Wright’s latest honor bolsters legacy
In our own southwestern Ohio back yard, the Westcott House in Springfield shines as an innovative example of Wright’s genius. Saved from demolition several years ago by local citizens and lovingly restored to Wright’s original vision, the Prairie Style house draws people from all around the country and the world and brings us all together to marvel at the work that put American architecture on the world map.
Frank Lloyd Wright is known for many memorable quotes, one of them being “Early in life, I had to choose between honest arrogance and hypocritical humility. I chose the former and have seen no reason to change.” Wright seemed to faithfully follow his mantra; once on the witness stand in court, he introduced himself as “the world’s greatest living architect.” After all, he was under oath ...
Quite understandably, at first many would be put off by his overt self-confidence and blunt statements. But now, as we reflect on his long and incredible career, the word “genius” sits comfortably with the majority of those who study and interpret his work.
And as we absorb the news of UNESCO inscribing “The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright” on the World Heritage list in July — thus acknowledging his legacy as one of the most prized world heritage phenomena — one has to acknowledge Wright was onto something.
Truly, so far, not too many individual artists have been bestowed with this highest honor for a creator of a cultural landmark. Often, sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List are not associated with a single artist, but with whole communities and sometimes generations of leaders, visionaries, dreamers, and artists. The fact that the UNESCO World Heritage Committee recognized the genius of this American architect and his contributions to the world culture is an ultimate validation for Wright-designed landmarks across the states. We can only imagine that for Wright himself it would be, well, a resounding “I told you so” moment.
The world, though, has seemed to know for many years about the undeniable appeal of Wright’s work. The visitorship to Fallingwater, his masterpiece built on the top of a waterfall in Pennsylvania and opened to the public in the 1960s, steadily grew over the years to the point that the site stewards had to make tough call on limiting the number of tourists allowed to visit the site annually.
In our own southwestern Ohio back yard, the Westcott House in Springfield shines as an innovative example of Wright’s genius. Saved from demolition several years ago by local citizens and lovingly restored to Wright’s original vision, the Prairie Style house draws people from all around the country and the world and brings us all together to marvel at the work that put American architecture on the world map.
Like the Westcott House, many of his structures were built for a single family, featuring tiny passages and little nooks, beautiful and extraordinary in their intimate coziness. Wright insisted on specific furniture arrangements for the enjoyment of the holistic experience. He did not care so much about some inconvenient side effects that sometimes come with innovation, advising to use buckets for leaky roofs.
However, he never underestimated the impact of the artful and thoughtful composition on his client’s daily quality of life. “Give me the luxuries of life and I will willingly do without the necessities,” he said. Indeed, as a visit to the Westcott House demonstrates, such a luxury is to engage with his masterful spaces. Your spirit is elevated and you are inspired to be your best self, just as if you were listening to a moving piece of music or eating a superb meal by a master chef. All those big and small things we do to make our life worth living. Experiencing sublime art, be it a Van Gogh painting, a Frank Lloyd Wright house, John Legend vocals, or a glass of Dom Pérignon, can definitely do the trick.
Wright’s works included in the UNESCO nomination are Unity Temple, the Frederick C. Robie House, Taliesin, Hollyhock House, Fallingwater, the Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House, Taliesin West and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. The World Heritage Committee wrote, “These buildings reflect the ‘organic architecture’ developed by Wright, which includes an open plan, a blurring of the boundaries between exterior and interior and the unprecedented use of materials such as steel and concrete. Each of these buildings offers innovative solutions to the needs for housing, worship, work or leisure.”
This nomination marks the first recognition of American modern architecture. It has been an incredible effort spearheaded by the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, an organization that works to preserve the remaining buildings that Wright designed, which includes their work saving and helping to restore the Westcott House. This summer’s news crowns more than 15 years of hard work by many individuals passionate about Wright’s legacy and its importance to the world.
According to Barbara Gordon, executive director of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, “This recognition by UNESCO is a significant way to reconfirm how important Frank Lloyd Wright was to the development of modern architecture around the world. There are nearly 400 remaining structures designed by Wright. Our hope is that the inscription of these eight major works also brings awareness to the importance of preserving all of his buildings as a vital part of our artistic, cultural and architectural heritage. All communities where a Wright building stands should appreciate what they have and share in the responsibility to protect their local — and world — heritage.”
The extraordinary act of saving Springfield’s Westcott House almost two decades ago is our region’s great contribution to the world’s collective wisdom of preserving the places that matter.
All communities where a Wright building stands should appreciate what they have.