Frank Lloyd Wright is best known for his architectural designs. But a new book argues that it’s his thinking itself that was truly visionary.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural legacy is well researched and documented. He was prolific in the sheer numbers of built designs, especially from the second half of his career. To this day, many of his commissions are heavily visited, and are even revered by many in the design world.
The underpinnings of his design philosophy, though, are less well known. He popularized the concept of organic design, using the horizontal to give structures a grounded, grown-from-nature aesthetic. But less known is that he predicted commuter suburbs, and wireless communications.
The thinking of Frank Lloyd Wright, as opposed to his design ideas, is the subject of a new book by author Jerome Klinkowitz. In Frank Lloyd Wright and His Manner of Thought, Klinkowitz explores Wright’s philosophies, ideas and predictions.
Klinkowitz, a University Distinguished Scholar and professor of English at the University of Northern Iowa, spoke with Lake Effect’s Dan Harmon on how it’s difficult to separate Wright’s design philosophy from his overall philosophy, and his vision and impact on our lifestyles.
“Frank Lloyd Wright’s thinking is the essence of his design,” he says. "He was essentially designing, not buildings and not even designing homes, he was designing lifestyles. And he has changed so many of the ways we live today."
