Image: Turkel House (1955) photo by James Haefner
“The feeling of the house, different rooms etc. – all of those are more important to me than merely recording the house as an object.”
Project 4608: Joe and Virginia Munroe house and studio (Knox County, Ohio). Unbuilt Project. View.
Photo courtesy of The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Archives (The Museum of Modern Art | Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library, Columbia University, New York).
Recognized by the American Institute of Architects as "The greatest architect of all time," Frank Lloyd Wright was a prolific trailblazer during the 20th century, leaving a lasting impression on the design world even long after his death. Born in Richland Center, Wisconsin, Frank Lloyd Wright designed over 1,100 structures during his 70-year working span---from churches to warehouses, museums to mansions. His designs span a range of styles, yet all carry elements of Wright's philosophies.
Wright took inspiration from the midwestern landscape where he spent much of his life. He founded the "Prairie School" of design honoring the Midwest, characterized by its flat roofs, earthen tones, and a tendency to blend into its natural surroundings.
Frank Lloyd Wright was a pioneering activist of sustainable architecture. He integrated natural elements into his designs, emphasizing the necessary harmony between earth and human-made structures.
During the years 1940-1941, Joe Munroe, a photographer and filmmaker, took photos of Frank Lloyd Wright's houses and architectural structures. Munroe later sent his work to Frank Lloyd Wright in 1942 and was officially hired as Wright's photographer, the two developing a close bond.