His designs collapsed the boundaries between indoors and out, and his innovative structures were built with a combination of local materials like natural stone and modern materials such as concrete and steel, with features like open plan spaces and large expanses of glass that influenced the development of modern architecture in Europe and the mid-century modern aesthetic that still resonates around the world today. Wright designed more than 1,000 buildings during a career that spanned 70 years. Eight of those buildings are now UNESCO World Heritage listed, and many of the homes that he designed have become museums open to the public. Here is a tiny sampling of some of our favorite Frank Lloyd Wright-designed homes, each of which offers a reminder of why the architect remains a such legend. Some of the home’s most striking features include an expanse of transparent glass that allows views through the house to the lake, a revolutionary design at the time; as well as cantilevered balconies, ribbon windows, and generous terraces. The home design incorporates local limestone from the cliff and mortar made from sand from the nearby beach. Graycliff is now a New York State Historic Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1998). One notable flourish is an interior frieze depicting stylized pine trees cut from plywood. Wright admirer and fellow Wisconsin native Peterson, who upon returning from the Army commissioned an elderly Wright to build him and his future bride the house, died at age 24 and never saw his dream cottage built. The house now belongs to the Mirror Lake State Park and is run by a conservancy. It is open to the public for tours and overnight stays.
