Rhiannon Komperda
May 5th, 2014
L.A. Period 2
Research Paper
From Living on the Prairie, to designing Prairie Style Houses
When people think prairie style, they associate it with Frank Lloyd Wright. But why? Frank Lloyd Wright was a famous 19th and 20th century architect that shaped the style of houses, as we know them today. Although he grew up in a small town, it didn't hold him back as a successful man. Frank Lloyd Wright is, and will continue to be, the world’s best architect because from the time he was little, to the times he traveled across the world, he found inspiration in nature all around him.
Growing up, Frank Lloyd Wright was inspired very easily. He was born on June 8th, 1867 in Richland Center, Wisconsin, to the proud parents of Anna Lloyd Jones and William Carey Wright. His official birth name was Frank Lincoln Wright, but changed it later in his life. His family was Welsh and had traveled over in hopes for a better life. Because his mother was a teacher and his father was a minister, they traveled a lot. His father received jobs in Rhode Island, Iowa, and Massachusetts(Rubin, 1994). By 1878, they had settled down in Madison, Wisconsin. From the time Frank Lloyd Wright was born, his mother gave him building blocks, hoping it would provide him with early architectural education. As a teen, Frank Lloyd Wright wasn’t suiting his parent’s image of a young adult. He was sent to live on his uncle’s farm, in search for better manners. When he first arrived, he wasn’t too thrilled to be there, but soon realized this was a perfect opportunity for him. After his morning chores were finished, he would find an old sketch book and lay in an open field. Frank sketched every wild flower he saw, until dinner was ready. This is when he realized his passion of being an architect.
Sadly, in 1885, his parents divorced, making it hard for his mother to support the family. In honor of his mother, he changed his middle name to Lloyd. Wright decided to take a job as the dean at the University of Wisconsin, while studying as a part time student. In 1887, Wright left home and moved to Chicago, Illinois. Immediately he had job offers with many businesses. He worked with two companies, before he was hired by Adler and Sullivan. Adler and Sullivan had started off as two separate architects, but in 1880 they joined forces and created their own firm. Frank Lloyd Wright signed a six- year contract with Adler and Sullivan, as one of their apprentices. Frank was finally getting back on his feet again.
Frank Lloyd Wright started putting pieces of his life together at this point. He was a man that knew exactly what he wanted, and how to get to that goal. In 1889, Frank Lloyd Wright married Catherine Lee Tobin (Rubin, 1994). Tobin and Wright met while he was working for Adler and Sullivan, causing Anna to object. Frank Lloyd Wright signed a five year contract in return for all of the supplies he needed. Shortly after negotiating the contract, he bought a...
