Unbuilt Frank Lloyd Wright house realised
74 years after it was designed

News: a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1939 but never built has been realised 74 years later at the campus of Florida Southern College.

The single-storey structure was one of around 60 houses drawn up by the late American architect as part of his series of “Usonian homes” – a kind of family residence that is free from ornamentation, intended to represent a national style whilst remaining affordable for the average family.

The house has now been constructed on the campus of Florida Southern College, which itself was masterplanned by Frank Lloyd Wright and currently boasts the world’s largest single-site collection of his completed buildings. Wright originally designed 18 buildings for the college but only 12 were constructed during his lifetime, making the Usonian house number 13.

Instead of being used as a residence, the building forms part of the Sharp Family Tourism and Education Center – a gallery and visitor centre presenting both permanent and temporary exhibitions of Wright’s life and work.

“It is a singular privilege to be stewards of this paramount piece of American architectural heritage,” said college president Anne Kerr. “Frank Lloyd Wright is not only a part of Florida Southern’s history, but also a part of America’s great history, and the Sharp Family Tourism and Education Center is a wonderful tribute to his legacy on our campus and his impact around the world.”

Around 2000 concrete blocks were used to build the walls of the house and had to be hand-made by craftsmen. Roof canopies and window frames are constructed from timber, plus around 6000 coloured glass blocks function as stained glass windows.

The house also features reproduction furniture that was designed by Wright specifically for use in his Usonian homes.

Read more

• Architecture
• News