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A Short Biography Frank Wright was born in Wisconsin on June 8, 1867. At an early age, Frank Wright showed talents at building things out of blocks. When he was 11, Wright spent time at his uncles farm. Here he learned to appreciate nature. He also gained a profound understanding of landscape and elevation. When he got older, he became an apprentice to Sullivan, the great skyscraper architect. Sullivan and Wright got along well in the beginning. Sullivan even loaned him some money to build a home. Wright decided to get the money faster by designing houses on his own, without the firms help. When Frank Wright tried to pay back the loan with money earned from the houses he independently designed, Sullivan called it "bootlegging" and would not accept the money. This angered Wright and he severed all relations with Sullivan. Sullivan and Wright also differed in their views of architecture. Wright believed that buildings should show the natural splendor of their materials; Sullivan did not share this view. After leaving Sullivan, Frank Wright tried to start on his own. To publicize his work he began to exhibit designs and write articles. This attempt worked and soon he had many commissions. His career took off due to his creative designs and he was soon nationally recognized. Frank Wright worked throughout his life designing hundreds of buildings. Nearly fifty percent of the buildings Wright designed were built, an astounding record for an architect. Wright died in Arizona, on April 9th, 1959, at the age of 91. Still interested? For more information about Frank Lloyd Wright, I recommend you get the book- Many Masks : A Life of Frank Lloyd Wright, by Brendan Gill. This book details Wright's life and includes many illustrations. |
