One of the largest prairie residences designed by Wisconsin’s very own Frank Lloyd Wright, a visit to Wingspread may give you a new perspective on custom home design.
Commissioned by H.F. Johnson, the third generation heir to control the SC Johnson company, this residence was completed in 1939 after two (2) full years of construction. Twenty years later, in 1959, Wingspread was donated to the Johnson Foundation as a conference center available for meetings, meals, receptions, and tours.
Wingspread emblem cemented outside the main entrance.Sculptures at Wingspread.Narrow hallways encourage residents and visitors to spend time together in the open common areas.Girl’s bedroom featuring custom built-in furniture and one of the seven (7) fireplaces in the home.Geometric illusions of depth are found throughout the home.Pinstriped hardwood floors cover the entire second floor and angled staircase.Legend has it that Frank Lloyd Wright designed and built this vertical fireplace, without testing the logistics of burning the tall logs at the bottom.Mr. Wright designed a retractable dinner table that was wheeled into the kitchen between courses, leaving guests to stare at each other across an awkward empty space where the table once was. Behind the dining table are 16-foot high windows that double as doors to the outdoor terrace.Sculpture above the exit of the living room.
Christina Ann Rinaldi 