People that Changed the Course of History: The Story of Frank Lloyd Wright 150 Years After His Birth

Although you may not recognize the name of this famous American architect, you may be more familiar with some of his most popular buildings. From the Guggenheim Museum in New York City to Fallingwater in Pennsylvania, Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic designs have given him the distinction of being the first architect to develop a distinctly American style. Learn more about this critically acclaimed architect during the 150th anniversary of his birth.

Wright was born on June 8, 1867 in Richland Center, Wisconsin. During his childhood, Wright spent his summers in Wisconsin, and fell in love with the rolling landscape. This inspired him as an architect to incorporate a more organic feel into his buildings. While in college, Wright worked with an architect in order to pay his tuition. Upon discovering his own passion and talent for the subject, he dropped out of school and went to work for an architectural firm in Chicago. He eventually parted ways with the firm and began designing a series of public buildings and private residencies that earned him fame, including the “earthquake proof” Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.

Due to the Great Depression, Lloyd stepped back from designing and began writing and teaching. It seemed that he had permanently retired from architecture when, in 1935, he returned to the scene. Before his death, he designed some of his most famous buildings including Fallingwater, regarded as one of the most beautiful homes ever built, and the Guggenheim Museum. Take a closer look at Frank Lloyd Wright and his creation of a wholly American style of architecture.