FLW

The most influential architect of the 20th century, Wright was a pioneer of modern architecture, an innovator in architectural techniques and materials, and the source of fundamental concepts in residential design. In 1887, at the age of 20, Wright began practicing architecture in Chicago. For six years he worked for Louis Sullivan, an influential commercial architect, who advocated replacing the neoclassic architecture of the time with "democratic" architecture. Starting his own firm in 1893, Wright took Sullivan's crusade to new heights, both in commercial and residential design.
Wright created the concept of organic architecture. He believed that a building should develop out of and blend into its surroundings. He disliked the box like homes that most Americans lived in, and particularly detested the Victorian style, with its vertical orientation, complex exterior, and preconceived styling.
In response, Wright developed the Prairie style - low horizontal structures that melded with their sites. They featured continuous bands of casement windows to bring the outdoors into the home, open planning, and the integration of wood, stone, glass, and stucco.
Wright's Prairie style houses established the model for the modern ranch home and open floor plans. His combination of natural materials and modern technology also spurred an apathetic housing industry to develop new styles and materials. Wright was the first architect to use air conditions, indirect lighting, and panel heating. Although he was often criticized for designing houses that only the rich could afford, Wright created the concept of centering all the plumbing in one spot to cut costs.
Wright was also a vocal advocate for the suburbs. He detested cities and believed people would be better off living in wide open spaces. Throughout his 70 year career, he pushed this idea, and many of his home designs display his preference for large lot living.

Although he believed that each home design should flow out of the site and the individual homeowner, Wright contributed to the industrialized housing industry with the development of his Usonian house in 1936. The house, which could be built from mass-produced pieces, was a small version of hi Prairie house. Although his Usonian houses were never a market success, his concepts were widely used and copied by others in the housing industry.