The 20Th Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright

Committee at its 40th Session (Istanbul, 2016); the Committee adopted Decision 40 COM 8B.30, which reads th The 20 Century Architecture as follows: of Frank Lloyd Wright The World Heritage Committee, (United States of America) No 1496rev 1. Having examined Documents WHC/16/ 40.COM/8B, and WHC/16/40.COM/INF.8B1, 2. Refers the examination of the nomination of Key Works of Modern Architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright, United States of America, on the World Heritage List, in order to Official name as proposed by the State Party allow the State Party, with the advice of ICOMOS and the The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright World Heritage Centre if requested to Location a) redefine the rationale for a series of components Oak Park, Illinois (not necessarily the ones currently nominated) that might have the potential to justify Outstanding Chicago, Illinois Universal Value through conveying the way one or Spring Green, Winsconsin more exceptional facets of the oeuvre of Frank Los Angeles, California Lloyd Wright influenced the architecture of the Mill Run, Pennsylvania 20th century, Madison, Winsconsin Scottsdale, Arizona b) define more structured management for individual New York, New York components coordinated by the Frank Lloyd United States of America Wright World Heritage Council, c) examine and pursue opportunities to revise the Brief description nominated property boundaries, expand buffer th The property “The 20 -Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd zones and enhance protection in and beyond the Wright” focusses upon the influence that the work of the buffer zones for component sites in relation to the American architect, Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), had, attributes of potential Outstanding Universal not only in his own countrybut, on the architecture of the Value; 20th century and the recognized masters of the Modern 3. Encourages the State Party to consider inviting ICOMOS Movement in architecture in Europe. The qualities of what to offer advice on the above recommendations in the is known as ‘organic architecture’ developed by Wright, framework of the Upstream Process. including the open plan, the blurring between exterior and interior, the new uses of materials and technologies and the At the request of the State Party, an ICOMOS Advisory explicit responses to the suburban and natural settings of Process was carried out in two phases: a first one from the various buildings, have been acknowledged as pivotal August 2016 to February 2017 and a second one which in the development of modern architectural design in the ended in April 2018. The outcomes of this process and th 20 century. ICOMOS recommendations have been taken into account by the State Party and incorporated in the revised version The property includes a series of 8 buildings designed and of the nomination dossier. th built over the first half of the 20 century; each component has specific characteristics, representing new solutions to Consultations and Technical Evaluation Mission the needs for housing, worship, work, education and Desk reviews have been provided by ICOMOS leisure. The diversity of functions, scale and setting of the International Scientific Committees, members and components of the series fully illustrate the architectural independent experts. principles of ‘organic architecture’. During the assessment of the original nomination dossier, Category of property two ICOMOS technical evaluation missions visited In terms of categories of cultural property set out in Article I different parts of the property: the first from 1 to of the 1972 World Heritage Convention, this is a serial 13 September 2015 and the second from 11 to nomination of 8 monuments. 23 September 2015. After the World Heritage Committee decision in 2016, no further ICOMOS technical evaluation mission visited the nominated property. 1 Basic data Additional information received by ICOMOS Included in the Tentative List After the reception of the revised nomination dossier, no 30 January 2008, as “Frank Lloyd Wright Buildings” further information was requested to the State Party. Background Date of ICOMOS approval of this report The nomination “Key Works of Modern Architecture by 13 March 2019 Frank Lloyd Wright” was examined by the World Heritage 23 2 Description of the property seen to symbolise the expansive qualities of the Illinois and the Midwest prairie landscapes. Note: The revised nomination dossier contains detailed descriptions of this property, its history and its state of Taliesin, Spring Green, Wisconsin, begun 1911, conservation. Due to limitations on the length of evaluation constructed 1911-1959. reports, this report only provides a short summary of the most Taliesin was constructed by Wright as his home and relevant aspects. studio in a hilly rural area of Wisconsin. It was begun in 1911 and became his summer studio after Taliesin West Description and History was built in 1938. Various buildings underwent re-building The work of Frank Lloyd Wright exercised a remarkable work after two major fires as well as expansion over a influence not only in his own country, the United States of period of some fifty years. The estate also includes America, but also far beyond, including some of the Hillside Home School, the drafting studio, galleries, masters of the European Modern Movement in theatre, and Midway Barn, Tan-y-deri, the residence for architecture. The revised nomination dossier includes a his sister and the related windmill. The buildings, with low series of 8 buildings projected over the first half of the 20th pitched roofs, stone clad walls, and overhanging century, selected out of some 400 buildings still surviving. balconies cascade irregularly down the hill from a tower- They are: like belvedere. They have views across a lake to more hills beyond or to an enclosed hill garden designed by Unity Temple, Oak Park, Illinois, designed 1905, Wright. constructed 1906-1909; Frederick C. Robie House, Chicago, Illinois, Hollyhock House, Los Angeles, California, designed designed 1908, constructed 1910; 1918, constructed 1918-1921. Taliesin, Spring Green, Wisconsin, begun 1911, Hollyhock House was built around a pillared courtyard constructed 1911-1959; and is ornamented with hollyhock motifs in cast concrete Hollyhock House, Los Angeles, California, and stained glass. The house was built as a nucleus for a designed 1918, constructed 1918-1921; cultural centre at the moment when Hollywood was taking Fallingwater, Mill Run, Pennsylvania, designed off as a movie centre. The form of the house reflects 1935, constructed 1936-1939; Spanish patio house traditions and has references to Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House, Madison, ancient Mayan forms. The large courtyard was designed Wisconsin, designed 1936, constructed 1936- for theatrical performances and the surrounding roof 1937; terraces linked by stairways and bridges provided viewing Taliesin West, Scottsdale, Arizona, begun 1938; platforms for drama and dance. Wright designed furniture Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, for the open plan living and dining rooms, most of which New York, designed 1943, constructed 1956- remains in the house. Many of its architectural features 1959. seem to herald later works in Los Angeles such as the so- called ‘textile-block’. Unity Temple, Oak Park, Illinois, designed 1905,constructed 1906-1909. Fallingwater, Mill Run, Pennsylvania, designed 1935, Unity Temple was constructed in the Chicago suburb of constructed 1936-1939. Oak Park, where Wright lived and worked between 1887 Fallingwater is sited on top of a small waterfall in the and 1909. It sits on a corner plot of the urban grid pattern, southern Laurel Highlands. Built as a weekend retreat for facing one of the main roads. Built entirely out of Edgar and Liliane Kaufmann, the three storey house sits monolithic reinforced concrete, the building consists of on reinforced concrete slabs, apparently cantilevered two rectangular blocks, one for the church and the second from a central chimney, and covered with random stone for teaching and office spaces, linked by an entrance paving. The slabs provide the interior floors and extensive foyer. The main space was designed to accommodate open terraces overlooking the small gorge. The vertical four hundred worshippers in multiple levels of seating walls are of locally quarried stone. Extensive plate glass under a coffered ceiling lit by twenty-five art glass windows of the large main living room and smaller studies skylights. Wright designed the interior and exterior and bedrooms provide thin barriers between the inside finishes, as well as lighting fixtures and furniture, all of and outside. which are still in place. Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House, Madison, Frederick C. Robie House, Chicago, Illinois, designed Wisconsin, designed 1936, constructed 1936-1937. 1908, constructed 1910. This small house was the first of Wright’s so-called This horizontal house with low pitched roof, massive Usonian houses, of which over 300 were built. They central chimney, long rows of low windows and aimed to be modest single storey American suburban continuous roofed balconies that over sail the ground floor dwellings, with open plan living room and dining/kitchen. rooms, is the largest of a group of similarly formed houses Often L-shaped and usually with a small garden, they in Oak Park, which are identified with the Prairie School were constructed from standardised building of Architecture that Wright and others developed in the components. The houses were specifically

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