Art Appreciation Essay

Frank Lloyd Wright is an American architect who is known as the “pioneer of Modern architecture.” He was born in the late nineteenth century and his career spanned over seven decades building a total of over a thousand buildings. Some of his houses I chose to appreciate today include Fallingwater, Hollyhock House, and Frank Lloyd Wright's Home and Studio. 

Fallingwater is located in southwestern Pennsylvania and was built in 1935. This home is acclaimed for integrating the landscape into the plan of the house. The couple that Wright built the house for adored nature and commissioned him to design it as he shared this quality with them. The couple went on to use Fallingwater as their vacation home for more than twenty-six years and donated it to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy in 1963. 

What stands out to me most about Fallingwater is the materials it’s composed of and how they blend into the scenery. Wright took elements from the land such as sandstone and rocks found in the area to build the house. Along with this, he utilized wood beams and steel in the house’s construction, along with a ton of glass to showcase the beautiful waterfall that stands next to the home.  

 I love the harmony between people and nature showcased in this building. Wright achieves this spectacularly as the family he built it for enjoyed their home for almost thirty years. The feelings this work encapsulates are so insurmountable that the family wanted to share it with the world, which I find beautiful. 

The room that I liked best in the house is the living room. I love how earthy and bright the space is, with the materials making it feel as if one was standing outside. The open and spacious feeling is given by the many windows which illuminate the room. I like how this brightness contrasts with the dark stone of the walls. Overall I feel like the room is a perfect blend of light and dark and is arranged gorgeously.     

The second building of Wright’s I chose to review is titled, Hollyhock House. This building is located in Los Angeles, California, and was built in 1917. Hollyhock House is a transitional building, meaning it incorporates elements from his 1920s block works and some from his influential Prarie houses in later years.

A similarity between Hollyhock House and Fallingwater is the incorporation of nature. Wright’s client, Aline Barnsdall, wanted a home mixed between a house and a garden. This is the reason for the many terraces linking the interior and exterior spaces. Barnsdall’s favorite flower, the hollyhock, decorates many areas of the house such as the finials, glass windows, concrete bands on the exterior of the house, and custom-made furniture. 

My favorite area of the house has to be the courtyard and the terraces. The courtyard features a circular fountain which I believe ties the area together. I love how the concrete exterior complements the bright green grass of the yard and the water from inside the teal fountain. I also find the view of the Hollywood Hills from the terraces to be especially beautiful.

A fact I found interesting about the house is that Barnsdall donated the house to the city of Los Angeles because she didn’t want to deal with the financial burden of it. She suggested it be used as a library or an art park. Her only request was that the house would be her art group’s meeting place for fifteen years. 

The final building of Wright’s that I admired is his own, called the Frank Lloyd Wright's Home and Studio. Wright started this project when he was only twenty-two years old and continued adding to the house throughout the rest of his life. 

The original home was built in 1889 and Wright added a dining room and playroom in 1895. He used this house as a medium to put his design ideas to the test, which can be seen as there are many different styles throughout the home. Wright also added a final renovation in 1898 when he built his studio.

Wright incorporated nature into his home as he did with Fallingwater and Hollyhock House which came years after. Like those buildings, other components of Wright’s home include openness, along with warm, bright tones. Another detail that I noticed is how Wright goes from tight to open spaces a lot in his designs. Like Fallingwater, Wright’s home included tight walkways and staircases that led to open rooms. I think that this contrast in space complements each other very nicely.    

The room in Wright’s house which I like best is the studio area. I love the craftsmanship of the space and all of the wood details. I noticed as well that there is stained glass running along the ceiling which I adore. I like how cohesive the room is, with all of the wood being the same color. Along with the color green used as an accent and yellow commonly found around the space.

In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Frank Lloyd Wright and his designs. There is a reason he is known as “the greatest American architect of all time.” I liked how there is so much depth behind his work, like how there is a connection to the land his buildings stand on like Fallingwater and Hollyhock House.

Works Cited

Frank Lloyd Wright's Hollyhock House, Los Angeles, https://hollyhockhouse.org. Accessed 21 April 2023.

“Designing Fallingwater.” Fallingwater, https://fallingwater.org/history/about-fallingwater/designing-fallingwater/. Accessed 21 April 2023.

“Fallingwater.” Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, https://franklloydwright.org/site/fallingwater/. Accessed 21 April 2023.

“Hollyhock House.” Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, https://franklloydwright.org/site/hollyhock-house/. Accessed 21 April 2023.

“Oak Park Home & Studio.” Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, https://franklloydwright.org/site/oak-park-home-studio/. Accessed 21 April 2023.