When I think about Frank Lloyd Wright’s most prolific period of house design, I cannot help but compare it to the composition of music.
“Using nature as his mentor and geometry as his tool he developed what he called organic architecture. He used number, geometry, proportion, pattern, hierarchy and orientation in all of his work. Wright used geometry as a formative idea with the concepts of plane and solid geometry determining the built form.”
His early sketches and even his design development does not hide the underlying beginning. In this he is transparent. The underlying geometric grid is a system or theme, a decision at its starting point and a structure that is strictly abided to as a means to provide discipline in the development a particular design. Until it isn’t and the decision is made to make a departure! The smallest unit is related to larger elements which is in turn related to the whole and its understanding. This begins as elemental and developed with great discipline to provide a coherent and rich result.
Take for example the plan for a house.
Now lets Compare this to
The theme structure is a clear proposition. The addition and layering of relevant and repeated variations are familiar and yet slightly different. The result is rich and complex. And so is the architectural journey of layering and deviating rich in the way one experiences the elemental unit and its relation to the greater whole.
The power is in the freedom of the composer. The benefit is in the psycho-emotional experience of the user, who by listening or living in this design is different on a daily basis. Incredible. Powerful.
