit the Market For the First Time Ever in Late 2020

Location: Glenview, Illinois
Year Built: 1950
Previous Asking Price: $1,695,000  (still for sale and now up for auction)

​​Listed in 2020, the John O. Carr house by Frank Lloyd Wright sits on an idyllic three-acre lot about 25 miles northwest of Chicago. Wright’s original design details heavily informed expansions to the home completed in the 1980s.

​​Listed in 2020, the John O. Carr house by Frank Lloyd Wright sits on an idyllic three-acre lot about 25 miles northwest of Chicago. Wright’s original design details heavily informed expansions to the home completed in the 1980s.

Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Alsop House in 1948 for Carroll Alsop, a local clothing merchant. It rests on a lush, 1.75-acre site in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and is recognized on the National Register for Historic Places.

Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Alsop House in 1948 for Carroll Alsop, a local clothing merchant. It rests on a lush, 1.75-acre site in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and is recognized on the National Register for Historic Places.

A Unique, Hexagonal Floor Plan Defines This Usonian-Style Home—One of Just Three Remaining Designs by Frank Lloyd Wright in the Garden State

Location: Glen Ridge, New Jersey
Year Built: 1951
Previous Asking Price: $1,200,000 (sold for $1,300,000)

The handsome, hexagonal home was previously occupied by the president of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy (FLWBC), and has been lovingly restored over the years. A dramatic, cantilevered entryway sets the tone for visitors.

The handsome, hexagonal home was previously occupied by the president of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy (FLWBC), and has been lovingly restored over the years. A dramatic, cantilevered entryway sets the tone for visitors.

The Only Home Wright Built in The Leafy Chicago Suburb of Lake Forest Was Carefully Modernized by Its Architect Owner

Location: Lake Forest, Illinois
Year Built: 1954
Previous Asking Price: $2,300,000 (sold for $2,075,000)

A refreshing blend of old and new, the home welcomes guests with a wall of bookshelves set directly across the entryway. The previous architect-owner made some updates to the original design, such as swapping Wright’s red-stained floors for polished concrete, resulting in a brighter look that contrasts with the extensive woodwork.

A refreshing blend of old and new, the home welcomes guests with a wall of bookshelves set directly across the entryway. The previous architect-owner made some updates to the original design, such as swapping Wright’s red-stained floors for polished concrete, resulting in a brighter look that contrasts with the extensive woodwork.

This Rare "Automatic House" in New Hampshire Features Wright’s System of Prefabricated Masonry Blocks

Location: Manchester, New Hampshire
Year Built: 1954
Previous Asking Price: $850,000

The 1955 Toufic H. Kalil House in Manchester, New Hampshire, is one of only seven Usonian Automatics ever constructed. It hit the market for the first time in October 2019.

The 1955 Toufic H. Kalil House in Manchester, New Hampshire, is one of only seven Usonian Automatics ever constructed. It hit the market for the first time in October 2019.

A Frank Lloyd Wright Home You Can Rent Today

Though the architect could not design enough homes for us all to live in, at least his fantastic 1953 Eppstein House has been recently restored and converted into an Airbnb that’s currently available to rent on Airbnb.

A Gem Among Wright’s Prairie School and Usonian Projects, The Restored Eppstein Property Offers Nightly Guests Original Furniture and Midcentury Splendor 

Location: Kalamazoo County, Michigan
Year Built: 1953
Reservations are $495 per night.

Built for Samuel and Dorothy Eppstein, the ranch-style home is an exemplary representation of Prairie School-style architecture and Usonian thinking. The home has been completely renovated and furnished, staying true to the original era of the home and preserving the handiwork, craft, and brilliance of the original. This massive undertaking was led by husband-and-wife team Tony Hillebrandt and Marika Broere after careful research and conversations with previous residents. 

Built for Samuel and Dorothy Eppstein, the ranch-style home is an exemplary representation of Prairie School-style architecture and Usonian thinking. The home has been completely renovated and furnished, staying true to the original era of the home and preserving the handiwork, craft, and brilliance of the original. This massive undertaking was led by husband-and-wife team Tony Hillebrandt and Marika Broere after careful research and conversations with previous residents. 

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