The Prairie School: Frank Lloyd Wright and His Midwest Contemporaries

One of the most original and dynamic developments in American architecture, the Prairie School was a regional manifestation of the international revolt and reform that occurred in the visual arts during the early years of the twentieth century. Inspired by Louis Sullivan and given guidance and prominence by Frank Lloyd Wright, the members of the movement sought to achieve a fresh architectural expression. Their designs were characterized by precise, angular forms and highly sophisticated interior arrangements-an approach that proved immensely significant in residential architecture. H. Allen Brooks discusses the entire phenomenon of the Prairie School-not just the masters but also the work of their contemporaries. Drawing on unpublished material and original documentation as well as on interviews, he assesses each architect’s contribution and traces the course of the movement itself-how and why it came into existence, what it achieved, and what caused its abrupt end.