Frank Lloyd Wright's Forgotten House
How an Omission Transformed the Architect's Legacy
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Frank Lloyd Wright's Forgotten House
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Narrated by:
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Ryan Voss
Summary
While the grandiosity of Fallingwater and elegance of Taliesin are recognized universally, Frank Lloyd Wright’s first foray into affordable housing is frequently overlooked. Although Wright began work on his American System-Built Homes (ASBH, 1911–17) with great energy, the project fell apart following wartime shortages and disputes between the architect and his developer. While continuing to advocate for the design of affordable small homes, Wright never spoke publicly of ASBH. As a result, the heritage of many Wright-designed homes was forgotten.
When Nicholas and Angela Hayes became stewards of the unassuming Elizabeth Murphy House near Milwaukee, they began to unearth evidence that ultimately revealed a one-hundred-year-old fiasco fueled by competing ambitions and conflicting visions of America. The couple’s forensic pursuit of the truth untangled the ways Wright’s ASBH experiment led to the architect’s most productive, creative period. Historians, architecture buffs, and Wrightophiles alike will be fascinated by this untold history that fills a crucial gap in the architect’s oeuvre.
The book is published by University of Wisconsin Press. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.
©2021 Nicholas Dale Hayes (P)2026 Redwood AudiobooksCritic reviews
“Hayes shines a welcome light on a shadowy period...filled with intrigue, conflict, and, always, the protean creativity of Frank Lloyd Wright...” (John Gurda, author of The Making of Milwaukee)
“Beautifully written. A significant contribution to the field...” (Michael Desmond, Louisiana State University School of Architecture)