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Considered the most influential architect of his time, Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) was born in the small rural community of Richland Center, Wisconsin. He entered the University of
Wisconsin at the age of 15 as a special student, studying engineering because the school had no course in architecture. At the age of 20 he then went to work as a draughtsman in Chicago in order to learn the traditional, classical language of architecture. After marrying into a wealthy
business family at the age of 21, Wright set up house in an exclusive neighborhood in Chicago, and after a few years of working for a few architectural firms, set up his own architectural office. For twenty years he brought up a family of six children upstairs and ran a thriving architectural
practice of twelve or so draughts men downstairs. Here, in an idyllic American suburb, with
giant oaks, sprawling lawns, and no fences, Wright built some sixty rambling homes by the year 1900. He became the leader of a style known as the "Prairie" school - houses with low-pitched roofs and extended lines that blended into the landscape and typified his style of "organic
architecture".
By the age of forty-one, in 1908, Wright had achieved extraordinary social and professional success. He gave countless lectures at major universities and started his Taliesin Fellowship - a visionary social workshop. In 1938 he appeared on the cover of Time magazine, and later, on a
two-cent stamp. The most spectacular buildings of his mature period were based on forms borrowed from nature, and the intentions were clearly romantic, poetic, and intensely personal. Examples of these buildings are Tokyo's Imperial Hotel (1915-22: demolished 1968), and New
York City's Guggenheim Museum (completed 1959). He continued working until his death in 1959, at the age of 92, although in his later years, he spent as much time giving interviews and
being a celebrity, as he did in designing buildings. Wright can be considered an essentially
idiosyncratic architect whose influence was immense but whose pupils were few.
Why did Frank Lloyd Wright first work as a draughtsman?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Frank Lloyd Wright first worked as a draughtsman in Chicago to learn the traditional, classical language of architecture. Despite studying engineering at the University of Wisconsin due to the absence of an architecture course, he sought practical experience to complement his academic background. By immersing himself in the work of a draughtsman, Wright gained hands-on knowledge of architectural principles and styles, paving the way for his future iconic designs. This experience was crucial in shaping his unique approach to architecture, characterized by organic forms and integration with the natural environment.