When most people think of Frank Lloyd Wright they think of his biggest and greatest creations. Houses like Falling Water and the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao. But many of FLW’s most influencial buildings were designed when FLW was first becoming an architectural giant. FLW lived in Oak Park, a small suburb of chicago that’s about 20 minutes from Midway Airport. Recently when I flew into Midway I decided to stop by FLW’s home and studio.
Frank lived here from 1899 until 1909 as he developed some of the architecture that helped define the Prarie style of architecture. It really is a fun house. I didn’t take the tour because I was cheap and a little concerned that I wouldn’t be able to make it to the airport on time, but it was a pleasure just to walk around the house snapping some photos.
As I wandered I noticed something sad. Next to the Frank lloyd wright house and the museum that honored him was another house.
How unfortunate it must be to live in the house next to frank lloyd wrights house. How do you give directions to your place?
“take a right onto chicago ave… you’ll see a huge beautiful house on the right, our house is the one right after that.”
Forever in the shadow of the greater house, this little gem deserves some notice. So here’s to you HouseNextToFrankLloydWright’sHouse! That your architect might sleep soundly knowing that even if only for a few brief moments, a tourist turned his camera from the giant that is FLW and focused it on your house next door.
Don’t you mean the Guggenheim museum in New York? The one in Bilbao was done by Frank Geary (the same guy who did the Experience Music Project building in Seattle).
I wonder how much a FLW house sells for? Or… that house next door to a FLW house.
I think all of Franky Gehry’s buildings look like something out of a kid’s section of a theme park…
My room mate from last year, who lives in Chicago, said he has a friend who lives in a Frank Lloyd Wright prairie house. Pretty sure it’s this one.
Its true. Its the NYC Guggenheim and not the Bilbao.