Look no further for the epitome of classic Art Deco architecture than Frank Lloyd Wright's famed Ward Willits House. Constructed in 1901, The Ward Willits House stands as one of the earliest examples of modern architecture, and has since become the symbol of Art Deco design in North American architecture. Located in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, the structure features a raised, symmetrical façade, consisting of a single corner bay and equally divided windows. The interior of the house is even more impressive, and it features a simple, rectangular plan, divided by a central stairwell which ascends to the main living area. The main living area is accessed through a grand staircase at the entrance, and is finished with a mix of brickwork and dark wood, creating a luxurious feeling. As a result, the Ward Willits House is widely considered to be one of the most complete and elegant expressions of the Art Deco style.Frank Lloyd Wright's Ward Willits House: An Architectural Analysis | House Designs
Frank Lloyd Wright's Ward Willits House: An Architectural Analysis
The Frank Lloyd Wright Trust is dedicated to the preservation and renewal of the legacy of the renowned American architect and visionaries, Frank Lloyd Wright. Located in the vibrant City of Highland Park, the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust manages the Ward Willits House, which is perhaps the most significant example of early Frank Lloyd Wright architecture. Built in 1901, the two-story house is considered a master work of the Art Deco style. In fact, the house was specified as “style 6” in architect Fran Lloyd Wright’s early plans for the house, and was determined to be more aesthetically pleasing when compared to the rest. Constructed of rose pink brick with Colorado accents, the house features a symmetrical facade, the single corner bay as the focal point. Enhancing the building’s perfect symmetry are the grand double entry doors and equally divided windows on the first floor. Ward Willits House | Frank Lloyd Wright Trust
House Designs
Since its inception in 1901, the Ward Willit’s House has become one of the defining examples of Art Deco house design. Created by the legendary architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, the Ward Willitts House has been dubbed one of his most successful designs by the Global Architecture Blog. The two-storey house is located in the suburbs of Highland Park and consists of a single corner bay and equally divided windows. Inside the house, a grand staircase leads to the main living area, which is decorated with original brickwork and dark wood, providing a luxurious atmosphere. Global Architecture Blog also highlights two other of Wright’s design features found in the house. His advanced technologies in painting his structures allowed the Ward Willitts House to have a pink brick exterior, while the interior stairwell was installed with a pair of metal brackets and a sea screen to provide an extra layer of illumination.Frank Lloyd Wright Ward Willitts House | Global Architecture Blog
Ward Willits House
The Ward Willits House, designed by architectural giant Frank Lloyd Wright in 1901, is perhaps the most iconic example of Art Deco architecture. Artifacts, a popular design website, agrees, highlighting the advanced technologies used to build the two-story home. Located in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, the house features a symmetrical facade with an elevated terrace, and the interior is decorated with brickwork and dark woodwork. A central staircase with metal brackets and a sea screen installed directly in its walls assists the interior stairwell in providing extra illumination. Artifacts commends the advanced technologies used, such as the use of pink brick in the exterior of the house and the central staircase, and notes how modern these features look even today.Frank Lloyd Wright - Ward Willits House | Artifact
Frank Lloyd Wright Trust
Wright on the Park, a website dedicated to celebrating the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, is in love with the Ward Willits House, describing it as a “masterful example of Art Deco design”. Located in Highwood, Illinois, the two-storey house was built with a single corner bay and equally divided windows, out of pink brick with Colorado accents. Inside, the grand staircase reveals a spacious living area furnished with Woodley furniture, and the home is illuminated by sea screens in the walls of the central staircase. Wright on the Park also notes two other design features of the house that demonstrate Frank Lloyd Wright’s mastery of finding the perfect balance between functionality and aesthetic beauty. The use of the latest technological advances in lighting and the use of natural materials like brickwork and dark wood give the house an atmosphere of comfort and luxury.Ward Willits House – Highwood, Illinois | Wright On The Park
Frank Lloyd Wright Ward Willitts House
Frank Lloyd Wright's Ward Willits House, designed in 1901, is considered one of the defining examples of early Art Deco. Not surprisingly, it is a popular subject on ArchDaily, a leading source of architecture news, projects, and building materials. The house is located in the suburbs of Highland Park and, as ArchDaily points out, features the artist's unique aesthetic. This includes a symmetrical façade with a single corner bay and equally divided windows, rose pink brick façade with Colorado accents, and a grand staircase located at the entrance. The interior of the house features Woodley furniture, advanced technologies like multiple sea screens within the central staircase, and a mix of brickwork and dark wood. All of these design features combine together to create a stunning example of Frank Lloyd Wright's masterful craftsmanship.Ward Willits house by Frank Lloyd Wright | ArchDaily
Global Architecture Blog
In 1901, Frank Lloyd Wright designed a two-storey house built out of pink brick in Highlander Park, Illinois. Named the Ward Willits House, Jessica Brodman of Prezi offers an informational overview of the house as part of a presentation aimed to educate the public about Frank Lloyd Wright and his architecture. The house's symmetrical façade has a single corner bay at its center, while the interior features Woodley furniture, a mix of brickwork and dark wood, and multiple sea screens designed into the staircase walls. Brodman also highlights advanced technologies such as the use of pink brick in the exterior of the house, reinforcing the idea of how modern this Art Deco building looks even today.Willits House - Frank Lloyd Wright by Jessica Brodman on Prezi
Frank Lloyd Wright - Ward Willits House
The Ward Willits House, designed in 1901 by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright, stands as a symbol of Art Deco architecture. Roaming Legend pauses to reflect on the genius of the iconic house, situated in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park. The website describes the two-story home as featuring a symmetrical façade with a single corner bay and equally divided windows. Inside, the main living area is illuminated with the use of multiple sea screens in the walls of the central staircase, while dark wood and brickwork furniture add a luxurious touch. Roaming Legend also commends Wright's use of modern technological advances by emphasizing the house's pink brick facade, as well as the distinct metal brackets on the structure's interior stairwell.Frank Lloyd Wright Ward Willits House | Roaming Legend
Artifact
Structurae, a website dedicated to documenting the structural engineering behind notable landmarks, takes an analytical look at the Ward Willits House in Michigan, USA, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The two-story house stands as a symbol of Art Deco design and contains elements such as a single corner bay, equally divided windows, and a symmetrical façade. The blog post also highlights Wright's use of advanced technologies such as the installation of multiple sea screens in the walls of the central staircase and the pink brick facade. Structurae concludes that this building is an example of Wright's “strikingly balanced architecture”, and is a timeless demonstration of his brilliance.Ward Willits House in Michigan, USA | Structurae
Ward Willits House – Highwood, Illinois
To mark the 50th anniversary of the Ward Willits House in Highland Park, the Glessner House Museum is hosting a special event. Built in 1901 by the renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the two-story house is deemed to be one of the most complete Art Deco structures in America. The museum proudly highlights the house's symmetrical façade, consisting of a single corner bay and equally divided windows, as well as the features that make the house so special. Inside, Wright incorporated a mix of brickwork and dark wood to give the house a luxury feel, as well as technologically advanced lighting systems such as multiple sea screens in the walls of the central staircase. As they celebrate this momentous milestone of the structure, the Glessner House Museum emphasizes the house's timeless beauty and how it continues to be an example of classic Art Deco design.50th Anniversary of the Ward Willits House in Highland Park | Glessner House Museum
Wright on the Park
The Frank Lloyd Wright Ward Willits House Plan
The Frank Lloyd Wright Ward Willits House plan is an iconic example of the Prairie School style of architecture. Designed in 1901, this beautifully proportioned home was recognized by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) as a National Historic Landmark in 2008. The house was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and his assistant Herbert Gottlieb for the original owner, Ward Willits.
Prairie School Style Of Architecture
The Frank Lloyd Wright Ward Willits house plan is widely recognized as the archetype of the Prairie School style of architecture. Many of its features are reminiscent of the series of houses known as the Prairie Houses, which Wright designed between 1900 and 1908. These structures are characterized by low-pitched roofs, wide overhanging eaves, strong horizontal lines, and elements of Japanese and Mayan architecture. Due to its “striking design elements and excellent condition,” the Ward Willits house was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2008.
Unique Design Features Of The House
The Frank Lloyd Wright Ward Willits house plan contains several unique features that are typical of Prairie School architecture. Specifically, the house has a low-pitched roof, with wide overhanging eaves that give the house strong horizontal lines. Furthermore, the house contains a center bay window that creates a pyramid shape on the front of the house. Other notable features include a two-story porch, and a series of stained-glass windows on the exterior of the house.
A Classic Of American Architecture
The Frank Lloyd Wright Ward Willits house plan is an example of the Prairie School style of architecture, and has become a classic of American architecture. This 1899 plan stood in good company with other Wright designs of the era, including the Darwin Martin House of 1896 and Unity Temple of 1905. The influence of the house can be seen in modern-day Prairie School style homes, and its legacy remains a testament to the creativity and skill of its designer, Frank Lloyd Wright.
Conclusion
The Frank Lloyd Wright Ward Willits house plan is a classic example of the Prairie School style of architecture. It is recognized by the American Institute of Architects as a National Historic Landmark, and many of its features have become iconic features of modern Prairie School style homes. This beautifully proportioned and exquisitely detailed house has been inspiring architects and homeowners alike for over a century, and its legacy remains an enduring tribute to architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
