Visual Traveler: Chasing Frank Lloyd Wright I

I became aware of Frank Lloyd Wright's singular architecture while attending high school in a Pittsburgh, PA suburb. The 'feel' of his buildings was so different from my experiences of suburban architecture in communities across the U.S. where we had lived.

​I loved how his structures merged with surrounding landscape, enhanced by long and tall windows. Wright's clean, modern architecture and decorative use of natural wood captivated me too. The fact that he often designed the furnishings for his buildings impressed me even more.

But it took until the 1980s before I finally visited Wright's iconic Fallingwater with my husband, about 1 1/2 hours from my parents' home. Roadway views to an indoor tour provided a memorable field trip. (see 1980s photos, above)! Today, this beautiful structure is celebrating 90 years of manmade beauty.

​I had previously explored Wright's inspiring architecture throughout the Oak Park neighborhood of Chicago, during a graduate internship. My then-boyfriend and an architecture student provided an educated perspective as we saw 21 Wright-designed homes and toured his personal studio, amid the world's largest collection of his architecture.

Above: In the hotel lobby.

Decades later, my trips as a travel writer offered more opportunities to indulge my growing obsession with Wright's architecture. During an Iowa visit, I was privileged to stay at The Historic Park Inn Hotel in Mason City - the last remaining Wright-designed hotel in the world. 

Exploration of Madison, Wisconsin included touring Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center. Full of massive windows, the curvilinear structure began with Wright's design for a building along Lake Monona's shoreline, in 1938. Construction finally occurred in 1997.

I was thrilled at the prospect of visiting Wright's Taliesen during another press trip. With a name that means "shining brow" in Welsh, and celebrates his Welsh heritage, Wright lived here for five decades and taught budding architects onsite. 

Because a huge number of Wright structures remain throughout Wisconsin, the state created its 200-mile Frank Lloyd Wright Trail in 2017. I happily explored it during another press trip. We admired the soaring sanctuary at Wright's First Unitarian Society Meeting House; curvilinear walls and furnishings inside the SC Johnson Administration Building and Research Tower; and cozy surroundings inside the Johnson Foundation at Wingspread.

But this wasn't the end of my explorations. More Wright properties beckoned in Iowa and the Phoenix/Scottsdale areas. I'll share them next week, so stay tuned for Visual Traveler: Chasing Frank Lloyd Wright II.
*******************************************************************************************
Disclaimer: As a travel writer I may receive complimentary stays, admissions, meals, transportation, and, occasionally, products I am asked to review. However, I make every effort to report my experiences fairly and honestly.

​Please note some of these photos are older. While they reflected the character of this area during my visit, specific details may have changed.​