Not only is Frank Lloyd Wright, the Greatest American of All Time but he is also has designed ageless architectural masterpieces that still inspire designers today. four of his buildings made the AIA’s list of top ten greatest buildings of the 20th century. They are all still functional and timeless tributes to this Chicagoan genius.
Next time you travel across the country, pay tribute to the artist and visit America’s most fabulous architectural masterpieces. The following four buildings are simply mind-blowing.
Fallingwater – Pennsylvania
It is hard to believe that Frank Lloyd Wright designed this futuristic looking house back in 1935. The particularity of the Kaufmann residence – and probably the origins of its name- is that it was built over a waterfall.
Since completion, this architectural masterpiece has been a place of many superlatives, including being a National Historic Landmark and one of Smithsonian’s 28 places to visit in a lifetime. If you ever find yourself in the Pittsburgh area, do not miss on this opportunity to admire a true American monument.
The Robie House – Chicago
If you needed further proof that Frank Lloyd Wright was ahead of his time, visit the Robie House on the campus of the University of Chicago. Despite celebrating 104 years this year, this building remains an authentic icon of modern architecture. Art-glass windows and dramatic overhangs on the outside, simplicity and spacious interior; this work, in its time, was a revolution in residential architecture.
Needless to say the Robie House is another Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural masterpiece that made it as a Natural Historic Landmark and a must-see wonder when visiting Chicago.
The Johnson Wax Headquarters – Wisconsin
The building that homes the headquarters of S.C. Johnson & Son is another example of Wright’s avant-gardist mindset and disruptive designs. The pillars supporting the “great workroom” created controversies in the architectural world at the time for being larger at the top than at the base, raising the risk of collapsing. Frank Lloyd Wright had to prove to inspectors the solidity of the structure before he could receive the construction permit. Read more about this architectural masterpiece here.
A research tower came to complete this National Historic Landmark; an incredible place to visit when in the Racine area in Wisconsin.
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum – New York
If there is one architectural masterpiece in the world of museums that doesn’t need introduction, it is the Guggenheim. In fact, along with the Pyramids of Le Louvre, they have particular attractive designs that enthrall even the most profane of us. Better yet, they both features in blockbuster flicks you must not have missed.
The Guggenheim was built to be a “temple of spirit, a monument!”. Its distinctive spiral design and large central atrium make it one of the most beautiful and accessible museums in the world.
All four of these architectural masterpieces are not only National Historic Landmarks but also buildings of great buildings which, despite their age, incessantly wow admirers.
Should you visit New York City, you cannot miss on your chance to contemplate the Guggenheim and its fantastic exhibits. And for even more breathtaking exhibitions, art lovers head to Chicago.