The Wright Space: Pattern and Meaning in Frank Lloyd Wright's Houses

by Grant Hildebrand

Book Overview

"In both early and late life," write Grant Hildebrand, 'Wright had an enormous number of domestic clients. ... They came to his drawing board in droves, and, having seen through to completion their adventure with him, they were, by and large, ecstatic about what they got. ...Many of these clients subsequently returned to Write for another house, and sometimes more than one.... "Yet few houses of equal fame have embodied more conspicuous faults. Many...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0295971088
• ISBN13: 9780295971087
• Release Date: July 1991
• Publisher: University of Washington Press
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 2.37 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.8" x 0.8" x 10.3"

Customer Reviews

Great Insights into Wright's Design Strategies Throughout His Career

Superb book with great insights into recurring design strategies that extended throughout his career. As a Frank Lloyd Wright homeowner and architect with extensive Wright research and visits to his other residential projects, I can attest to the power of the design strategies articulated in this book. The book is well written with beautiful illustrations. The only shortcoming of the book is the contemporary examples in the back of the book which pale in comparison to the great architectural works by Mr. Wright. All things considered this book is highly recommended for Wright enthusiasts and architects.

Great Book

This is a great book, giving insight into Wright'd designs. Good pictures of details of some of his houses that are not found in other sources and really nice 3D exploded views of some of the more important ones.

Rosetta Stone of Wright's Magic

In this superb book, Hildebrand attempts no less than a definitive explanation of the method used by Wright to weave his architectural magic. Using the theories of "prospect and refuge" & "order and complexity" he sets out to establish what he calls the "pattern" that reveals itself in Wright's residential designs. Backed by detailed exposition, plans, diagrams and photos of specific examples he convincingly does just that: present the "pattern" that, to a greater or lesser degree, permeates Wright's work. Also covered are various detail items which are often, though with a lesser frequency, present. To the serious student of Wright's organic architecture, this book is an indispensible resource.

The Title is Accurate

Nice book. The author has broken thru all the FLW complexity and clearly and methodically documented the Pattern and Meaning of FLW houses. The isomentric drawings are fantastic! I have been to several of his houses and I love them but could not pull together what the main concepts were. This book is also great for non-architects. I can now continue my passion of FLW research and see the "patterns". My goal is to transend the FLW concepts of "prospect/refuge" in architecture. My only complaint is that some of the black and white prictures are difficult to read. Color pictures would have been nice. Aside from this deficiency the book in my opinion is the best FLW available. I reccomend one read and study this book before visiting his works or reading anything else on FLW.