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He quickly rose to head draftsman with the firm of Adler and Sullivan. In fact, Sullivan so admired [Frank Lloyd Wright] he loaned him $5,000 to build his first home for his first bride. But on learning Wright was moonlighting residential jobs in his Oak Park neighborhood, the two parted ways.
Wright decorated his abode sparsely. Greek sculpture, kakemono (Japanese paintings on silk), Victorian lamps, brocaded cloth and velvet portieres add small finishing touches.
An intriguing mix of low, dark openings and high, light spaces, Unity Temple was one of the earliest public buildings made of poured concrete. Built between 1906 and 1908 at a cost of $60,000, Wright fondly nicknamed the temple his "jewel box."
Wright built his master-piece of a home when he was only 22 years old
Frank Lloyd Wright likely never imagined himself a tourist attraction. But hereabouts he's the hottest thing going.
This sleepy Chicago suburb boasts 25 different structures bearing the Wright stamp.
Wright arrived in Chicago in the late 1880s when innovative architecture was flourishing. The city had become a magnet for young, imaginative architects looking to make a name for themselves.
Wright's timing was perfect.
He quickly rose to head draftsman with the firm of Adler and Sullivan. In fact, Sullivan so admired Wright he loaned him $5,000 to build his first home for his first bride. But on learning Wright was moonlighting residential jobs in his Oak Park neighborhood, the two parted ways.
Wright built his masterpiece of a home when he was only 22. Despite his observation in later years that the structure was a juvenile expression, those versed in architecture insist it's one of his finest works.
Wright was prolific in Oak Park. Commissions were many and this environment seemed to urge him to evolve his trademark style known as Prairie Architecture.
Typified by large cross-axial horizontal buildings which expand beneath overhanging roofs, a wealth of natural building materials were used in construction. Wright said his approach was much influenced by the landscape of the midwestern plains.
The home which visitors see today was not always such. Over the years, the structure was altered by various owners; parts of the house rented out and various details covered with paint or plaster.
A laborious 12-year restoration required millions of dollars and much tender loving care. Not only has the home been meticulously re- established but the decor is also true to its original form.
Wright decorated his abode sparsely. Greek sculpture, kakemono (Japanese paintings on silk), Victorian lamps, brocaded cloth and velvet portieres add small finishing touches.
Although Wright's house is unquestionably an architectural tour de force, his nearby Unity Temple is even more mind-boggling.
An intriguing mix of low, dark openings and high, light spaces, Unity Temple was one of the earliest public buildings made of poured concrete. Built between 1906 and 1908 at a cost of $60,000, Wright fondly nicknamed the temple his "jewel box."
"Unity Temple is where you will find the first real expression of my idea that the space within the building is the reality of that building," Wright said in a 1956 interview.
(Copyright The Kingston Whig-Standard 1994)