About a 20 minute drive from downtown Chicago, Oak Park is home to over a dozen Frank Lloyd Wright designed buildings. What makes the village even more spectacular is just how close they all are to each other. A short walk along Forrest Avenue from Wright’s Unity Temple to his first home and studio, is an opportunity to soak in the breathtaking tree-lined homes which now stand as monuments to his remarkable career.
But what makes Oak Park just so special, is that it was the testing ground for so many of his early ideas and thoughts about architecture. As you walk from building to building, you can clearly see a deviation in his thinking from the Beaux-Arts style that dominated Chicago at the time to his later, more developed prairie style and a conscious desire to design with nature.
Below are just some of the buildings that show off the beauty of Oak Park while giving you a sense of the thinking behind his most formative years.
Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio
Originally much smaller than its current form, the house was built in 1889 and then extensively remodelled in 1895. The studio was added in 1898 and served as Wright’s first home and office for 20 years. The studio is a remarkable double-height space that is tied together by its wood accents and centrally-located chimney (something that would form the basis of his prairie style architecture). Source: Frank Lloyd Wright Trust.
Open to the Public?: Yes
Hours: 7 days a week, 9:00am – 5:00pm
Tour Time: 40-50 minutes
Cost: $40
Arthur B. Heurtley House
Generally considered one of Wright’s best homes, the Arthur B. Huertley house is an early example of the Prairie Style with its low-pitched roof, sprawling floor plan and raised living space. Source: Frank Lloyd Wright Trust.
Open to the Public?: No
Hills-Decaro House
Renovated by Wright in 1906, the Hills-Decaro house is another example of Wright’s transition to Prairie style. In 1976, a major fire destroyed a significant portion of the house, requiring it to be rebuilt. Source: Frank Lloyd Wright Trust.
Open to the Public?: No
Nathan G. Moore House
At the request of the client, Wright designed this house in the Tudor Style which he would later grow to dislike. A large fire almost 20 years after the original house was built allowed him the the opportunity to add new ornamental elements and volumes that would bring it closer to his original intention. Source: Frank Lloyd Wright Trust.
Unity Temple
Designed for the local Unitarian congregation, Unity Temple is Wright’s greatest public building in the prairie style. It features exposed large concrete walls and organically-inspired geometry.
Source: Frank Lloyd Wright Trust
Open to the Public?: Yes
Hours: Monday to Saturday, hours vary
Tour Time: 40-60 minutes
Cost: $18
Other Oak Park houses not pictured
The Charles A. Purcell House
Laura Gale House
Winslow House
For more information about Frank Lloyd Wright and Oak Park, I highly recommend checking out the the FLW Trust website here.
