简介:
FrankLloydWrightisAmerica'sgreatesteverarchitectHowever,fewpeopleknowabouttheWelshrootsthatshapedhislifeandworldfamousbuildingsNow,leadingWelsharchitectJonathanAdamssetsoffacrossAmericatoexploreFrankLloydWright'smasterpiecesforhimselfAlongtheway,heuncoversthetempestuouslifestoryofthemanbehindthemandthesignificanceofhisradicalfamilybackground
Inacareerspanningsevendecades,FrankLloydWrightbuiltover500buildings,andchangedthefaceofmodernarchitecture:Fallingwater,thehouseoverthewaterfall,hasbeencalledthegreatesthouseofthe20thcentury;thespirallingGuggenheimMuseuminNewYorkreinventedtheartmuseum;theconcreteUnityTemplewasthefirsttrulymodernbuildingintheworldButtheunderlyingphilosophythatlinksallWright'sbuildingsisasimportantasanythinghebuilt
ThoseideaswererootedintheUnitarianreligionofFrankLloydWright'smotherAnnaLloydJoneswasbornandraisednearLlandysulinwestWalesandmigratedtoAmericawithherfamilyin1844,mostlikelytoescapereligiouspersecutionHerson,Frank,wasraisedinaUnitariancommunityinWisconsin,asmallpieceofWalesinAmericaThevaluesheabsorbedtherewerebasedonthesanctityofnature,theimportanceofhardwork,andtheneedtoquestionconventionanddefyitwherenecessaryWright'sarchitecturewasshapedby,andexpressed,thesebeliefs
FrankLloydWrightsetouttocreateanewAmericanarchitectureforanewcountryHebuilthisownlifelonghomeinthevalleyhewasraisedin,andhenameditafteranancientWelshbardcalledTaliesinItwasthesceneofmanyadventuresandahorrificcrimeIn1914,aservantatTaliesinranamokandkilledsevenpeopleincludingWright'spartner,MamahCheney,andhertwoyoungchildren
WrightrebuilthishomeandwentontomarryaMontenegrinwoman,OlgivannaMilanoff,some30yearsyoungerthanhimItwasOlgivannawhostruckupontheideathatsavedWright'scareeraftertheWallStreetCrashandpersonalscandallaiditlowShedecidedthatherhusbandshouldtakeonapprenticesandthattheapprenticesshouldpayfortheprivilegeTheTaliesinFellowshiphadahandsonapproach,withapprenticesoftenbuildingextensionstoWright'sownhouses,labouringandcookingforhimSomehowitworked,lastingfordecadesandnurturinghundredsofyoungtalents
FrankLloydWrightdiedin1959aged91whileworkingonhisfinalmasterpiece,NewYork'sincomparableGuggenheimMuseumHehadbeenborninthewakeoftheAmericancivilwar,thesonofapioneer,anddiedatelevisioncelebrity,inthespaceageHeisburiedintheshadowofTaliesin,alongsidehisWelshancestors
A150yearsafterhisbirth,JonathanAdamsarguesthatFrankLloydWrightisnowavitallyimportantfigurewhocanteachushowtobuildforabetterworldWrightbelievedinwhathecalledorganicarchitecture;buildingsthatgracethelandscape,expressanideaofhowtoliveandrespondtoindividualneedsThisbespokeapproachaphilosophy,notastyleputshimattheheartofmodernarchitecturalthinking