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Frank Lloyd Wright

In his lifetime, and a design career spanning 75 years, Frank Lloyd Wright created some of the most recognizable architectural and interior designs in the world. Born in Wisconsin (1867), Wright began his formal education in 1885 at the University of Wisconsin, Madison School for Engineering. He took classes part-time for two semesters, but in 1887,...

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Frank Lloyd Wright

In his lifetime, and a design career spanning 75 years, Frank Lloyd Wright created some of the most recognizable architectural and interior designs in the world. Born in Wisconsin (1867), Wright began his formal education in 1885 at the University of Wisconsin, Madison School for Engineering. He took classes part-time for two semesters, but in 1887, Wright left the university without receiving a degree and moved to Chicago where embarked on his architectural career with firm's like Joseph Lyman Silsbee and then Chicago's premier firm, Adler & Sullivan before beginning his own firm. It was in his own practice that the designer developed his philosophy of "organic architecture" which governed his designs throughout his career.

Wright himself was notoriously cryptic in his explanation of the organic architecture philosophy (a term coined by the designer). The designer did not believe in styles but believed that from this philosophy, design would naturally emanate. Wright believed that a building should belong to the era in which it is created and should be in harmony with its natural environment, wherever possible taking best advantage of the natural features of the landscape. He believed that a building's first mission is to serve people, with the human being as the primary unit of measure. The form should honestly express the function of the building - a bank should look like a bank, not a Greek Temple. The inherent nature of building materials should be respected and they should not be disguised to look like something else. A building should function like a cohesive organism, each part of the design relating to the whole, with a natural integration of exterior & interior spaces. Natural colors, landscape elements and open spaces should be used and the building should resemble a living organism in organization and development.

Frank Lloyd Wright's passion for the natural world and the ideas of democracy are deeply imbedded in his architectural and interior designs. Known for great buildings like the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, and the Johnson Wax Building, Wright’s renown sits squarely on his 600 residential designs represented by landmark homes including Fallingwater and his own Taliesin and Taliesin West. Wright designed furniture, windows, textiles, and other interior elements to complement a house’s exterior and to bring the natural world into every room.

Today, Frank Lloyd Wright's legacy continues with furniture licensed to Copeland Furniture. The manufacturer shares Wright's passion for the natural world, his appreciation for simple, beautiful furnishings, his insistence that excellent design be part of every home. As the exclusive licensee of Frank Lloyd Wright's furniture designs, Copeland appreciates the importance of maintaining his design legacy. Every piece of Frank Lloyd Wright® Furniture by Copeland is named for the house it was originally designed for and bears Wright’s signature, date of manufacture, and unique serial number.

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