AD Classics: Wingspread / Frank Lloyd Wright

Feb 2011

By Megan Sveiven — Filed under: AD Architecture Classics ,Houses , Frank Lloyd Wright, USA, Wind Point, Wingspread, Wisconson

▼

Add this to My Bookmarks:

share by email

share by email

One of the many houses designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the Wingspread also known as the Herbert F. Johnson House represents many of the key themes found in all architecture of Wright.

More on the Wingspread after the break.

Designed for Herbert Johnson of the Johnson Wax Company, the house was built only a year before their renown corporate headquarters in Racine.

The basic layout of the house is centered around the core living room space, referred to as The Great Hall on the floorplans, with four wings extended forming zones for the family. These include the master’s bedroom, children’s rooms, kitchen and servants quarters and the guestrooms and garage.

The gigantic dome of the living room features a tall stone shaft that rises from the center, housing a total of five fireplaces. This massive chimney structure further separates the house, dividing the living room into four spaces; entrance, living room, dining room and library. Totaling fourteen thousand square feet of floor space, the house was monumental in it’s time.

As in all of his work, the play of light within the Wingspread is remarkable. Opened up by rows and rows of skylights, the living room is flooded with natural light. Wright also incorporates views betewen levels, allowing family members to look down into the central spaces.

Flooring is constructed out of four foot concrete squares, which help moderate the temperature of the house through their use of radiant heating. The slight glossiness is achieved using none other than the homeowner’s Johnson Wax which was specifically designed after the construction of this house and and the corporate headquarters.

To add a playful touch to the elegant and beautiful interior of Wingspread, Frank Lloyd Wright introduced a spiral staircase for the children that led up to a lookout (or belvedere) on the roof.

Upon completion of three-quarters of the house, Mrs. Johnson passed away which led to an increasing disinterest in the construction of the house for Mr. Johnson. Wright once said that upon experiencing life within the house that she had desired so much, Mr. Johnson was able to be rejuvinated and find himself again.

In an autobiography, Wright is quoted to have expressed complete satisfaction with the high level of quality and workmanship found in the home’s woodwork and furniture. “Wingspread has the best brickwork I have seen in my life, and the materials of construction and the workmanship throughout are everywhere substantial.”

Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright
Location: Wind Point, Wisconson
Project Year: 1937
Photographs: Boston College, Galen Frysinger
References: Doreen Ehrlich, Mark Hertzberg

: © Galen Frysinger

: © Galen Frysinger

: © Galen Frysinger

: © Boston College

: © Galen Frysinger

: © Boston College

: © Boston College

: © Galen Frysinger

: © Galen Frysinger

: © Galen Frysinger

: © Galen Frysinger

: © Galen Frysinger

: © Boston College

: © Boston College

: © Boston College

: © Boston College

: © Boston College

: © Boston College

: © Boston College

: © Boston College

* Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.

Cite:
Sveiven , Megan . "AD Classics: Wingspread / Frank Lloyd Wright" 25 Feb 2011. ArchDaily. Accessed 22 May 2012. <http://www.archdaily.com/115102>

Comments (2)
Tweets (22)
Links to this entry (0)

up_today_arch says:

Greate architect…. no words…

# February 26, 2011 at 01:35

Matthew Weinreb says:

This from daniel soderberg’s blog… A well-known story…
The best known flaw consistent in many Wright buildings are leaky roofs. Wingspread and Johnson Wax building are two of the most notorious in his portfolio. The story, as told by Samuel Johnson, Herbert’s son. “One night my father had some distinguished guests to dinner, and as a 13-year-old I was invited to sit at the side of the table and keep quiet. My father had been working pretty hard for a year with putty guns on the windows in the roof to keep them from leaking. It was successful until a thunderstorm occurred. I looked around a little nervously, and one leak started in the corner where the end of the table was, and the rain came down right on the top of my father’s bald head.
He went into a rage. There was a phone on a desk in a little alcove near the table, and he asked the maid to give it to him. He sat right where he was as the water leaked down. He picked up the phone and said, “I would like to speak to Mr. Frank Lloyd Wright in Taliesin West in Phoenix, Arizona.” Amazingly in a matter of five minutes, he said “Frank, you built this beautiful house for me and we enjoy it very much. But I have told you the roof leaks, and right now I am with some friends and distinguished guests and it is leaking right on top of my head.” Mr. Wright very clearly came back so that we could all hear it at the table: “Well, Hib, why don’t you move your chair?”

# February 26, 2011 at 18:23

2:25 AM Feb 26th

Bocetos Digitales

AD Classics: Wingspread / Frank Lloyd Wright: © Galen FrysingerOne of the many houses designed by architect Fran… http://bit.ly/gGOWSf

2:32 AM Feb 26th

simonscb

RT @ArchDaily: AD Classics: Wingspread / Frank Lloyd Wright http://archdai.ly/ejqtRF #architecture

2:35 AM Feb 26th

Matt Cole

Awesome…Not seen this before. Racine, WI.>RT @ArchDaily AD Classics: Wingspread / Frank Lloyd Wright http://archdai.ly/ejqtRF

2:38 AM Feb 26th

Chris Meisenzahl