By Jennifer Young
Fallingwater, the Guggenheim, Taliesin…
Architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s early 20th century homes and buildings remain as innovative today as they were when he designed them. Wright was a devotee of the Prairie School of architecture, an aesthetic characterized by horizontal lines, flat roofs, and craftsman-worthy construction.
His chief aim when building was to create organic architecture that was integrated with its landscape and environment for a more harmonious state of living. Born in Wisconsin in 1867 , Wright became one of the most esteemed architects in American history. More than 400 of his creations still stand today and many can be toured and have been conferred with landmark status.

While Wright’s works are celebrated around the world, the man himself is not without some tarnish to his reputation. Scholars, associates, and some people who were closely acquainted with Wright have called him “controlling,” “narcissistic,” “a dandy,” and “adulterous.” Architecture critic and writer Ada Louis Hustable called Wright “melodramatic” and “full of lies.” There are also numerous allegations of non-payment to contractors who worked on Wright’s constructions. Wright was known to justify his failure to pay his builders because he believed they were lucky to be part of his ventures.
Wright’s personal life was fraught with scandals. In 1903 while designing a home for his client, he abandoned his wife Catherine and their children and ran off with his client’s wife, Mamah Cheney. She left her husband and two children behind. The pair ran off to Europe but returned to Wright’s Wisconsin retreat, Taliesin, in 1911. Though essentially estranged from her children, Cheney received a visit from her son and daughter at Taliesin while Wright was in Chicago. During this visit, a member of Wright’s house staff set the house on fire and hacked Cheney, her children, and other servants to death.
